Slinging 'spros out in Kotara
Nestled in the suburbs of Kotara on Joslin Street, Flo is the latest addition to Newcastle’s ever-growing vibrant cafe scene, brought to life by none other than one of Newcastle’s cafe legends, Jayson Brakel.
A familiar name in the local coffee community, Mudgee-born now Newcastle-based, Jayson has spent years honing his craft, from his early days in the industry to managing multiple venues under the much-loved Sherwood banner.
Jayson Brakel
Since taking over Xtraction in Newcastle’s CBD in early 2023, he has expanded his vision with the launch of Flo, transforming the former coffee bar into a fresh and welcoming community cafe spot.
From what was just a small coffee window with limited seating in early July, Jayson and his team have completely gutted the building and transformed the space into a cafe with plentiful seating options.
“Towards the back was originally the bakery space. We’ve completely opened it all the way through to the back of the shop.”
Come 2025, the Flo renovations are complete, with exposed brick walls, bench seating down one wall, tables of four down the other, and a soft industrial touch.
“The venue is finally where I want it to be and we’re excited to really showcase it to the whole of Newcastle. So far, our customers have really been able to take advantage of the full cafe space. It’s so nice having people inside and making use of the space we’ve created.”
The coffee offering at Flo stays true to Jayson’s roots, with the cafe using the same blend you’ve tasted at Xtraction, that being the Xtraction house blend created with the Central Coast based Glee Coffee Roasters.
When it comes to food, Flo offers a slightly different experience from Xtraction which includes a menu with more variety.
At the moment, Flo is running their staples menu that will always remain the same and includes some tasty favourites like the chilly chorizo scramble roll with house made chilli scramble chorizo, hash brown, tomato relish, and aioli on a brioche bun or the traditional eggs benedict.
The menu extends to loaded toasties as well as burger offerings that all come complete with a side of chips.
“Once our staples menu becomes second nature to our staff, we’ll start adding in our specials like what we do at Xtraction. That gives our customers something to look forward to and our chefs can get more creative.”
Beyond just serving great coffee and food, Jayson has a vision for the Kotara strip.
“I’ve spoken to some of the locals that have come through and they’ve said in the past there was a fruit and veg shop, and even a pharmacy – I’d love to see this strip go back in that direction.
“There are works happening in the space next door, and there’s The Letter Q a few doors up as well as Dozer & Co Pet Food beside us, The Lucky 7, and a salon. We’re on the way to being a cool little one-stop for our community.”
With its thoughtful fit-out, quality coffee, and approachable menu, Flo is poised to become a go-to spot for Kotara locals.
