Raise a glass to Salud, Auchenflower’s cheerful Latin-inspired cafe and wine bar
A few months ago, a former vet space on Haig Road was reborn as Salud, a sunny cafe and wine bar with a Latin lean. Slinging huevos rancheros, saffron-scented paella bowls and breakfast tacos by day, and new-wave wines and Spanish-style tapas at night, Salud has wasted little time endearing itself to Auchenflower locals. Come and take a look inside …
Since it opened back in February, Salud has quietly flourished in the heart of Auchenflower. A nosh spot cherished by locals – and a few in-the-know foodies – the Haig Road haunt has operated as a hidden gem, flying under the radar while it built its customer base and shored up its offering.
But now the team isn’t content for Salud to be just a well-kept secret. Recent weeks have seen the venue open its doors to a broader swathe of the community, with a brand-new evening trade on Fridays and Saturdays heralding a fun new era for the hot spot.
When converting the space, the Salud team knocked out a few interior walls to open up the main dining area, which is ringed by timber banquettes on one side, and a coffee counter, bar and kitchen pass along the other. The open-plan layout blurs the separation between customer and staff, not only giving guests a glimpse at the action, but allowing free-flowing interaction between the Salud team and patrons. In addition to the main room, stools and low-set tables can be found out front, while a back room and deck have recently been converted into dining areas.
During the day, sunlight pours through the venue’s street-facing windows, bathing the interior of the converted Queenslander (previously home to a veterinary clinic) and lending extra warmth to the cafe’s earthy clay-coloured walls and original timber floors. At night, hanging lamps cast the space in a golden glow, which bounces off the glass bottles of wine arrayed along a high shelf.
Salud’s daytime menu is infused with an assortment of flavours inspired by the cuisines of several Spanish-speaking countries, with some familiar breakfast classics given a few tasty tweaks alongside a swag of salivation-worthy signatures.
Leading the offering is guac on toast – a Latin spin on avocado toast with chimichurri sauce, poached eggs and pickled onions on toasted sourdough. From there, guests can enjoy plates of breakfast tacos (with each tortilla filled with fluffy eggs, jamon, romesco sauce and guacamole), patatas bravas with crispy chorizo, garlic crema, roasted mushrooms, spinach and poached eggs, paella bowls with roasted seasonal veggies, and huevos rancheros topped with Mexican-style braised beans, capsicum and sweetcorn. Caffeine fiends can sip on cups of smooth Campos Coffee, which is available alongside smoothies and Salud’s own horchata and yerba mate iced tea.
As the sun sets, Salud transitions to a tapas-style wine bar menu. The offering, which is scribbled on parchment paper affixed to the front window, is fluid, but has featured snacks like guac and chips, crispy prawns with romesco sauce, jamon-and-manchego-stuffed croquetas, Spanish meatballs, cheese and charcuterie platters, and a taco of the day.
On the wine front, Salud is pouring a clutch of new-wave Australian vino by the glass, including a pink pet nat from Das Juice, rosé from Sven Joschke, an orange pinot gris from Dear Vincent Wines, and Salud’s own house GSM made by Gerler Wines. In addition to $15 margaritas, Salud is also whipping up Spanish-style riffs on whisky sours, cosmopolitans and espresso martinis, with beer taps pouring a cerveza from Boxer Brewing Co. and a ginger beer and sour from Aether Brewing.
Looking ahead, Salud will be branching into functions and special events, hosting an assortment of private and public gatherings over the coming months. Keep your eyes peeled on Salud’s socials for more info – head to The Directory for links and operating hours.