A MEAL to treasure

IF YOU DINE at Chew Chew Bistro in the quaint hinterland town of Palmwoods, don’t be surprised if you come home with something pleasantly unexpected. It may be a vintage Rolex watch, or a handembroidered antique linen tablecloth. It may even be a crystal chandelier.

While this may seem like an unusual thing to happen over lunch, it tends to be a common experience for patrons of Chew Chew, located within vintage emporium The Shed Palmwoods, where expecting the unexpected is par for the course.

Nestled beside the railway tracks, The Shed Palmwoods came to life in 2021, after the bank of old railway sheds caught the eye of veteran business owners Geoff and Dianna Ryan. Having outgrown their previous premises at an industrial shed at Forest Glen where their business had been operating

French Mediterranean cooking using locally grown products

Nestled in the beautiful village square of Peregian Beach, Periwinkle restaurant offer a modern French Mediterranean cuisine with delicious seafood, hand crafted sourdough breads, char grill beef and seasonal vegetables.

Enjoy a relaxing breakfast, lunch or dinner in the family friendly village square park.

Monday to Friday 11am - 8.30pm Saturday & Sunday 8.30am - 8.30pm 2/216 David Low Way

Peregian Beach QLD 4573 07 5448 3251 periwinklerestaurant.com.au for several years, the couple could not resist the charm of the 103-year-old building. Their vision was shared by suppliers in the region.

The breakfast menu includes a selection of eggs benedict variations, a breaky burrito wrap, and local lady finger banana pancakes.

“People come from far and wide for our breakfasts,” Geoff tells salt

“Our chef’s very creative; he puts a modern twist on Australian and some international cuisine. But I think it’s the fresh quality, the portion size and the price, that keep people coming back.”

It’s not just people that are coming to Chew Chew Bistro either – the dog-friendly front and back outdoor dining areas are proving popular with local pooches, who find the deck to be the perfect spot for an afternoon siesta. Resident ‘Shed dog’ Bentley, a black spoodle puppy who is still learning the ropes, will be on hand to make new friends at any time.

The unmistakable ambience is also a large part of the attraction, with Dianna describing a palpable “energy” that permeates the entire premises.

“We just wanted to create a place that would feed the soul for people, that they could come to, feel good, enjoy beautiful food in a relaxing and unique atmosphere, and go away feeling really positive and that they’ve had a great experience,” she says.

The energy Dianna describes emanates in large part from the abundance of quirky, curious, and captivating items that fill the store to the brim, and provide customers with a veritable treasure trove to explore. With 70 per cent of the items antique or vintage, and 30 per cent new, there is little chance that what you find here will be replicated anywhere else. Each and every item is handpicked by Dianna and Geoff

“We get new stock every single day,” Dianna tells salt

“People bring things in boxes, or pull the car up and open the boot. We get things from all over the world. The criteria is that it has to be beautiful, it has to be high quality, and it has to be in very good condition or really interesting, weird and quirky.”

One of the most popular items is antique linen sets, according to Dianna, which would have made up a large part of a woman’s dowry in times past.

“They’re still in immaculate condition. What I love about that is that there’s been so much time and love put into making them, and you can buy that today and put it on your table, and you’ve got this amazing energy of something beautiful. I always wonder, how many people laughing round the table enjoying food, have used this tablecloth? I love that element of it.”