COURTING OUR HEARTS (AND TASTEBUDS)
AN OASIS FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS ALIKE
There's a little corner of Byron, away from the hassle of town, that's quietly changing how we hang out and stuff our faces. Not with famous chains and neon signs, but something far simpler (and more powerful) – good food in a beautiful physical space.
The courtyard at Habitat has become that rare thing: a place where the 'something for everyone' cliché isn't just marketing guff. This is the actual beating heart of a creative and commercial village. A real melting pot where your gluten-free mate, your carnivore buddy, and your caffeine-dependent colleague can all find their happy place.
What’s on the menu, then?…
Italian street food that manages the impossible feat of being both exciting and refreshingly unfussy. Piada Co.’s Piadinas (think Italian flatbread sandwiches) filled with melt-in-your-mouth ingredients might be the most fulfilling relationship you'll have all year. Plus, cannolis. Need we say more?
Byron's coffee lords have landed. Open from 5:45am for the dawn-patrol types, this is Allpress coffee done to perfection, with everything from double ristrettos to iced lattes, and fresh baked goods that justify getting out of bed. They've even got one of those order-ahead apps for those mornings when human interaction feels like too much effort.
Plant-based food that doesn't constantly remind you it's plant-based. Vagabond do good stuff that just happens to not contain any animals. They're also famous for their coffee and treats, while their providore section means you can take some of that goodness home with you.
The newest kid to join the courtyard family, BSmoothie have brought the best smoothies in Byron along with them. From their best-selling Matcha Mango to their delicious and healthy Smickers, these are the kind of meal in a cup that make you feel pumped while also pleasuring your taste buds.
As for the courtyard itself? It's the only European-style piazza in Byron, filled with beautiful sunny gardens, stonework, and water features, where seemingly nobody's in a hurry. Kids can roam without parents hovering over them. Dogs are welcome. Occasionally, conversations even happen between strangers!
And when the workday ebbs into evening, Piada Co's Sundown Social Club happy hour kicks in (4pm-6pm), with $10 spritzes and margis that transform "I should go home" into "just one more."
This place is something beyond a collection of food vendors though. In between flat whites and flatbreads, a genuine community space has emerged, for locals and visitors alike.
So now you know where our courtyard is, the ball's in your court.
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