Sorelle Eatery Is St Lucia's New Italian-Inspired Cafe and Homewares Shop From the Tognini's Team

If your ideal cafe visit includes shopping for homewares either before or after your coffee and a bite, St Lucia's latest go-to for a caffeine fix understands. Even better: it's making that ritual a one-stop-shop affair. Open since Saturday, May 6 on Hawken Drive, Sorelle Eatery is both an Italian-inspired place to tuck into tiramisu cruffins, Sicilian chilli scrambled eggs, mortadella toasties and mini cannoli, and a space to pick up ceramics, baskets, soft furnishings, and other bits and pieces for your house.

On the cafe side, Sorelle boasts a hefty heritage, hailing from the team behind Milton favourite Tognini's. For three decades, Mark and Narelle Tognini have served up deli and cafe fare on Baroona Road, and now it's their daughters Madeleine and Nastassia's turn just a couple of suburbs over — still in Brisbane's inner west — with Sorelle meaning 'sisters' in Italian.

"Food is far from foreign to us. We've always stepped in and out of working within the businesses since we were teens — we've grown up surrounded by a deep appreciation for good food, company and style. We're all hands-on — you'll likely see a Tognini in the business most days of the week,"  explains Madeleine, who is also a a paediatric nurse.

"Dad's always been food-obsessed — scouring cookbooks, looking for a new dining experience. He loves simple food done brilliantly. It's what started them in the industry all those years ago and why it's still thriving today," adds Nastassia, a commercial lawyer.

Sorelle takes its cues from its elder sibling venue; Madeleine describes it as "rooted in the Tognini's legacy", but bringing "the same delicious taste of tradition with a fresh new twist". Menu-wise, that's where everything from coconut yoghurt panna cotta through to that mortadella, mozzarella and japaleño toastie comes in, as well as ricotta, chocolate chip and pistachio crumble cannoli.

Other culinary highlights span spicy merguez sausages with bacon lardons, potato hash, fried eggs and tomato relish from the all-day breakfast menu, plus burrata, saffron risotto, barramundi with asparagus and butter bean sauce, and apple rhubarb crumble among the lunch range from 11am.

In a light and airy space that operates five days a week, patrons can sip Sorelle's own custom-blend coffee, or knock back a glass of Italian wines from a tightly curated vino range. Australian and other imported mid-range drops are also on offer.

And if you're looking to add something new to your home, the shop's curated selection includes Robert Gordon's pottery, Madras Link's colourful decor and Urban Rituelle's fragrant range — and no, it's no coincidence that Sorelle has launched just in time for Mother's Day.

Find Sorelle Eatery at 242 Hawken Drive, St Lucia — open from 7am–4pm Wednesday–Sunday.

Images: Callie Marshall.