A new cafe concept setting its own trends has just opened on the upper ground level of Myer Centre Adelaide, with a drink-making machine you’ve probably never heard of at the centre of the offering.
Pressed & Co is the new venture from Zayt & Zaatar co-owner Nedal Choujaa, who is partnering with his wife Amber Choujaa to open this cafe, and a second of the same name at Westfield Tea Tree Plaza, which is currently on its way.
Nedal told us the concept has been more than a year in the making, but the idea only began to really flourish after a trip to his home country, Lebanon.
There, the couple found inspiration in emerging food trends and unique service styles. “When we went on a holiday to Lebanon, that’s when things started to fall in place. We saw different ideas there,” Nedal said. These were ideas they really loved, and became motivated to bring back to Adelaide.
The biggest inspiration from their trip was a deli in Lebanese city Aley, called Deli Dough, which sparked the idea for unique watermelon-based paninis and other fresh, made-to-order menu items, simply because they tasted so good and offered something so different. “We got really inspired by [Deli Dough]. They’re amazing, man!”
The Pressed & Co menu focuses on fresh, made-to-order paninis, cold pressed juices, matcha, and a fast service model designed to keep quality high.
“We’re building a streamlined system so everything can be fast paced without reducing the quality at all,” he says.
A key feature of the cafes, and possibly the most exciting, is a matcha on tap system, which Nedal says he hasn’t seen before in the state.
“The way it works is with four nozzles… each container gets filled with milk, cold brew coffee, matcha, [among others]” he said. “You press the button and it doses the matcha and the milk at the same time… it gives you a matcha in under [about] seven seconds.”
The system can also be used for iced drinks including coffees and teas, with a focus on speed and consistency, and how can we forget?: wow factor.
Alongside the drinks offering, the menu will introduce a range of unconventional items inspired by overseas concepts. One standout is a fruit-based panini using slices of watermelon, rockmelon, or pineapple instead of bread, and with cold cuts, honey, and other delicious morsels as the filling.
“Imagine a watermelon… you get two slices, top and bottom, and then inside you put your feta, your nuts, your honey, your mint, and then turn it into a sandwich,” Nedal says.
The offering, Nedal tells us, is designed to cater to a wide audience, including gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan customers, with a variety of toppings available.
The menu also extends to vanilla and chocolate protein yoghurt bowls and fresh salad bowls with falafel, labne, and chicken. The team said they are conscious of providing healthier choices for customers.
Nedal says the business is built with growth in mind, with more locations already planned. The team is aiming to capture a large audience from the outset, which is why two cafes are launching in such close succession.
The opening will also mark the first time the team has stepped into daytime trade. “We’ve always been in the nighttime trades, so we’re very excited for something a bit different,” he says.
With a cosy upstairs spot already in operation, Pressed & Co is shaping up to be something of a hype machine, and we love to see creative concepts like matcha taps and fruit panini come to life.
Pressed & Co
Where: Myer Centre Adelaide, Rundle Mall
For more info, click here.
