At Kava Bowl, every detail has been thoughtfully considered – from the fresh, vibrant poke ingredients to the relaxed, welcoming feel the moment you walk through the doors. Owner Tash brings a genuine passion for culture and community, always finding new ways to celebrate and acknowledge her own heritage and the cultures interwoven with it.
A recent addition to the space is a detailed mural that tells the story of their family – a journey that stretches from their ancestral roots to the present-day life of Kava Bowl. Painted by travelling Argentinian artist Nacho, whose work can also be spotted along Caloundra’s main street, the mural is layered with meaning.
It begins with Matariki, the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster, marking the Māori New Year – a time of reflection, remembrance and connection. “It represents our voyaging by the stars,” Tash shares.
Further along sits a stylised Kava Bowl logo, inspired by a devoted couple who were regular customers and gifted the family a handwritten note declaring their poke bar “the best ever” – a small but telling sign of how deeply the business has embedded itself in the Dicky Beach community.
Symbols of family are woven throughout. Three fish reflect Tash’s husband’s Samoan heritage and represent him and their two sons, while the numbers 685 nod to their family’s home region in Samoa. The word Alofa, meaning love, sits nearby – a simple but powerful anchor.
Fruit scattered across the mural pays tribute to the family’s early days running a juice bar at the Caloundra Street Fair, where they spent 12 years raising their children alongside the community.
The mural also acknowledges the Kabi Kabi people, Traditional Custodians of the land, and honours Hawaii, where poke originates. At one end of the mural sits the kava bowl itself – a symbol of gathering, sharing and connection.
It’s a way of life that continues to evolve, with new offerings like creamy premium matcha, expanded açai bowls and cold brew, all adding to the ever-growing Kava Bowl experience.
Kava Bowl – 2/14 Beerburrum St, Dicky Beach.
