It’s one of the most happening corners in Sydney. At the junction of Oxford and Flinders streets, Cafe Freda’s has been the intersection of the city’s nightlife for the past four years. It’s been a spot for drop-ins, people-watching over pasta and natural wine, and for many, a final destination after a big night out.

However, the yellow, green and red plastic chairs will soon be packed away, with owner David Abram announcing the venue will close at the end of summer.

“We knew it was going to happen,” Abram says. “We were only ever on a rolling lease there as it was always going to be a development site at some stage. Obviously, with COVID and everything that happened over the last few years, that timeframe changed.”

Despite the upheaval, Abram says he is happy to have had four years in the space. “This location draws people in from so many areas. Oxford Street and Taylor Square is an iconic area, and really interesting people live around there. It’s close enough to the inner west, it’s close enough to the eastern suburbs, and it is, in many ways, a centrepoint for people.”

Abram and partner Carla Uriarte opened the original Freda’s bar and nightclub in Chippendale in 2011. After nine years of non-stop dance parties, the venue was forced to close due to redevelopment.

Freda’s relocated to Darlinghurst just a couple of months later, reopening on New Year’s Eve in 2020. Freda’s became Cafe Freda’s, and the focus moved from dancing and live music to drinking and snacking.

Now the venue will be reinvented once again. Abram confirmed to Good Food that Freda’s will reopen at a new location in 2025, but it won’t be the same.

“There’s another new transition to look forward to,” he said. “We’re definitely excited about what’s coming next. It will be exciting for people who like what we do.”

While remaining tight-lipped about the details, Abram confirmed: “It will be an evolution of what we’ve already done, not just with Cafe Freda’s but with the old Freda’s too. It will be something different again, and a new challenge for us.”

In the time that’s left, Abram said he wanted to leave guests with happy memories of the space.

“When we worked out how long we had left, we decided to just do the summer period and leave on a high. Flame hard and then flame out.”

Cafe Freda’s last day of service will be Saturday, March 1, which coincides with Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2025.