It's also a reopening of sorts.

Winding back a decade or so, before it was occupied by The Corner Store or the Green Grocers, the heritage-listed former bank hosted Mouza Gallery and Restaurant and served Middle Eastern cuisine prepared by Avi Shaul.

Now the Shaul family are back in the same space, promising "flavours from South India to Nepal, Asian fusions and special Iraqi family recipes handed down the generations".

And this time there will be no meat - it's a vegan/vegetarian menu.

Indirectly, it was the pandemic that inspired Avi to resurrect the restaurant, because it disrupted his habit of travelling overseas to work and visit extended family in Israel.

Also the building, which he owns, has been vacant since Steve Klipin closed The Corner Store.

"Basically I felt stuck and the place is empty," Avi said. "I want to be creative, I want to do things."

His daughter, singer-songwriter STAV, who was whisked back to Bellingen from Melbourne at the end of March, will be taking a front-of-house role.

As well as greeting and serving customers, she'll be helping with prep, fulfilling a long-held wish to learn more of the family recipes.

And, of course, organising the music.

"I've met so many musicians playing at folk festivals around Australia," she said. "People want to come and play in Bellingen."

Mouza will serve curry plates, salad bowls and a wide variety of starters.

"Organic pickles that I make, Iraqi dumplings filled with tofu tempeh, nuts and herbs," Avi said. "Lightly-fried Iraqi vegan patties called arookh. Suji, south Indian semolina dumplings that are steamed. Fermented rice and dahl, which is called idli."

Located at 58-60 Hyde St Bellingen, Mouza is open:

More info on social media @mouzarestaurant and you can listen to STAV's music here.