Beer, baked goodies and meat are the keys to cafe’s success

In just three and a half years, this award-winning Bangalow cafe has proved a hit with locals and tourists.

Butcher Baker Co-Owner Paul Coughran runs the local cafe with wife Amanda, which has been crowned the best cafe in Byron Shire. (CREDIT: Adam Daunt)

It started as a plan to combine Paul and Amanda Coughran's three major loves: meat, baked goods and beer.

Add in the pull of home and the result is Butcher Baker in Bangalow.

The artisanal cafe has been voted the best cafe in the Byron Shire in the News Corp competition which continues a rapid rise for the three and a half year old bakery.

The bakery has built a strong reputation among locals and tourists alike with their gourmet pies, homemade doughnuts, brioche, and mouth-watering burgers.

"It's very exciting, we've been here three and a half years and also won the Good Food Guide's reader's choice for the last three years so for this to come along … it's really good to uphold our standards," Mr Coughran said.

 

Butcher Baker in Bangalow has proved a hit with locals and tourists alike. (Credit: Adam Daunt)

After spending time in Melbourne and London, the couple always wanted to return home to be around Mullumbimby while taking a risk on a bakery with a twist.

"As soon as we had kids we knew we wanted to come home, we both have big families in the area and wanted that support," Mr Coughran said.

"We really wanted our kids to grow up in the beautiful place we did.

"The butcher baker concept was always to bring the best of the two artisan trades … I am a baker by trade and I grew up around butcher shops.

"We say we tied our three loves into one: you can grab a beer, some bakery products and good meats as well."

Most of the staff are locally-based and some, like the kitchen staff, have been long-term workers of the bakery with the Coughran's focus on building a good local team.

Mr Coughran said acknowledgment such as this, voted by the public, meant the world to the local business which has strong community ties.

"What makes a good business is local support and we really noticed how much local trade we got through being able to get through those COVID periods," he said.

"I think that just comes down to what we do, it's good honest food at good prices."