There’s a cozy new coffee nook in Glenelg, a family-run café serving up fresh coffee and an Asian-inspired brunch menu just a short walk from the beach. Gather & Grounds, now open seven days a week on Waterloo Street, is a pet-friendly, vegan-friendly new coffee hotspot paying homage to the authentic flavours of family recipes, dishing out brunch staples and tasty drinks with a twist.
Think Ube Taro Hotcakes with a freshly made mug of batch brew, or a Chicken Katsu Sando with a strawberry matcha to wash it down. Or, pair Hojicha, a Japanese roasted green tea, with your Smashed Avocado On Toast. There’s an abundance of mouthwatering options to choose from at Gather & Grounds – they’ve even recently unveiled a new Earl Grey Matcha Latte packed with antioxidants.
“There are lots of cafés in Glenelg, so we’re here to offer something cozy and unique”, says co-founder Natalie Nguyen.
“Our space is for connection, where people can sit down in a quiet place and enjoy their coffee and brunch or have a chat with their friends.”
Opening a café has been a lifelong dream for Natalie, who came to Australia in 2014 as an international student from Vietnam. After working in customer service for 10 years, Natalie was inspired by her dad, a fervent lover of coffee and jazz music, who had also dreamt of owning his own café. In fact, Gather & Grounds is a business that truly leans into familial bonds. Her niece Cynthia is one of the baristas, and the chef is her cousin Tom.
The team worked collaboratively to open Gather & Grounds, travelling to cafés in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney to taste different recipes and spice them up with their flavours. Back in Adelaide, the family would come together to taste their recipes, getting feedback from everyone to make sure they were perfect.
“With a love of the home-cooked dishes and drinks from mum and grandma, we wanted to introduce Asian twist flavours to the Glenelg community”, says Natalie.
The resulting menu offers an all-day breakfast selection, lunch (from 11am), sides, and a kids menu. Many of the dishes are recognisable brekky classics or lunch mainstays, such as Eggs Your Way, Big Brekkie, Double Smash Burger, and Shakshuka. However, to spice things up, Gather & Grounds throws Asian-inspired condiments and sauces into the mix, like Gochujang maple syrup, chilli honey, tobiko (AKA flying fish caviar), Japanese mayo, and their homemade spicy hollandaise sauce.
The drinks menu features a range of coffees hot and cold, tea, smoothies, milkshakes, juices, and house sodas. Standouts include traditional Vietnamese drip coffee, served black or white, as well as the various matcha lattes, Japanese tea, and Mont Blanc, a recent phenomenon that combines filter coffee, black-sugar syrup, fresh cream, nutmeg and orange zest.
Just off Jetty Road, Gather & Grounds has opened in the former location of The Annex Cafe, a popular destination that closed in late 2024. The new café in town has been received well by old Annex Cafe regulars, new customers and Glenelg locals alike.
“We offer a cozy escape where people can slow down, enjoy a great meal, and feel genuinely welcomed. Whether it’s a quick coffee, a long brunch, or a quiet moment alone, we want every visit to be a relaxing, uplifting experience.”
At the café, Natalie’s favourite time of day is the morning rush between 9am and midday when foot traffic is most prolific. She loves meeting and speaking with Gather & Grounds’ new customers and the older customer base who used to frequent The Annex Cafe.
“It’s very busy from 8:30am in the morning to lunchtime during weekdays. Lots of people from the surrounding offices like to come for coffee. More people dine in on the weekend and sit down to eat.”
With the overwhelming success of Gather & Grounds’ recent launch, Natalie plans to create more seating areas and install an awning so customers can sit in the shade. When the weather cools down and Autumn sets in, the team will also introduce a new range of warming comfort meals, such as pumpkin soup and mushroom forest on toast.
“We’re building more than just a café – we’re building a community. We’re here to not just fit into Glenelg’s café culture, but to elevate it with heart, culture, and passion.”
If you’re heading down to soak up the sun in Glenelg any time soon, be sure to pop into Gather & Grounds on Waterloo Street for a cozy atmosphere plus delicious food and drinks. And don’t forget to grab a loyalty card – return customers get their eighth drink free.
WHAT: Gather & Grounds
WHEN: 8am-3:30pm seven days a week
WHERE: 3 Waterloo Street, Glenelg SA 5084
For more information, click here.
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