Bantry Bay Grocer In Seaforth Is Full Of Delicious Surprises

September 18, 2026

Seaforth has a new local, but Bantry Bay Grocer is not exactly a café, restaurant, deli or wine bar. In fact, owner Grace reckons the easiest way to explain it is to call it an alimentari.

The whole thing happened rather unexpectedly. Grace Triglone had been thinking about opening something of her own eventually, but there was no grand plan to launch a business that year. Then her parents happened to be having coffee at the old A Taste of Belgium when its owner, Didier, mentioned he was leaving that very day after more than 15 years in the space.

Suddenly, there was a very interesting decision to make.

“We essentially had three days to decide whether we wanted to take on the space and give something of our own a go, so we did,” says Grace. Two months later, the incredibly charming Bantry Bay Grocer was open.

A New Kind of Seaforth Cafe

For Grace, a lot of the appeal was creating somewhere that felt a little less predictable. After years in hospitality, including managing Aesop in Paddington and working at Caravin in Potts Point, she missed the freedom and connection that come with small businesses.

“I wanted Bantry Bay to have that same feeling, quality food and wine, but without making people feel like they need to know the rules before they walk through the door,” she says.

Images: @bantrybaygrocer Instagram

That desire carries through to the menu. Breakfast might mean eggs with crème fraîche and caviar, chicken liver parfait or a continental platter, rather than the usual banana bread and scrambled eggs.

There is also proper sandwiches, handmade tortellini, meat and cheese, more than 50 wines, soft serve ice cream, and extra virgin olive oil and salt. The Glen Moidart cheese is particularly special, a creamy, buttery cow’s milk cheese that is very hard to stop eating.

“It’s basically a childhood memory with a slightly more grown-up attitude,” says Grace.

Images: @bantrybaygrocer Instagram

An Alimentari With a Rustic Feel

The space at Bantry Bay Grocer feels comfortable and a little bit lived in, rather than overly polished. Grace, her dad and her old boss Sam, former owner of Aggys and Effies and now behind Boté, did much of the work themselves.

“I actually like the fact that it feels a little collected and rustic rather than completely polished,” Grace says.

On the sunny afternoon of our visit, the room has an easy rhythm. Locals settle in for casual catch-ups over a glass of wine, fresh bread is stacked up ready for the evening customers, and an after-school croissant is close at hand. The music adds to the fun, while the staff behind the counter make the place feel instantly welcoming.

“The experience should come from the people and the food, not how much money was spent on the chairs,” shares Grace.

A Local Grocer for Everyone

One of Grace’s favourite parts of opening Bantry Bay has been discovering just how curious Seaforth locals are.

“I’ve also realised how many people have absolutely no idea what half the things on our menu are, which I think is great,” she laughs.

Rather than seeing that as a problem, Grace sees it as part of the fun. Someone might order a wine they would normally walk past, try an unfamiliar dish or discover an ingredient they have never tasted before.

“If I can introduce someone to a new wine, dish or ingredient, then we’re doing something right.”

It warmly embodies the whole idea of hospitality – welcome your neighbours in, give them good food and good wine, and perhaps a reason to try something they might not normally experience.

As Grace puts it, the dream is to have people leave thinking, “That was a really nice few hours.”

Story/other images: Evie Scully