Shake it

They are in Coogee, Rose Bay, Woollahra, in fact all over the city — but when Sydney’s most famed chicken shop came to opening in Bondi, the owners of Chargrill Charlie’s initially had some reservations.

“As a business, we had a dream of opening in Bondi Beach for about five years,” says Greg Cohen, a partner in the Bondi venue, which finally launched last month on Curlewis St. 

“Even three years ago, it wasn’t quite right for us. We are a business that targets young families who pick up some home-cooked food that they might not have time to make for themselves.

“Three years ago, Bondi wasn’t quite there. The demographic, the real estate market, it was a little bit surf culture, a little bit tourist culture, with a lot of single young people.

 “Now there are a lot of professionals and couples who have bought houses and renovated them or bought expensive apartments.

“It’s the right demographic for us now. We’re not targeting tourists and that’s just as well as there aren’t any here at the moment. Everyone who comes in is a local and our idea is to have a constant and healthy business throughout the year. The guy who comes from Queensland or WA once a year is not our target.”

Anyone who has driven down Queen St, Woollahra, or along New South Head Rd, Rose Bay, on a Friday night would be familiar with the phenomenon that is Chargrill Charlie’s. At busy periods, lines form down the street as families queue for rotisserie chickens, hearty salads and roasted vegetables. 

 And already the Bondi store — Chargrill Charlie’s 17th across Sydney — is drawing a crowd.

At the Curlewis St venue, which was slated to open in late 2020 but was delayed until this year due to COVID, a 12m shopfront reveals restaurant seating, so people can dine in, as well as take away. The milk bar feel of the fit out has been created to promote an atmosphere of fun, casual dining.

“Bondi has so many great coffee places. We wanted to create that kind of atmosphere with the milk bar and so far it has been really well received by locals,” Cohen says, adding that the milk bar is serving high-quality thick shakes and milkshakes which are proving popular with local kids.

He hopes the arrival of Chargrill Charlie’s will help facilitate a revitalisation of the area around Curlewis St. “We like to feel that when we open up, that makes all our neighbours busier and brings more people to the area,” Cohen says.

Chargrill Charlie’s

144-146 Curlewis St

chargrillcharlies.com