The Only Thing Better Than A Great Coffee…

…is a great coffee at Greenhouse.

As many of you know, I love nothing more than a good coffee. Without a strong long black to start my day I am a very grumpy person indeed. And I’m quite fussy about my coffee, both in terms of the actual quality of the bean and the grind (milk, bah) and the environment in which it is served.

Imagine my delight at discovering Greenhouse on St Georges Terrace in the City. It might be my favourite place in Perth.

Green Amongst the Grey on the Terrace

Greenhouse is more than coffee, and more than a café. It is a delightful restaurant tucked behind unassuming walls of greenery at the bottom of the enex100 building at 100 St Georges Terrace. And although the coffee and food are fantastic, what really excites me is that it is such a successful realisation of genuine sustainable thinking.

Opened at the end of last year, Greenhouse took only six weeks to build (their website has fascinating time-lapse photography of its construction). It began life as a temporary installation in Melbourne’s Federation Square in the summer of 2008, but fortunately for us, Greenhouse’s designer Joost Bakker chose Perth as its permanent home.

The first thing that strikes you about Greenhouse is the exterior, which is covered with 4000 terracotta plant pots – in warmer months, they are bursting with strawberries. Just seeing that much natural green on the Terrace is a breath of fresh air. The interior, which was heaving on the day I visited, is clad in plywood and is warm and textural.

The exterior

Building with straw bale

Rooftop planting begins

Looking more closely, lovely little surprises emerge. For example, furniture made from old road signs and recycled plywood. Jam served in regular old jar lids. Lamp shades made from recycled fencing wire. Plastic crates forming a structural element of the floor. And the best part is, none of it feels contrived.

And then there are the elements that aren’t obvious at first glance. For example, the roof and walls are made from straw bales, which reduces the need for large-scale heating or cooling systems. And they have a roof garden that produces much of the produce for the restaurant. In the middle of the city! They have a worm farm, water recycling, energy-efficient lighting … the list goes on.

Bakker says, “All the features of the Greenhouse are carefully considered first for their practicality, recyclability, life cycle and embodied energy and then for their aesthetics and cost. By putting each decision through this rigorous process, it is hoped that Greenhouse can provide information and examples to builders, designers, restaurateurs and the public, regarding their daily choices of materials, ingredients, and practices.”

And the Rest is Good Too

I am delighted to report that the food and service at Greenhouse were superb as well. Their menu is just as it should be, chock full of beautiful produce and locally sourced ingredients. They strive for “delicious, honest food” and I think they’ve achieved that beautifully. And I’m told it’s a very fun place to be for after-work drinks on a Friday arvo too.

“Nobody ever convinced anyone of anything by shouting at them. We hope we can quietly share some of what we have learned and let the results speak for themselves,” says Joost Bakker.

I agree completely and think he and his team have done a great job. Please, if you haven’t already, check out Greenhouse and make sure it’s around a long, long time – quietly or otherwise.