Toast Eden has great frontage and brings fab food and coffee to the town’s main street. Photo: Supplied.
Eden is a beautiful town with a main street that has seen a parade of culinary openings and closings and chef comings and goings over recent times.
Recently the team at popular Pambula cafe Toast saw an opening when Sprout Cafe – the produce driven eatery started by Karen Lott in 2011 – became available.
Ms Lott sold her popular cafe in late 2022, and after only 16 months or so under a couple new to town, seasoned cafe owners Nicky Austin and Ollie Pitcher have stepped in and set up a sister act to their first cafe, Toast Pambula.
Nicky Austin says their food philosophy was always aligned with Sprout’s, and the Toast team had considered purchasing Sprout in 2022. However, renovations and a pregnancy soon put that option on the back burner.
Nicky had noticed many of her customers were already travelling from Eden to Pambula for Toast’s brand of hospitality and were very encouraging: “People were saying, ‘Please come to Eden!’”
Nicky Austin with local staff Laura Campbell and Robyn Long. Photo: Lisa Herbert.
Decorated by Pambula muralists Chalk Talk, the space is light and bright, with a busy street aspect and quieter courtyard spaces.
Nicky is excited about creating a vibe around the cafe that is welcoming, convenient for locals, and also dog friendly.
Even the little book library and mug library ideas will be transposed from Pambula.
The breezy 50-seater offers a menu of ‘grab and go’ items and well thought out breakfasts similar to the high-quality offerings at Toast Pambula – think big breakfasts, perfect eggs, avocado toast and BLTs, served until 1:30 pm.
The toasties are delicious: crispy, crunchy toast, scattered with sea salt, oozing cheese goodness and big flavours.
The truffle tinctured mushroom toasty is a winner, and so is ‘The Cuban’, with coffee-rubbed pulled pork and double smoked ham; a ‘Classic’ of double-smoked ham, cheddar and mozzarella with relish, and an extravaganza of cheese – ‘The Big Cheese’ – a combo of cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan and Red Leicester with bechamel thrown in for good measure.
Larissa Terry and Stacey Russell are all smiles from the kitchen at Toast Eden. Photo: Lisa Herbert.
There are seasonal weekly specials, with Eden’s local workforce in mind; for those running out on their lunch hour to grab something light, a flavour laden burrito bowl, for example.
And then, there is the coffee.
Serving beans from well known roasters ONA Coffee, Nicky works closely with the ONA crew from Canberra and offers barista training to her staff.
The focus on coffee at Toast is impressive. Nicky believes in consistency and reliability, and in instilling confidence in her baristas.
Toast Eden is brewing ONA Maple blend every day with a single origin on rotation every month or so.
Many of the staff at Toast Eden have been working in this cafe location for up to four years, some having worked with Karen Lott and the interim owners.
Staff member Laura Campbell says she’s happy to be able to stay in this space and loves the connection with customers.
“It’s gone up a level but it’s the same space and the same people coming in; the experience of the new owners, someone like Nicky adds her touches; the focus on coffee is great.”
Delicious ‘grab and go’ morsels, savoury and sweet, for the busy Eden lunch crowd at Toast Eden. Photo: Supplied.
Splitting their time equally between the two locations, Nicky will focus on front of house and coffee and her partner Ollie will oversee back of house and food. They will develop the Eden menu focusing on the most popular items from Pambula, keeping things fresh, quick and simple.
On the Eden move, Nicky says “Support has been massive, and we keep seeing the same faces; people keep coming back!”
Toast Eden is located at 134 Imlay Street, Eden. They’re open from Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 2:30 pm. Breakfast is served until 1:30 pm. Keep up with them via their Facebook page.
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