A well-known McLaren Vale café site is preparing for its next chapter, with the husband and wife duo behind Bees Knees catering transforming the former Bracegirdle’s property into a new all-day café called Hive 190.
Opening at 190 Main Road in October, the café will give Bees Knees catering company its first permanent home. The catering business was founded in 2021 by Tarsh and Sean Mulholland and has built a loyal following.
“We definitely saw a desire for us to create a permanent space,” Sean’s wife and business partner Tarsh Mulholland told Glam Adelaide.
“People would be like, do you guys have somewhere I can come and try your food and enjoy the space with you?”
“It evolved into this amazing vision for what Bees Knees needs next and what we want to develop for the much loved building.”
The opening also marks Sean Mulholland’s return to McLaren Vale hospitality after the closure of his popular Mullygrub café in 2022.
“There’s also a lot of menu items that old regulars from Mullygrub want me to bring back,” Sean said.
Among those returning favourites are the house-smoked pastrami Reuben, homemade pumpkin scones, and a new take on its popular hot-smoked salmon rice bowl.
Sean said that they would also be expanding their offering of take-home meals and sourdough loaves.
“We also made fresh ciabatta every day at our old café, so I’ll be expanding that range,” he said.
“We’ll be doing about four different types of bread a day, and fresh baguettes on the weekend.”
The café will be located in one of McLaren Vale’s most recognisable commercial buildings, which most recently housed Bracegirdle’s before the chocolatier relocated to 150 Main Road.
But the history of the space dates much further back, Tarsh said.
“The building was built in 1909, and we really want to preserve some of its heritage, but also work with it,” she said.
The fit-out will retain much of the original character while extending the dining space onto the alfresco deck.
“The site really lends itself to being inclusive and family friendly,” Tarsh said.
“I think what we’ve got to offer is going to be well received by everyone, and give the whole area a boost and get people excited about going out again.”
Hive 190
Where: 190 Main Road, McLaren Vale
When: Early October
