A new café specializing in Italian food has opened at the UQ Tennis Centre, Blair Drive, St Lucia.
The venue, Saint Lucy caffè e cucina, has opened on the site of the former Café 30/40.
It has been created by Swedish duo Hans Pettersson and Jens Holland, who operate Hillstone St Lucia and the hundred acre bar at St Lucia Golf Links.
Saint Lucy specializes in trattoria-style dining, relaxed hospitality and Italian fare.
Executive Manager Annika Lewington said much of the venue’s inspiration came from its name-sake.
Santa Lucia was a fourth century Sicilian, whose bravery and heroism saw her canonised and now associated with all things light and illuminative.
“We’re excited to be bringing our distinctive brand of hospitality to The University of Queensland,” she said.
Ms Lewington said the menu’s dishes included house-crumbed croquettes with parma ham and smoked aioli, ripped lamb shoulder pizza with barbecue-style sauce and labna and a modern take on traditional tiramisu with marsala anglaise and dark cocoa.
Head Chef Nick Peters has spent several years as Head Chef at Hillstone St Lucia.
He said patrons could expect new and innovative, lighter twists on old favourites and Italian classics with fresh ingredients perfectly suited to the Queensland lifestyle.
Ms Lewington said further inspiration for the venue’s tropical surrounds and open-plan design came from the campus location.
The St Lucia campus was once the St Lucia sugar cane plantation, purchased by William Wilson in the 1860s just after he arrived from the island of St Lucia in the West Indies.
In a twist of fate, William Wilson bought the plantation from William Dart, who built the original homestead at Hillstone where Saint Lucy’s sister venue is situated.
St Lucy's will deliver daily specials alongside the regularly updated menu.
It will provide a take-away coffee menu to service students and staff.
Located near UQ Sport, it will have healthy offerings including sandwiches and bar slices ready to go.
Saint Lucy is open seven days a week for breakfast from 6.30am and lunch from 12noon.
Dinner will also be available Monday to Saturday with the venue closing at 9pm every night except Sundays, where it will close at 5pm.
It is also available for events for groups of more than 10.
Media: For further information please contact Annika Lewington, telephone (07) 3870 3433 annika@saintlucy.com.au
