REVEALED: The best 10 cafes in Port Macquarie and surrounds, as suggested by you
Meet the hard working men and women behind the cafes you love to eat, drink and have a chat at across the Mid North Coast. It’s been a tough couple of years but they’ve made it through.
Mid-North Coast
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The Mid North Coast is home to a whole range of exceptional hospitality venues, including restaurants, hotels, and cafes.
We asked for the best of the best – your favourite cafes – and narrowed them down to a shortlist of 10 local businesses.
Introducing the cafe kings and queens of the Mid North Coast:
Noshtalgia | Andrew Norman | Port Macquarie
Chef and business co-owner, Andrew Norman, said he opened Noshtalgia with his wife in 2016 with the simple mission of creating good old-fashioned home cooked meals.
“When we moved to Port Macquarie, over six years ago, we saw a gap in the local market for this kind of food,” he said.
Inside the Colonial Arcade on Hay Street, this cozy cafe is the perfect location for a warm cup of coffee and bite to eat – tucked away quietly indoors, but central enough to neighbour the city’s main shopping centre.
“We wanted somewhere that you can sit down, browse the menu and find a few of your favourite dishes without too much trouble.
“The local scene was crying out for a dining establishment with this simple vision.
“We don’t want a wizz-bang menu full of fancy feasts, just good old-fashioned meals that feel like home.”
Noshtalgia does what the name suggests, according the Mr Norman.
“Nosh, as in English slang for food, and nostalgia because we want our menu to bring about that sense of familiarity,” he said.
By pairing home cooked meals with a cozy setting of exposed wood and old-school memorabilia, Noshtalgia achieves the perfect balance of good food and great atmosphere for locals of all ages.
Social Grounds, LV’s On Clarence | Beau Montgomery | Port Macquarie
Beau Montgomery purchased Social Grounds a year and a half ago, and then LV’s On Clarence 15 months ago.
He took it as an opportunity for self-growth, in a local industry that he believes is set to boom.
“There’s been a lot of development in the local area, with many moving away from the big cities as a result of Covid, so Port Macquarie’s population has grown so quickly,” Mr Montgomery said.
“With so much growth on the North Coast, I think the hospitality scene will expand to keep up with demand – it’s pushing everyone to be better.
“And we’re really passionate about our community, so we want to keep offering our services to the residents and tourists that support us.”
In what has been a turbulent time for most business owners, Mr Montgomery says his loyal customers have kept him going.
“I’ve made lots of friendships through the cafes, with customers and suppliers, and on the tough days it’s those smiling faces that keep us going,” he said.
“I love what I do, so having such amazing customers who think highly of our cafes is really humbling.”
Rainforest Cafe | Emily Scriven | Port Macquarie
Rainforest Cafe has been in operation for over 20 years, with Emily Scriven and Aaron Castell purchasing the venue in April 2016.
“We bought the cafe after falling in love with the location during our many visits,” Ms Scriven said.
“When we first moved to Port Macquarie in 2013, we would visit the cafe and do the rainforest walk quite often with our family.
“It has always been special and unique due to its picturesque location, which made for an easy decision to purchase the cafe when the opportunity arose.”
Upon purchasing the establishment, it was very clear to the couple that Rainforest Cafe already had a strong following in the local community.
“It was important to us to maintain this,” Ms Scriven said.
“We see many return customers, many we know as regulars on first name basis.
“That’s what is truly magical about our industry – the people you meet along the way.”
“We want to thank our local community, along with visitors to the area for their ongoing support.
“The past few years have been challenging for so many, but even through the challenges, the support has continued – we look forward to a bigger and brighter 2022.”
Brew Haven | Felix Laspina | North Haven
Felix Laspina is the general manager of Brew Haven, a North Haven cafe owned by his wife Carmen.
In April, the cafe will be celebrating its third birthday.
Mr Laspina said the idea to lease the space and run Brew Haven came from a simple leisurely stroll.
“We were out walking the dog while visiting North Haven one day, when we saw the for lease sign,” he said.
“We’d always loved the area – between the views, friendly people and local growth, what’s not to love? – so we packed up and moved to the local area to run Brew Haven.”
The duo have since undertaken renovations and expanded the premises, but Mr Laspina says the cafe was still “packed to the brim” with regulars, locals and tourists, every day over the Christmas holidays.
To keep up with demand, Brew Haven employs around 30 local staff, including seven chefs.
“Our chefs have worked all around the world, they’re very skilled,” Mr Laspina said.
“They bring culture to our cafe and our menu.”
Inside Out at Lighthouse | Gabby Barraket | Port Macquarie
Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, and breakfast on weekends, Inside Out at Lighthouse has become the go-to cafe for many in its five and a half years since opening.
Gabby Barraket says she’s grateful to have such a loyal customer base.
“Our customers are amazing – we see plenty of regulars and tourists through the doors each day,” she said.
“And that loyal trade kept up going through Covid, which we’re so grateful for.”
Ms Barraket says the cafe tries to give back to the community where possible, to show their thanks.
“We sell giftware and art in the cafe, all created by small businesses and women-led groups in the local area, because we want to show our support,” she said.
