An exciting new venture will open on the site of the former Bombora Café in Goolwa Beach, just in time for Christmas, on Friday 20 December.

The Kuti Shack is a collaboration between Goolwa PipiCo, the Ngarrindjeri people and a group of the Fleurieu's top chefs.

Former Bombora owners Joel and Casey Cousins recently took over the Aquacaf, re-naming it Bombora on the River. This left the Goolwa Beach café empty just 10 weeks out from the busy summer holiday period.

Fishing company Goolwa PipiCo saw the opportunity to expand and came to a commercial arrangement to take over the remaining 20 months of the lease.

Three locals with strong connections to Goolwa PipiCo and the Goolwa Beach café will operate the Kuti Shack. 

Billy Dohnt has previously worked at d’Arry’s Verandah and Salopian Inn; Brendon Roach is fresh from Press, and has worked at Osteria Oggi; and former Bombora co-owner Vanessa Button has returned. 

Olaf Hansen, who set up the original Aquacaf and Bombora Goolwa Beach, is also involved as a consultant.

The menu will feature local fish caught by the Hoad family and other locally sourced seafood; native indigenous ingredients sourced from the Ngarrindjeri partners; and other Fleurieu produce, wines, beer and coffee. 

In partnership with the chefs, Goolwa PipiCo will use the café as a test kitchen for recipes that feature pipis. 

The name Kuti is the local Indigenous word for pipi, or cockles, as many know them.

The Ngarrindjeri people have been harvesting pipis on the beaches surrounding the café for more than 10,000 years and the community owns around 10 per cent of the South Australian pipi fishery.

The Kuti Shack hopes to provide opportunities for the Ngarrindjeri community, including employment, traineeships and apprenticeships, as well a venue to highlight the important part the kuti has played in their culture.