Best south coast cafes: Cafe kings and queens of the brunch scene revealed
From cooking the best chips in NSW to going above and beyond to help their communities, these culinary leaders have made the cut for our list of the cafe kings and queens of the south coast.
The South Coast News
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They cook the best chips in NSW, and have helped their communities through the devastating ‘Black Summer’ bushfires before being forced to close the doors during the worst of the Covid pandemic.
From tasty pastries cooked onsite to some of the freshest produce in Australia, south coast eateries continue to set the standard.
The South Coast News takes a look at the movers and shakers behind some of the region’s top cafes and discovers some of the secrets to their success.
SAM CARDOW, GREENWELL POINT
Sam Cardow’s chips are so good they’ve just been named the best in NSW in the Wotif.com Uniquely Aussie Awards.
His cafe Pelican Rocks in the seaside fishing town of Greenwell Point has become a Shoalhaven institution over the years, and Mr Cardow’s cafe also took out the 2019 award for best potato scallops.
In 2018, the cafe took out Australia’s best Fish and Chips competition’s People’s Choice award for the best fish and chips in NSW.
Mr Cardow said the award was icing on the cake of what has been a horrid two years for the south coast hospitality industry.
He said while he used to make his own chips, the right combination of Edgell beer battered chips, clean oil, the perfect cooking temperature and seasoning is the secret to his success.
BRONWYN PIVIDORI, TATHRA
Since opening her cafe Blend Povidore in Tathra just a few years ago, Bronwyn Pividori has created one of the best cafe atmospheres on the south coast.
After some difficult years, the savvy owner has also recently expanded in town after gaining the tender to run the Tathra Beach Kiosk right on the sands of scenic Tathra Beach.
The newly renamed Pividori’s Tathra Beach restaurant will be opening next week alongside the takeaway kiosk.
Not long after her business opened the town was hit by a devastating bushfire, after which Ms Pividori remained open throughout, offering food to emergency workers and stranded local residents.
KYLEE EDWARDS, ULLADULLA
Kylee Edwards’s Treehouse Cafe sits in the heart of Ulladulla, and has a reputation for using some of the freshest produce on the south coast.
She made the seachange from Sydney nine years ago with her husband and two kids and hasn’t looked back since.
“We wanted our kids to grow and share our love of the ocean and surrounding wilderness of the south coast,” she said.
Her passion is for “food and creating foods with quality produce” as well as “making a positive contribution to our community”.
“We acknowledge what the town has given both to us as individuals and to our family and want to ensure we give back,” she said.
DEAN WHITE, MOSSY POINT
The Mossy Cafe’s general manager Dean White will be donning his dancing shoes next year in the Stars of Eurobodalla fundraiser for the Cancer Council.
The cafe in Mossy Point south of Batemans Bay is known for its warm atmosphere, happy staff and enthusiasm for supporting the community.
“We want our customers to walk in to The Mossy and feel like they’ve walked in to a friend’s home,” White said.
“We believe that atmosphere is just as important as the food and coffee ... it completes the experience.”
The secret to the cafe’s great coffee is their suppliers, Guerrilla Roasters, work on the team and “impart all their coffee wizardry” on to the cafe’s baristas.
GREG DYER, SUSSEX INLET
Bean2Sussex Cafe’s Greg Dyer has been through it all since the Black Summer bushfires and the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.
After the brutal economic impacts of both events, he has found himself with a new location and approaching perhaps what may be one of the busiest summers on record on the south coast.
He said the business had loyal customers who visit everyday for the drinks and fresh food which was all made on-site.
“I’ve been running the cafe for six years and most businesses close after 12 months, so we’re proof the model is working,” he said.
Mr Dyer said he enjoyed the lifestyle the cafe offers him, meeting new people every day, and employing locals.
MADDIE O’CONNOR, BERMAGUI
Maddie O’Connor has created one of the south coast’s best cafes and patisseries with her Neighbourhood Bermagui business growing in popularity with locals and tourists alike.
The cafe bakes its own bread, and the 28-year-old said the fresh produce kept bringing customers back.
In a small seaside town full of cafes, that’s no mean feat.
She said the last 18 months haven’t been easy, with bushfires and Covid created a “rough introduction” to running a small business.
“We’ve really been hit for six, and we’ve had to think on our feet,” she said.
ERIN AND BEN BLAIR, ULLADULLA
Since Erin and Ben Blair left Bondi for the scenic town of Ulladulla, their popular cafe Native has helped change the face of south coast cafe culture.
It‘s described as “the little cafe with a big heart”, and is known for some of the best coffee on the coast.
“Our milk is the best the south coast has to offer, plus our baristas are legends,” the couple said.
Sitting in the middle of town overlooking Ulladulla harbour, with the option of alfresco seating, it is known for its wholesome food and great coffee.
The menu has a touch of the city, with acai bowls, Bircher muesli and of course - smashed avo.
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