Abuelo is an Architect owned and designed independent local cafe that aims to create a casual, laid-back cafe experience inside thoughtfully designed spaces.
Abuelo celebrates our Australian and Argentinian heritage by combining modern Australian hospitality style with Latin American Speciality coffee.
We focus on the best in contemporary Speciality coffee, using award winning single origin, Speciality Coffee Association rated Latin American beans that are sustainably and ethically grown to support Latin American communities.
Our food menus focus on showcasing quality fresh produce through Australian style brunch food with a unique Abuelo twist.
We work with a selection of small passionate producers including Estate Dairy, Happy Bee Honey, Windrush Valley Goat Dairy farm, as well as sourcing natural wines from a variety of innovative growers. We also work with Tayer+ Elementary, which was named among the world's top 5 bars and creates our unique batched and bottled cocktails.
26 Southampton St, WC2E7JA
Opening Times
7 days
Mon-Fri 8:30am- 5pm
Sat-Sun 9am - 5pm
Design
Abuelo Covent Garden was established in 2018 in a small space inside of a beautiful Grade 2 heritage listed building, built in 1720. Reflecting on the age of the building and the warmth of it's amber tiles and facade of antique floor to ceiling windows, we approached this design from a perspective of juxtaposing old and new, high and low, earthy colours and warm natural materials to create a sense of grounded timelessness yet modernity. The space is designed to be reminiscent of a dining room in a homestead, expressed through the long bespoke dining table flanked by antique 19th century Australian Homestead chairs, sitting on a long hand-made rug and hand made terracotta floor tiles, with a large faux bespoke fireplace at one end.
The space features a number of dramatic timber sculptural elements including the counters and the fireplace, made in our workshop from NSW Spotted Gum timber.
The three enormous oil paintings are by Robert Klein Boonschate from the early 2000's depicting dramatic rural landscapes of Australia.
The textiles in the space (rugs, cushions etc) are made by Pampa, the products are designed in Australia and made in by local artisans in remote parts of Argentina to ensure ancient traditions of manual weaving are preserved and to support local artisan communities and small scale farmers by providing fair wages and supporting craftsmanship.
The featured light fittings are designed and hand blown/hand turned by Ross Gardam.
