The Grounds of Alexandria is crossing Sydney Harbour

In a coup for the north shore, The Grounds of Alexandria is headed across the coat hanger for its next project. The inner-city food behemoth has been circling an industrial site near Royal North Shore Hospital. "The deal is just subject to council approval at this stage," confirms Ramzey Choker, founder of The Grounds. The soon-to-be-lodged development application will follow the green theme of the original, but chase more of a Hanging Gardens of Babylon feel. "It'll be enveloped in green and have its own nursery as well," he says. The first port of call for nearly every major development in Sydney in recent years, Choker has politely declined more sites for expansion than he sells pastries on a busy Saturday morning. However, this time he says he was drawn to the area and the blank canvas the site offered. While a modest city spin-off of The Grounds will open mid-November on George Street, Choker says the lower north shore venue is the final major piece of the puzzle for the Grounds' urban Sydney plans.