ICYMI The Jungle Giants' Keelan Bijker Has Opened A Cafe In Brisbane

It's been about nine months since the release of The Jungle Giants' sophomore record, Speakerzoid, and nobody could accuse the Brisbane indie four-piece of slacking off in the months since.

Not only do they have an upcoming tour on the cards with The Lulu Raes, Gideon Bensen and Machine Age in June and July, but, just quietly, drummer Keelan Bijker has been hard at work over the past few months opening a cafe in Spring Hill called Two Donkeys. In addition to serving as venue manager, he's conscripted a heck of a pedigree to help him bring it to life, including bringing on-board Morning Harvey frontman Spencer White as head barista.

As Broadsheet explains, the Novotel hotel was looking to open a new cafe at the base of its property in Spring Hill, and a friend of Bijker's suggested he apply. Although his sum hospitality experience amounted to working at a coffee shop "for about six months" in 2012, he went for it, and two months later found himself ready to start welcoming customers. Along with White, the creatives who have contributed to Two Donkeys' inception include artist Shani Bijoux as well as Sam Sargent, of The Belligerents and Moses Gunn Collective, who built the bar.

Unsurprisingly, there's a strong local bent to the produce and coffee used by the cafe in its menu, crafted under the care of head chef Mia Park; Gold Coast roasters Blackboard Coffee provide the nectar of the gods, making Two Donkeys the first Brisbane cafe to be dedicated to the brand, while local bakery Crust & Co and New Farm-based Chouquette Patisserie Boulangerie keep the place stocked on sourdough, brioche and all manner of baked deliciousness.

Although the breakfast/lunch spot opened on 26 April, it's holding a launch party tonight from 5pm to midnight. It's free to get in and there are drinks specials from 5-7pm as well as $5 bao buns, plus tap beer, wine, tinnies and espresso martinis.

Two Donkeys is located at 76A Astor Terrace, Spring Hill, and is open from 6am-6pm weekdays.

For more information, see the Two Donkeys Facebook page, and check out its website.

 

Love this table! Looks even better in the flesh, come check it out! @taltysargent #twodonkeys #twodonkeysbrisbane #brisbanefood #brisbanecafe #springhill #craftbeers #coffeeandbeer

A photo posted by Keelan Bijker (@keelanstix) on Apr 29, 2016 at 6:09pm PDT

 

Come check out my new thang @twodonkeysbrisbane I'll be serving beers and coffee all day tomorrow, well until they run out... @newsteadbrewingco @blackboardcoffee #craftbeers #springhill #twodonkeys #twodonkeysbrisbane thanks to @mabs57

A photo posted by Keelan Bijker (@keelanstix) on Apr 28, 2016 at 12:31am PDT