Ten years ago, it was a leader in presenting locally sourced produce. Now, its WWII-era digs sit gutted.
King Arthur Cafe in Fortitude Valley has closed permanently. The cafe’s owner Gina Kim announced the closure in a short post on social media early last week.
Kim did not share a reason for the closure, but the cafe had reached the end of its lease at its WWII-era Nissen hut digs.
Workers were on site on Monday, with the premises mostly gutted.
“King Arthur Cafe will be closing as of today,” the post on Instagram read. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has visited us and supported us along the way.”
“Thank you for being part of our story.”
Kim hadn’t responded to requests for comment by end of day Monday.
King Arthur Cafe opened on Arthur Street in 2015, and was an early linchpin in the nascent James Street food scene.
Originally under the ownership of Mairi Mackinnon, Jarrod Huey and Josh Russell, it immediately turned heads with its focus on elevated breakfasts matched to exceptional coffee.
It was a leader among local cafes in its focus on local produce, with much of what hit the plate being sourced from within 180 kilometres of the city.
It quickly became one of the best regarded cafes in Brisbane, thanks to the food but also the unique heritage digs, which featured a winsome, light-filled mezzanine that looked down on the action on the ground floor.
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Matt Shea is Food and Culture Editor at Brisbane Times. He is a former editor and editor-at-large at Broadsheet Brisbane, and has written for Escape, Qantas Magazine, the Guardian, Jetstar Magazine and SilverKris, among many others.
