Searching for the perfect lunch-time quickie? Meet Happy Ending café

Posted on 17 August, 2022

Located where one of Fyshwick’s iconic night-time destinations once stood, Happy Ending café and sandwich bar has officially opened its doors to bring locals the perfect lunch-time quickie.

We mean that literally. Serving coffee from a local roaster and a weekly menu of rotating sandwiches, sweets, pastries, and savoury bites, the menu is designed to be ideal for lunch in a hurry.

And while the service may be fast, the menu—designed by Kent Nhan and Greg Lally of XO and ILY restaurants and Frank Iannelli of Alpha Fresh Foods—is offering Canberrans another reason to get excited in Fyshwick.

Frank Iannelli, Kent Nhan, Camila Paloma & Mia Hubble.

Think an elevated ham and cheese croissant using provolone cheese and premium pastoral smoked leg ham, a caprese panino and prosciutto panino, as well as classics like almond croissants, jam doughnut, and delicious sausage rolls.

“Some highlights on our opening week menu include Nonna’s meatball sub, with meatballs and tomato sugo handmade by Frank’s mum, as well as a cold “mac” sandwich of wagyu pastrami, mac sauce, lettuce and pesto,” says Nhan.

“That one originally made a name for itself as the favourite staff meal at XO, with the mac sauce recipe derived by our Head Chef AK.”

Managed by Camila Paloma and Mia Hubble, with Nhan using his experience and expertise to oversee the changing menu offerings, the idea for Happy Ending café was born when the team transitioned their New Acton venue ILY away from their daytime offering and into an evening venue.

Partnering with Iannelli and Lally who also own plant-based food venture VOOD (which is conveniently located next door), the solution for the thousands of ILY branded coffee cups left behind in New Acton seemed simple—start another café. 

Located on Gladstone Street (where the Lollipop Lounge once offered a different kind of happiness), the café’s name is a cheeky play on the building’s history—one the team doesn’t shy away from. 

“We wanted to have a bit of fun with the name and the venue, and not shy away from its history,” says Nhan.

“But we also believe it’s a bit of a happy ending for the building as well, which gets to live on in a completely new format. It’s another reason for people to get excited in Fyshwick, and one that we can all enjoy.” 

Coffee, pastries and sandwiches in Fyshwick from the talented teams behind ILY and Vood? Happy ending indeed. 

Photography: Ashley St George of Pew Pew Studio