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“If you were to look down from space, you’d see this big strip of green in the middle of the Eastern Suburbs, surrounded by cement. This is the lungs of the Eastern Suburbs – it’s a magical place,” Giancarlo Bazzocchi, co-owner of Cooper Clubhouse (as well as several other beloved Sydney venues), tells me as we sit down for coffee on a sunny Saturday morning. Looking across the decking to the tennis courts bathed in dappled light, shrouded by far-reaching trees, I can’t help but agree.
I’ve been playing tennis at Cooper Park – one of Australia’s oldest tennis courts, suspended in a bubble of stillness in the bowl of a prehistoric valley just five minutes from Oxford Street – for years. So when I learned that the café – housed in a 106-year-old shed on the edge of the courts – had been taken over by the team behind some of my favourite local eateries, I made a point to come back ASAP, brunch-ready appetite in tow.
Sitting between Bondi, Double Bay and Bellevue Hill, adjacent to a set of tennis courts that opened way back in September 1923, the historic building has long been part of the local rhythm – a necessary stop after a mid-morning hit. Now, after its most meaningful refurbishment in decades, the sun-soaked space is ready to claim its title as one of the city’s most charming park-side pit stops.
Behind the transformation are hospitality veterans Ketty Laffi and Giancarlo Bazzocchi – the duo behind Bronte Road’s beloved Italian eatery Osteria Riva, as well as both outposts of pizza palace Rosso Pomodoro.
“Cooper Park is a destination already – there are hundreds of people who come here every day,” Bazzocchi tells me. “It’s our job to match the beauty of this place.”
So far, they’re doing a pretty solid job. The refurbishment is a sensitive restoration of the heritage space – soft greens, neutral tones and rustic textures – and the menu is a perfect daytime complement to Osteria’s produce-forward, hearty Italian offering.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel, it’s a café menu that rotates around eggs and sandwiches, but we’re offering a higher standard than typical, tired coffee shops – because we’ve got access to fresh cuts of meat and really good ingredients,” says Bazzocchi.
The menu leans into elevated café classics with an Italian accent, starting with the much-loved return of the Cooper Park scones, baked in-house by chef Hyun. You’ll also find a strong line-up of Italian-inspired sandwiches (order the prosciutto-stacked ‘classic serve’ on focaccia, I beg you), Tuga pastries, zingy fresh juices, loaded smoothies and – crucially – high-quality coffee.
“We’re starting with an offer that’s safe and consistent, then we can get adventurous with special events and collaborations with other chefs. The space has endless potential, and if we get a liquor licence, it will open up our options even more.”
A post-match focaccia sandwich is hard to beat – but a post-match Spritz might just do it. Watch this space.
You can learn more and check out the evolving menu over here.
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