Words and main photo: Lara Pacillo
CBD nightclub Loverboy has a new sibling venue. His name is Nauti Buoy, and he’s more of a daytime kind of guy.
Harrison Raphael (Raph), Danny Cooray, and Dylan Auciello have teamed up with former head chef of Peter Rabbit, Renee Lind, to bring a new addition to Henley’s dining scene and a stray from the crew’s usual antics.
They have transformed the former Indian restaurant Khichidi into a seaside café and bar. With ocean views, rattan furnishings, and natural light pouring in, Nauti Buoy offers all the glory of a seaside venue but away from the Henley crowds.
“It’s just by the beach, but still a bit protected from it,” Raph says. “It’s in Henley, but not right in the square. We’re finding people are loving it.”
Opening last week, Nauti Buoy marks an initiation into the café scene for the 28-year-olds, Raph, Danny, and Dylan.
Archie’s Clubhouse was their first project in 2018 as a “house party” on the Riverbank Pontoon; they’ve since opened Hindley Street’s Loverboy in 2019, and Studio Spring pilates studio in 2021 alongside Lauren Sebastiani, which is now located in Unley and Goodwood.
Raph says taking on a café has been a completely new realm.
“We’re very used to bars and pilates even, so it’s been a massive challenge, but we’re pretty stoked with how everything’s turned out.
“Renee is really the driving force behind the whole thing. Without her, it wouldn’t have been able to happen.”
The 24-year-old chef Renee has curated the menu with a focus on fresh, seasonal, and sustainable produce.
Smaller dishes include sprouted buckwheat granola with Paris Creek organic yogurt, fermented passionfruit honey, and fig.
Larger dishes feature the likes of Spencer Gulf King Prawns with cucumber yogurt, free-range eggs, and nduja on fermented potato bread, as well as avocado on seeded wholegrain, edamame, carrot, and orange spice.
Raph’s favourite dish is the rye sando with panko and sesame free-range chicken, pickled carrot, and mayo.
“It’s incredible.
“I’m obsessed with it. I’ve eaten it every day.”
The menu will change seasonally, but it also refines into a small tapas edition on Friday and Saturday nights, where the café shifts into a bar space. It brings a rotating wine list with a focus on local, natural, and independent wines, as well as an array of cocktails.
While Raph, Danny, and Dylan have usually completed the fit-out themselves for past venues, Frame Creative came on board to lend a hand this time around, with renovations kicking off in October last year.
The space features hints of nostalgic cues like VHS tapes and old-school board games, similar to the 80s arcade machine aesthetic of underground Loverboy nightclub. Yet, the cafe has a very coastal look from there, making it a prime beachside spot for brunch and relaxed drinks, leaving the boogieing to Loverboy.
“It’s the quintessential coastal cafe that we’ve created as somewhere we would want to go — that’s really all we ever try to create,” Raph says.
“People can experience everything Henley has to offer, watch the beach, have a coffee, enjoy Renee’s amazing food, and have some fun.”
Nauti Buoy: 1 Henley Beach Road, Henley Beach South 5022
