Customers who set foot inside Pawpaw could be forgiven for thinking they’d landed in an tropical paradise. Replete with palm tree wallpaper and raw wooden furnishings, Café Manager Giorgina Venzin says Pawpaw was designed to be “an exotic escape” in inner Brisbane.
“Our atmosphere and vibe takes the inspiration of a Bali, Byron Bay, or Brisbane summer. Even if Brisbane turns on a rare gloomy day we want our customers to think they’ve stepped into a summer paradise,” Giorgina says.
Pawpaw opened three years ago after Giorgina and her father Raymund decided to divide the former restaurant in half, keeping one half as an operating restaurant and the other half into a café. “We’ve created an intimate space for our customers that’s all about good food and good coffee served in a homely and welcoming environment,” Giorgina says.
Hospitality is in Venzin blood. Raymund opened his first restaurant when Giorgina was 13 years old. She got stuck into work washing dishes, but she immediately caught the hospitality bug. She studied a business degree, majoring in events management and knew hospitality was the right path for her. “I’m a people person. The coffee industry is a lot of fun. I work with a great team of staff and our customers really appreciate the food and coffee we serve,” she says.
Pawpaw serves Campos Coffee’s award-winning Superior blend on its La Marzocco machine. “It’s the ultimate hit that everyone likes,” Giorgina says. “It’s a great all-round blend that goes well in milk-based coffees and black coffee also. We chose to serve Campos Coffee for its quality and consistency. Customers identify their logo and enter our café just because we serve Campos Coffee.”
Pawpaw also serves cold press coffee and a range of milk offerings.
To match the quality coffee, an extensive menu offers plenty of healthy options, inspired from Giorgina’s trips to Asia with her father. Customers can choose from Pawpaw’s grilled haloumi, rye bread, or the Californian breakfast burrito.
Best of all, Giorgina says the key to any great café is customer interaction: “Dad and I try to be as hands on as possible. We talk with our guests, encourage them to take images, and tell their friends about us.”