Yulli’s Byron Bay set to close — find out what’s coming next

POPULAR vegan restaurant Yulli’s Byron Bay will close its doors next year as co-owner Karl Cooney shifts his focus to the brewery arm of the business.

Cooney, who opened the restaurant in 2019 with his partner Dannielle Gleeson, said the decision came naturally.

“Hospitality is just one of those gigs where you know when you’re done,” the 47-year-old said.

“A few things have changed in our lives – our daughter is moving to Melbourne for university.

“We also have a beer brewing business called Yulli’s Brews and that was our original thing up here, so we’ll put a bit more focus into that.”

Cooney said the pair may still consider occasional catering jobs or pop-up events if the opportunity felt right.

“We’ll just be streamlining things and reducing work – instead of doing seven days a week, getting back to doing five.”

While he feels guilty about disappointing regular and loyal customers, Cooney is optimistic about the shift. He plans to focus on brewery-related projects, including the custom-labelled Make My Beer range, which has become popular for weddings and corporate events.

The business has also introduced an alcoholic agave-based drink, Urban Cactus Classic Ranch Water, available in lime and soda flavour.

The couple originally founded Yulli’s in Surry Hills as a craft beer pub in 2008, and it quickly gained a reputation for its vegan food. They moved to the Northern Rivers with their children a decade ago for a lifestyle change and continue to run the Sydney venue with business partners Tuan Nguyen and James Harvey.

When Yulli’s Byron Bay closes on February 15, two former Yulli’s chefs are set to take over the Carlyle Street space and open a Thai restaurant.

“Unless we run out of food before,” Cooney said.