First Look: INTRA

Posted on 3 July, 2018

Just a stone’s throw from Anzac Parade, the doors have finally opened at INTRA.

With less than a week of service under their belt, INTRA‘s Japanese flavours, breakfasts and specialist coffee have already caused a buzz, with co-owners Nick Wood and Sean Baker determined to offer something different.

For the duo, different means interesting flavour combinations while incorporating “local ripper coffos and bringing Canberrans something totally fresh.”

Nick and Sean gained stylistic inspiration from local cafes, restaurants and bars, while their food gives a nod of respect to the meticulous nature of Japanese cooking.

“Minimal preparation makes the food service efficient and tasty,” explains Nick, who says that INTRA’s sweet and savoury menu took months of preparation and collaboration, with tasting and trialling of many different flavours and combinations.

The amount of heart and soul put into this project is unmistakable, with the team dedicated to giving their guests the highest quality experience possible.

This included designing unique interiors that were both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Nick explains that the café design was inspired by Melbourne and Sydney and focuses on clean minimalism.

“The tiles came from Italy,” he says. “All our design work took many months of tinkering but has been finished in a simple yet striking manner.”

Distressed concrete walls sit next to metal benches, monochromatic chairs and moody pendant lights. But while the atmosphere may sound intense, it’s surprisingly cosy, with special attention paid to making the customer experience as high quality as possible.

Thoughtful additions such as a bank of powerpoints along a bench won’t go unnoticed by the city’s legion of freelancers and students.

Although it’s early days, Nick says that in the future the INTRA team would also love to start bar nights with funky local wines and simple dishes. Watch this space…

the essentials 

What: INTRA
When: Tuesday to Friday, 7 am-3.30 pm and Saturday to Sunday 8 am-3 pm
Where: 30/12 Provan Street, Campbell
Website: intra.coffee
Instagram: instagram.com/intracbr

Photography: Keelan Goodisson.