Hams & Bacon by Pope Joan
Shopping
5th March, 2013
Hams & Bacon by Pope Joan, a new takeaway and produce store in Brunswick by Matt Wilkinson and Ben Foster. Fit-out by Matt Rawlins of Figure Ground Architecture. Photo - Sean Fennessy.
Hams & Bacon by Pope Joan. Fit-out by Matt Rawlins of Figure Ground Architecture. Photo - Sean Fennessy.
Hams & Bacon by Pope Joan. Photo - Sean Fennessy.
The man himself! Matt Wilkinson at Hams & Bacon, with his morning cuppa. Photo - Sean Fennessy.
On my haphazard path to world domination, amongst many other madcap ideas, I have occasionally entertained the idea of opening a 'TDF Cafe' (you know, only in my wildest dreams, as part of some amazing TDF department store and headquarters / studio complex). BUT I can't do that anymore, thanks to Matt Wilkinson and Ben Foster, because they have already opened the CUTEST little food store in Brunswick, characterised by the most fabulous bright yellow details... and it basically looks exactly like the 'TDF Cafe' of my dreams. It's called Hams & Bacon (a deceptive moniker which I shall explain momentarily), and it's 2 doors down from Matt and Ben's immensely popular establishment, Pope Joan. If they weren't such downright lovely lads, I'd be well annoyed. :)
Matt is a character in every sense of the word. He rocked up a little late to our photo shoot (no biggie, it was awfully rainy that morning, and Matt has a 7-day old baby at home). Anyway, he bounces in, all smiles and energy, and is handed a huge enamel mug of milky tea by one of his staff, which he sips from enthusiastically whilst we chat. 'Not having a coffee?' I ask. 'Don't touch the stuff!' says Matt in a kind of buzzy, Jamie Oliver-esque UK accent. Not only does he not drink coffee, he admits he can't make one either! This from one of Melbourne's most successful cafe owners! Love it. A proper pom, this one.
What Matt CAN make, however, is a seriously impressive sandwich. In fact, in 2011, Matt was awarded 'World's Best Sandwich Maker' at the inaugaural Australasian Sandwich Association (ASA) awards. Um, AMAZING! Not surprisingly, Pope Joan has gained a strong reputation off the back of it's hearty sandwich menu - cooked by a team of chefs who previously worked with Matt when he was head chef at Circa in st Kilda. No wonder they're so good!
Hams & Bacon has been open 3 weeks and deals with Pope Joan's overflow of takeaway orders, and well as stocking a great range of local produce. Here you can grab a coffee (not made by Matt) or any of Pope Joan's famous sangas to take away. The produce side of the enterprise focuses on much of what Matt's been using for years in his own kitchens, such as Bundarra Free Range Berkshires Pork, Cunliffe & Waters preserves, Melbourne City Rooftop Honey, Barham Avocados and Milawa free range chicken. There's a big emphasis on locally reared MEAT, which Matt sources direct from the farmers who supply it. It's the same meat his chefs use in the Pope Joan kitchen.
'The main focus is on the many amazing small producers I use who do not have retail places to sell their product, except at the VFMA farmers markets' says Matt of his new enterprise. 'The takeaway element is to improve timing for customers waiting for takeaway orders at Pope Joan, but also to give them more options for takeaway food. Soon we will also have homemade pies, sausages rolls, salad, soup and in the long run fully prepared meals'.
Hams & Bacon inherited its memorable name quite by chance. Matt picked up this quirky circular vintage sign more than a year ago whilst on holiday in Queensland with his family - the phrasing appealed to his UK sensibilities! He lugged the sign back with him to Melbourne, with no plans at the time for what he would do with it. A year or so later, when the Pope Joan produce store idea came to fruition, Matt's distinctive 'Hams & Bacon' sign finally found it's rightful place, swinging proudly from a shopfront in Nicholson street!
The super cute Hams & Bacon fit-out was designed by local architect Matt Rawlins of Figure Ground Architecture, in collaboration with Matt's business partner Ben Foster.
Hams & Bacon by Pope Joan (no website yet sorry)
75 Nicholson St
Brunswick East
Open Monday to Sunday, 10.00am to 2.30pm
We're super chuffed to have Matt join us for Tasty Tuesdays for the month of March, sharing four favourites from his award winning repertoire of world-class sandwiches! Do pop back at 2.00pm today for his first instalment!
