Lox me up

Neil Gottheiner, head chef and owner of Bondi’s popular Lox Stock & Barrel, believes the golden nugget he mined from the veritable trash heap of 2020 was a simple reminder about why they were doing it all in the first place. 

Gottheiner says the pandemic reiterated to himself and his sister/co-owner, Lianne, their intention to “connect with locals, cook great food and be a part of people’s everyday lives”.

Now, after a recent expansion and light-touch renovation, Lox Stock & Barrel can be a part of more people’s lives at once. Their colonisation of the hardware store next door means a larger dining room that allows more space for groups, and a dedicated prep kitchen enabling chefs to focus on service while a separate team works on Lox’s fan-worthy preserves and pickles, baked goods and catering arm. 

The refresh isn’t a huge departure from their original deli-style space with the fit-out a continuation of the restaurant’s industrial-look of steel, raw timber and exposed brick. 

“It all came together quite organically,” says Gottheiner, adding that neighbourhood Bondi photographer, Eugene Tan of Aquabumps, happened to amble by as the team was setting up and decided the new space was the perfect home for one of his coveted prints.

While it has been a shaky year for many hospitality venues, Gottheiner attributes Lox Stock & Barrel’s ability to rise rather than deflate to his loyal Bondi lox lovers. 

“We were lucky to have supportive customers who were happy to try whatever we had on offer at the time. Staff were open to being adaptable and responsive to what was needed,” he says.

As the industry slowly finds its feet again, Gottheiner believes there are some pandemic dining habits that are here to stay, such as ordering a bagel to be delivered and devoured in bed, but he adds that “now we appreciate more than ever the joy of going out for a drink or having a group around to your house for a celebration”.

After the year that was, Gottheiner isn’t game to make any sweeping future predictions for his own business, yet he remains open to the possibility of replicating his bagels, cured salmon and beautifully crafted pantry provisions beyond Bondi’s borders. 

But as ever, the direction of this Bondi mainstay is dictated simply by the desire to craft a delicious and welcoming dining experience.

“The aim is always to create and run the best restaurant space, always evolve and grow, and learn new things every day. The Lox project is never complete,” Gottheiner says.

 Lox Stock & Barrel

140 Glenayr Ave

loxstockandbarrel.com.au