Taking over the Bonogin Road site formerly occupied by The Little Corner Store, The Hunted Cafe is a labour of love for Emma Mutkins and her husband Kane, who for years have been on the search for a space to create a personality-packed daytime hub away from the hustle and bustle of the coastal strip. Emma is a baker and cake decorator by trade, and most recently ran a primary-school canteen. Now, after years of filling hundreds of little mouths daily, she is finally in her happy place – operating her own hidden cafe where the community vibe is strong and the coffee is well worth the hunt.
Of a morning, local folk and valley visitors can enjoy breakfast classics like buttermilk waffles with bacon, ice-cream and lashing of maple syrup, sriracha-infused scrambled eggs atop sourdough, sweetcorn and zucchini fritters, and moreish breakfast burgers with crispy bacon, fried egg, haloumi and caramelised onions. Come lunch, the kitchen is slinging hearty eats like slow-cooked pulled-pork baguettes with crispy apple slaw, toasted-sourdough BLTs with a generous schmear of aioli, and towering home-style beef burgers with all of the trimmings. In the cabinet you’ll find some of Emma’s own sweet cake creations, as well as a series of daily baked goodies from Currumbin’s Fuel Bakehouse. The Hunted Cafe also retains the ‘corner store’ element established by the venue’s predecessor, with a selection of essentials like milk, bread, eggs, cheese, flowers and small gifts available to go. Plus, the duo is hoping to introduce take-home dinners in the near future, and will be looking at starting Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions in the grassy backyard with live music and savoury bites.
Whether you’re a Bonogin Valley local or are a coastal dweller wanting to escape somewhere different for a quality bite and great coffee (it’s by Burleigh’s Social Espresso, by the way), you’ll feel right at home here. For The Hunted Cafe’s address and opening hours, scoot to our Stumble Guide.
