Perched in a treehouse-inspired space along Cottesloe Beach, Magic Apple’s smoothie menu has come a long way from its 1970s debut as a juice bar in the Fremantle Markets. In the ’80s, it expanded into a small chain of health food stores, before eventually shutting down. Now it’s been brought back to life as a beachfront venue, thanks to George Kailis.

Banish all thoughts of Boost-Juice-style blitzed juices and replace them with the rich, green, and oddly addictive Avo Skin Glow, a creamy, savoury smoothie combining avocado, collagen peptides, and quinoa sprout powder. Or the Immunity Punch, a tropical blend of mango, pineapple, and orange with sea buckthorn and camu-camu (a berry purported to fight inflammation).

Kailis had been planning to open a venue based on the ’70s Magic Apple shops for the last five years but when it became clear he could acquire the original brand name, he jumped at the opportunity.

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“The idea here is to show people what these ingredients can do,” Kailis tells Broadsheet. “We have bentonite clay in one of the smoothies. Some might say, ‘Clay? Really?’ but it’s an ash that’s brilliant for detoxing the liver and clearing up skin.”

This is the Kailis Hospitality Group’s first dip into the wellness pool – it’s better known for the fresh and fancy Gibney and all-day diners like Island Market Trigg – but for George Kailis, the idea of food as a remedy is personal.

“Around the time we began talking about a wholefoods concept, I developed arthritis in my hands. I’m not against traditional medicine, but I found I could manage it naturally. After seeing a naturopath, and changing and adding supplements to my diet, my arthritis was under control. Much of what’s on the menu reflects my own experience,” he says.

Now open for breakfast and lunch, Magic Apple’s kitchen, helmed by chef Rob Baverstock, serves food as vibrant as the restaurant’s rainbow-hued ceiling (painted by local artist Susan Respinger). The menu is a kaleidoscope of colourful bowls, most of which are built around Magic Rice (a seasoned mix of brown rice and tricolour quinoa) heaped with roasted vegetables, steamed or grilled meats and fish, fresh herbs, and, of course, an avocado or two.

For breakfast, Kailis is all about breaking convention. “Australia’s one of the most multicultural places around, but somehow our breakfast options are all pretty similar. We want to add something new, something different to the typical Western breakfast menus you find along the coastline,” he says.

He advocates starting the day with slow-roasted teriyaki eggplant – crisp outside, creamy within – served with scrambled eggs and nori, or a mushroom and tofu scramble amped up with edamame and a vegetable XO mayo. A bowl of minced beef, avocado, and poached eggs makes a strong case for the burrito bowl as a legitimate a breakfast.

Vegetables scraps are pickled or fermented to reduce waste. And unlike the strictly vegetarian Magic Apple menus of the ’80s and ’90s, meat is in the mix. Organic chicken is served alongside roast pumpkin and kale crisps, a Greek-inspired lamb kofta bowl is zhooshed up with hemp dukkah, and king salmon comes as sashimi or steamed.

And because alcohol and healthy living are not mutually exclusive, there’s also wine and cocktails. The wine list is fun, short and sharp, featuring Italian pinot grigio and aligoté alongside local options. Cocktails lean on health-conscious ingredients like manuka honey, yerba maté (vodka-infused), and even Vegemite, which brings an umami kick to the Bloody Mary.

Sitting by the sea as swimmers emerge from the surf and locals line up for cold-pressed juices, it’s hard not to feel inspired to add a bit more wellness to your routine. If these swimmers and early birds get their glow from sea buckthorn and bentonite clay, then pour us a double.

Magic Apple Wholefoods
149 Marine Parade, Cottesloe
(08) 9211 4999

Hours:
Daily 6.30am–3.30pm

www.magicapplewholefoods.com
@magicapplelife