Just Open: The Bearded Bean is Civic's new cafe

Siphon or pour over? A bean bar where you can "build your own" coffee is coming to Civic at a new cafe, the Bearded Bean.

Just don't call it hipster - owner Tom Reaby has been hirsute since before it was cool and he just loves his coffee.

"We're not trying to be hipster here but it made sense - coffee, bean, beard, it all went together. And also we've decided to go with some food," he says.

The light, airy cafe opened on Genge Street this week, serving up coffee and a short but sweet list of breakfast items including smashed avo, eggs and toast, and baked beans. Chef Joe Billmann also does Cajun chicken burgers and sumac-dusted calamari for lunch.

Reaby owned the previous coffee shop in that spot, Octane, but says it was time for a change. "The Octane fitout was obviously very dated, it was an eight year old store," he says.

Coffee lovers will get a premium fix at the bean bar, which will be up and running very soon.

"We've got the bean bar which should be operational next week and you can build or customise your own coffee. We've got four different types of extraction, whether it be espresso, cold drip, pour over or siphon. You get to pick your method and then you pick your bean and then watch it get built," Reaby says.

The Bearded Bean is at 3/21 Genge Street in Civic. Know a new venue or restaurant opening in Canberra? Let us know - food.wine@canberratimes.com.au