Latest news with #JamesSpink
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
You won't believe the incredible secret hiding inside this Aussie 'servo'
At first glance, it looks like just another old-school servo at the top of Port Kembla's main drag in Wollongong, NSW. But through the doors of this retro 1950s Mobil station is one of the Illawarra's best-kept secrets - The Servo Food Truck Bar, a thriving hub for food, music and art. The venue has quickly become a cult favourite among locals for its food offerings, drag shows, live gigs, fire pits, and fully BYO-friendly atmosphere, as well as open-air movie screenings. It has certainly been giving Sydney 's cool inner-west scene a run for its money -and the best part is that it's only 90 minutes from the city. Forget sticky pub carpets and cover bands though, because The Servo, according to their social media, is a welcoming space for humans of all identities and ages. Curated by local James Spink, the venue's ever-changing program features everything from punk rock, folk, queer cabaret, to experimental jazz and zine fairs, to spoken word poetry and candlelit sound baths. 'The Illawarra got way cooler the day the servo opened,' one fan commented on Instagram. 'Thank YOU for creating such a safe and wonderful space,' raved another. 'Love performing at this very special space,' said one of their regular soul musicians. 'Fuuuuuun!' another added in the comments. Every weekend (Thursday through Sunday), the forecourt transforms into a pop-up foodie mecca with a rotating lineup of food trucks. The list now includes a rotation of some of the areas favourite cuisine options: Papi's Birria Tacos, Roy's Restobar, 2 Smoking Barrels, Pho King Delicious and Messina, among others. Customers can enjoy deep-fried lasagne toasties one weekend, and slow-cooked pork cordon bleu bao the next. 'It's the best! So good for community, so good for music, so good for the soul!!' one customer wrote on their Facebook page. 'You guys have built a little piece of retro special space ~ thanks for supporting local artists and I wish all the best & big things ahead,' said another. There's also house beer on tap. PK (Port Kembla) Lager was crafted just down the road with Seeker Brewing and is 'best enjoyed chilled, outside, with music in your ears and charcoal in the air.' Set against the backdrop of the Port Kembla steelworks, the space also features mural-covered walls, fairy lights, reclaimed timber furniture, a mural-splashed performance space and crackling fire drums. Each week it opens its doors from 4pm untill late on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 2pm until late on Saturdays and Sundays. From queer comedy night, local punk sets, craft markets, or just a space to grab a drink and some dumplings with mates, The Servo has community at the helm.
Sydney Morning Herald
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
This retro servo draws crowds with live music, fire pits and deep-fried lasagne sangas
Based at what was once a 1950s Mobil petrol station at the top of Port Kembla's main shopping strip, The Servo's easygoing community vibe creates the sort of place where food spills do not matter. Opened in 2018 and running Thursday to Sunday each week, its laidback retro hub-hub is overseen by James Spink, who curates a menu of live music acts, art exhibitions and workshops, makers' markets and a revolving menu of food trucks and collaborations with chefs from far and wide. Food pop-ups have come from Papi's Birria Tacos, El Cantina, Pho King Delicious, Messina, 2 Smoking Barrels, and many others, and he's hosted gigs for acts ranging from The Pretty Littles to Quivers, Elana Stone, Charm Of Finches and Mikelangelo and the Long Lost Friends. Spink has also developed a bespoke beer, PK Lager, a collaboration with Seeker Brewing from nearby Unanderra. Cracking open a can on The Servo's concrete forecourt between bites of Roy's juicy sandwiches may equate to heaven. As Dog Trumpet take the stage inside the venue's mural-edged former workshop building, a storm lights up the evening clouds above plumes of steam billowing from the Port Kembla steelworks in the distance. The Servo's crowds sway to the music, Hendrickson and Gibbs sling more buns and cocktails and the steel plant's gas flame fires on. Three more food trucks to try Papi's Birria Tac o s Fill-up into the night with luscious, and massive, birria and chicken tacos, quesadillas and ramen, rich consomme for dipping, and a superbly gooey cheese melt on brioche, from young chef Lawrence Diaz's hotly popular two food trucks. 163-165 Parramatta Road, Haberfield and 71 Jubilee Avenue, Carlton, Roman's Deli Park yourself on a cushion-topped milk crate for towering salmon, fried chicken or falafel bagels, toasted pastrami or portobello mushroom, sandwiches or strawberry yuzu iced matcha at Serwan Roman and Andrew Vu's ever-popular one year-old servo-adjacent food truck. 250 Henry Lawson Drive, Georges Hall, Koshari Korner On the edge of Addi Road's central car park, this food truck's wide-ranging Egyptian street food menu includes golden fried sambushek pastry (filled with sweet potato, cashews and spices), bisara (fava bean puree) and comfort food koshari, a mixture of fried rice, noodles, brown lentils, chickpeas and crispy onion.
The Age
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
This retro servo draws crowds with live music, fire pits and deep-fried lasagne sangas
Based at what was once a 1950s Mobil petrol station at the top of Port Kembla's main shopping strip, The Servo's easygoing community vibe creates the sort of place where food spills do not matter. Opened in 2018 and running Thursday to Sunday each week, its laidback retro hub-hub is overseen by James Spink, who curates a menu of live music acts, art exhibitions and workshops, makers' markets and a revolving menu of food trucks and collaborations with chefs from far and wide. Food pop-ups have come from Papi's Birria Tacos, El Cantina, Pho King Delicious, Messina, 2 Smoking Barrels, and many others, and he's hosted gigs for acts ranging from The Pretty Littles to Quivers, Elana Stone, Charm Of Finches and Mikelangelo and the Long Lost Friends. Spink has also developed a bespoke beer, PK Lager, a collaboration with Seeker Brewing from nearby Unanderra. Cracking open a can on The Servo's concrete forecourt between bites of Roy's juicy sandwiches may equate to heaven. As Dog Trumpet take the stage inside the venue's mural-edged former workshop building, a storm lights up the evening clouds above plumes of steam billowing from the Port Kembla steelworks in the distance. The Servo's crowds sway to the music, Hendrickson and Gibbs sling more buns and cocktails and the steel plant's gas flame fires on. Three more food trucks to try Papi's Birria Tac o s Fill-up into the night with luscious, and massive, birria and chicken tacos, quesadillas and ramen, rich consomme for dipping, and a superbly gooey cheese melt on brioche, from young chef Lawrence Diaz's hotly popular two food trucks. 163-165 Parramatta Road, Haberfield and 71 Jubilee Avenue, Carlton, Roman's Deli Park yourself on a cushion-topped milk crate for towering salmon, fried chicken or falafel bagels, toasted pastrami or portobello mushroom, sandwiches or strawberry yuzu iced matcha at Serwan Roman and Andrew Vu's ever-popular one year-old servo-adjacent food truck. 250 Henry Lawson Drive, Georges Hall, Koshari Korner On the edge of Addi Road's central car park, this food truck's wide-ranging Egyptian street food menu includes golden fried sambushek pastry (filled with sweet potato, cashews and spices), bisara (fava bean puree) and comfort food koshari, a mixture of fried rice, noodles, brown lentils, chickpeas and crispy onion.