“I recently did a head shaving fundraiser, and our awesome community raised a total $25,000 for charity by donating.
“We also try to contribute to the community by taking on high school students for work placement.”
Top Spot Cafe | Selena Ewart | Lakewood, Laurieton
Owner of both Top Spot Cafe locations, in Lakewood and Laurieton, Selena Ewart took on the brand more than seven years ago.
The business moved from its initial location to Lakewood, where it’s been running for two years, before opening the Little Red Coffee & Food Van at Laurieton Industrial Park less than six months later.
Ms Ewart says the decision to open the second Top Spot Cafe came from a need in the local community.
“We used to deliver here for customers, so we decided to make it a little easier for them since we knew our business had that local support,” she said.
“We’re very lucky to have those loyal regulars who have followed us through relocations over the years.”
Ms Ewart said this support has kept the business afloat during the pandemic.
“Our customers stuck around through Covid – they’re just amazing,” she said.
The cafe is run by a tight-knit local team, many of whom have been with Top Spot since they were young teens.
“Some of our girls have been working here since they were 14 – we’re just like a big family.”
Kew Corner Store | Staffan Andler | Kew
Owner-operator of Kew Corner Store, Staffan Andler, is proud of his cafe’s ability to service a range of needs and customers.
In addition to great food, fresh bakery-made bread and coffee, the multipurpose store also sells local handmade treats, fudges and giftware.
Kew Corner Store is also a full newsagency and stocks fresh produce.
Mr Andler took over the cafe seven years ago, and has made changes to encourage a welcoming, homey atmosphere.
“Everyone is welcome here – we’re a down-to-earth team and want customers to feel comfortable here,” he said.
“Locals like to support their community, and we’re lucky in that we don’t have to rely on tourism trade, so a one-stop-shop makes it convenient for them because they can get a bit of everything in the one place.”
Many frequent the store for the famous Peak coffee, which Mr Andler is very proud of.
“It’s a big brand locally, and we have a great relationship with them – this store was actually one of the first Peak wholesalers,” he said.
“They’ve helped us with equipment and training, to ensure we can do the coffee justice.
“And our coffee has been a big driver in repeat business, it kept us going when Woolworths opened down the road and when the bypass was created.”
Double Shot Coffee Co. | Susan Hunter | Port Macquarie
Having only opened the cafe’s doors a year ago, Double Shot’s Susan Hunter says she’s pleased with the local customer base the establishment is building.
The business owner says the venue has allowed her to share her passion for food and hospitality with the people of Port Macquarie.
“I just wanted a space with a friendly atmosphere that serves simple, fresh food,” Ms Hunter said.
“I love Port Macquarie, so opening the cafe here and seeing more consistent customers supporting the business has just been amazing.”
Ms Hunter has been especially impressed by the local area in times of disaster.
“I couldn’t believe the way the community rallied together during the 2021 floods, I’ve never seen anything like it before,” she said.
“And I’ve witnessed that community spirit through the pandemic, with my loyal customers still ordering takeaways and showing their support through lockdowns and Covid restrictions.”
It’s for that reason that Double Shot gives back to the local area wherever possible.
“We employ an all-local team and try to source local produce where we can,” Ms Hunter said.
“Our cakes are homemade, our coffee is from a local seller and our street art feature wall was created by local Damon Maroney.”
The Hill | Tash Olynick | Thrumster
Hospitality young gun Tash Olynick took on The Hill when the Sovereign Place shopping centre opened in 2019.
This isn’t the first cafe she’s owned, having taken on and since sold another establishment in the local area.
“My partner and I were approached by Sovereign Place, and we thought it was a great opportunity to build our brand,” Ms Olynick said.
“It’s great to see so much growth and development in the area, and plenty of other young local professionals and families.”
The cafe is run by an all-local team of about 17, but Ms Olynick says she’s keen to continue expanding.
“As the business grows, we’d like to hire more young people in the area,” she said.
Like many businesses, The Hill felt the impact of Covid-19, but Ms Olynick says the community support has softened the blow.
“There’s a really strong local community here, so our cafe fared reasonably well through the lockdowns” she said.
“Our customers kept up the support as we continued doing takeaways, which was really great.”
Frankies Cafe & Catering | Trent Davis | Port Macquarie
Trent Davis has been working in the hospitality industry for almost two decades, but his latest business venture is only a few weeks old.
Frankies – named after Mr Davis’s three-year-old daughter – opened just under a month ago, with extensive renovations now complete.
“I wanted this space to be everything I loved about cafes,” Mr Davis said of the remodel.
“The open-plan style, with a light and airy design, gives the space a nice and relaxed feel.”
But the recent makeover, which wrapped up on January 19, isn’t the only thing that makes the cafe special to Mr Davis.
“My family actually ran an ice creamery out of this shop when I was young, so my first job was right here,” he said.
“Being able to flip and relaunch the space my family initially owned has been really special.
“And the reaction we’ve received from the Port Macquarie community, and the local network of support here, has just been the cherry on top – we’ve been busy since the day we opened our doors.”
Mr Davis is currently in the process of arranging a liquor license for Frankie’s, so the establishment will be able to offer long lunches with wine in the future.
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