Sun days on the deck

Hawthorn's Crabapple Kitchen has built and opened a courtyard aptly named the Sundeck just in time for the warmer weather. It will accommodate the growing queues on most days.

''Our guests were waiting up to an hour for a table, which didn't really put them in the frame of mind that we originally intended,'' co-owner and manager Kim Coronica says.

The Sundeck adds another 36 seats and took 2½ months to build at the back of the Glenferrie Road cafe. The extra space will be open for lunch on weekdays from 9am to 3pm and on weekends and Friday nights.