One8Zero By Vinnie’s Cuisines is the newest restaurant to hit Baylis Street and is offering signature Sri Lankan flavours. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Filling the hole left by the closure of Hog’s Breath Cafe on Baylis Street was always going to be a tall order.
But for Vindama Nishad Willara Arachchige, aka Vinnie, it was a challenge worth accepting as he looks to bring the flavours of Sri Lanka to Wagga’s main street.
“I opened One8Zero By Vinnie’s Cuisines on the 24th of May,” Mr Willara Arachchige said.
“I heard about the old Hog’s Breath building going up for sale, and for me, that was the best opportunity to finally start my second business, but my first in Wagga.”
For just over two years, Mr Willara Arachchige has been running a bistro out of the Temora Ex Services Club, serving customers the usual bistro mainstays such as steaks and schnitzels. He said the new Wagga site allowed him to experiment more with flavours from his home country, Sri Lanka.
“The menu will almost be divided into two,” he said.
“You will have the Aussie flavours like the steaks and parmis. But you will also get food with Sri Lankan spices. I really want to convert some people’s palates with the flavours of Sri Lanka.”
Mr Willara Arachchige acknowledged that while Australia was growing its taste for more multicultural foods, outside of Sydney or Melbourne, there were very few opportunities to try Sri Lankan cuisine.
“Melbourne and Sydney, there are lots of Sri Lankan restaurants, but here, not so much,” he said.
“I think by offering new cuisine to Wagga, this will make the restaurant really special. I want to introduce new curries and new ways to eat. Most Australians will eat the curry and the vegetables, and the bread separately with a knife and fork.
“Sri Lankan isn’t like that. I want to show people the different food and experience.”
Wagga’s only Hog’s Breath Cafe had to shut its doors in August 2024, when the company behind it went into liquidation due to a $616,000 debt mostly incurred during the difficult COVID-19 period, when restaurants were restricted from trading for certain periods. It had been in operation for 25 years.
Despite being less than two weeks into his new endeavour, Mr Willara Arachchige is optimistic about his future after taking over the site and is already thinking of ways to expand.
“I will be having a new chef arriving from Sri Lanka soon,” he said.
“Once he arrives, I hope to be doing more dinners and even trying a breakfast menu.
“I’d also really like to bring people to this side of Baylis Street. Sometime soon, we will start serving cocktails after dinner, which will include the ones people love and some Sri Lankan drinks as well.
“We’re also looking forward to bringing music to the restaurant and making a really enjoyable place for people to enjoy food or drink.”
One8Zero By Vinnie’s Cuisines is open for lunch and dinner, 11:30 am – 9:30 pm, seven days a week and can be found at 180 Baylis Street. Keep up with them via their website, Facebook page and Instagram.
