This post has been reprinted in part with thanks to Hilary McNevin and originally appeared on www.broadsheet.com.au
It’s been written that the historical figure Pope Joan had an illegitimate son who became the Bishop of Ostia. Back then it had to be hushed up, but now the Bishop proudly sits next to his mum on Nicholson Street in East Brunswick.
Opening last weekend, the Bishop of Ostia is a bar that not only stands on its own two feet, but complements the cafe Pope Joan, which opened back in July 2010. Co-owners Ben Foster and chef Matt Wilkinson have had the Bishop in their sights since then but the time wasn’t right until now.
“Matt and I wanted to do a cafe and Pope Joan was born, but when we were looking for a place, I really wanted an outdoor area, which also suited Matt’s wanting a kitchen-garden,” says Foster. The eventual space for Pope Joan came with a second building attached and ample open space. “It was too much to do in one go, so we focused on the cafe and in the last few months decided to get the Bishop done,” says Foster. “We pushed to get it finished for summer.”
