Pop-up loaded pastries every weekend with Praise Joe
Since opening its Tighes Hill doors in January 2019, Praise Joe Urban Pantry has become a beloved fixture in Newcastle.
What started as a modest 26-square-metre cafe has since flourished, evolving in both size and reputation, yet maintaining that local charm that first grew its following. For owners and partners, Phillip Gameson and Hayley Sinkinson, the journey has been full of surprises, achievements, and a whole lot of baking.
Phillip & Hayley
One of Praise Joe’s biggest successes has been its dedication to crafting consistent and high-quality service, coffee, and food, while still keeping things fresh and modern.
A key feature of their offering is the range of baked goods that have been capturing the hearts of their customers over the last six years. The brand has built a cult-like following for their loaded cookies, cakes, slices, and just recently the introduction of their weekend pastries – a new highlight for the Praise Joe team.
Hayley, who hadn’t dabbled in pastry since her early cheffing years, has taken to the challenge with gusto.
“I was doing it all by hand in the beginning which was really tricky, but we committed to buying some equipment and that’s certainly helped the process a lot,” Hayley said.
Now, Praise Joe’s pastry lineup is something of a local foodie legend. Every weekend, the shelves at both the Tighes Hill and Kotara venues are filled with warm, flaky pastries; fresh out of the oven. From the sweet to the savoury, there’s always something new to try.
“The pastry lineup changes every week, and you can see what’s going to be available every Friday when we announce it on Instagram.”
One mainstay, however, is the pistachio croissant, a fan favourite that seems to sell out every weekend.
“I took it off the menu for one week, and everyone went berserk so we just haven’t taken it off since!”
This month brings an extra dose of fun with the team dedicating the pastry picks for this month to the theme of nostalgia.
“We’re doing a finger bun, a bee sting, and we’ve got a honey crackle slice as well. We’ve even had a fairy bread cookie – we’re having lots of fun with it!
Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s all just sweet treats, with savoury pastries well and truly making their mark on the Praise Joe pastry lineup.
“The beef brisket croissant with mustard, pickle, and pecorino is my personal favourite and it’s been super popular,” Phil said.
Running two busy very distinctly different cafes plus spearheading a successful pastry pop-up is no small feat.
“At the moment, I’m just a one-man band doing all of the pastries and baked goods. Kotara is going through around a thousand cookies on a good weekend. To do that, as well as the pastries, is a lot,” Hayley said.
Yet, the couple remains passionate about their work and the community they’ve built around the Praise Joe brand.
“The last six and a half years have certainly been a journey. We’ve had lots of amazing achievements, ups and downs, and big lessons. I would say creating a family and a real hub for the community is something I didn’t realise would be such an integral part of what we do here,” Phil said.
As Praise Joe continues to grow, the future looks bright for both the Tighes Hill and Kotara locations. With plans to redesign their OG space in Tighes Hill and the idea for wholesaling their pastry goods at the back of their minds, Phil and Hayley and their Praise Joe journey is far from done.
For now, you can drop by either venue seven days a week for a cup of joe and some baked goods, or get around the excitement of the pastry pop-up with an ever-changing array of treats every Saturday and Sunday.
Whether you’re grabbing a warm brisket croissant or indulging in their unique take on finger buns, Praise Joe Urban Pantry has something for everyone – just be sure to get in early!