Hams & Bacon by Pope Joan. Fit-out by Matt Rawlins of Figure Ground Architecture. Photo - Sean Fennessy.
it looks wonderful, not least those gorgeous pale yellow tiles.. . I just wish it wasn’t quite so far away :-)
Lovely! I adore your website and writing, Lucy, and I hope this doesn’t sound petty, but the possessive “its” doesn’t have an apostrophe (ie “its memorable name..”). Thanks for the article.
Trip to Melbourne seems essential – please come to Sydney!
Oh Jo in NZ, Lucy won’t mind. I’ve been pernickety about her grammar/spelling before, and she’s remarkably gracious about it. The posts keep getting better and better.
And this is yet another astonishingly nourishing post. Gorgeous story, gorgeous store, thank you.
Hi Lucy
Thought you might be interested in this lovely foodie gal
Her name is Kamilla Johns and she operates from Maroubra
in Sydney
Her site is called Kamilla Johns Real Food not only does
she cook delicious creative food but it is delivered to your door!
Thanks again for your beautiful site it is a little luxury in
my day
Cheers
Caroline
Love it. Lucky enough to live just around the corner from here. Will be making it an even more frequent lunch spot!!!
I’ve been to Pope Joan. Beautiful lunch and coffee. Actually, I had Verbena tea that day and it was amazing. Love that yellow and those yellow cups to match. Great idea Matt. Often don’t want to wait to Saturday to buy good food from the Farmers’ market. Your recipe book has been on my list for a while. Can’t wait to see your recipes this month.
Oh, forgot to mention, love that sign and being from Queensland originally love it even more. My dad grew pigs. Have to come soon.
Wow fantastic set up!! Love the yellow tiles!!! But where did he get those yellow Latte cups? Drool!!! Please someone tell me !!! Great story as always Lucy!! I always look forward to what you have for us next!!
How things have changed since I lived around the corner 18 years ago. Gorgeous. And I’d also love to know where to find the yellow cups.
Hi Jo in NZ and Kath W! I am so grateful for the odd apostrophe correction! It is my Achilles heel :) I need a copy editor !! X
I am in Melbourne tomorrow and WILL be visiting this cutie. Looks perfect!
Luce, you will just have to open your TDF cafe in Sydney…what a shame.
xx
Hi Lucy – another wonderful post!
I hope you don’t mind me sharing the links for my a couple of my friends whose produce is named on the fridge in one of the post’s photos:
Warialda Belted Galloways beef (Also the lovely cow hide on the floor)
wbgbeef.com.au
Pacdon Park – British Smallgoods including Pork Pies and Haggis
pacdon.com.au
Cheers! j
It does look very enticing Matt. Don’t suppose you have a branch planned for Hawthorn?
Thanks Lucy, glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic! Now I won’t have to fight the queue to pick up my take away late and sensational Cuban sandwich.
hugely inspiring – what a lovely post!
it seems like ages that i heve been searching for a website like this one? i am glad i found it,some great information here, i am new and just starting out, anyway thanks for some great tips..
Oh, you are so gracious about grammar correction – it makes me love the blog even more!
I went there on Monday, had lunch at Pope Joan and poked around in Hams and Bacon, on my way to the aurport to fly home to Sydney. I loved it, the food was amazing, the space was lovely and the waitress was gorgeous – she picked me up from an inside table and said if you haven’t been here before you should come outside and sit in the courtyard. I only wish I could have lingered longer. I bought a brownie to go, to eat on the plane, and it was AMAZING! Now I have to concoct another reason to visit melbourne just so I can go there again. Yum.
Love the look and hope to visit one day. Seems just my kind of place :)
Brilliant to see that sign. It was bought from our little shop in Noosa. We picked up that sign in Gympie, Queensland. It once graced the front of the Gympie Butchers. Circa 1950. Thrilled to see it’s still in use and I bet the Gympie butcher would be too. Can’t wait to head down south and try one of those Cuban Pork sandwiches at Hams and Bacon. Leesa from Lamington, 1/5 Hastings Street, Noosa Heads, Queensland.
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