Two good! Jindabyne cafe savouring success after wins in statewide awards

The team behind a Jindabyne cafe is celebrating after winning two statewide awards.

Birchwood Jindabyne is owned and operated by Laura and Kane Stamp, who took over the business about two and a half years ago.

Ms Stamp said their wins at the 2023 NSW Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence had come as complete shocks.

“It made not just our night, but our whole year,” she said.

“We’re really, really stocked with that.”

In the Regional NSW section, Birchwood Jindabyne won the Cafe Dining and Casual Dining of the Year categories, and was also a finalist in the Breakfast Restaurant category.

The 2023 round was the second time Birchwood Jindabyne had entered the awards, Ms Stamp said.

“One day that the judges came to our venue this year, I guess we got it right!” she said.

The NSW south-east and Riverina regions had a strong showing in the awards, with Tidal Restaurant and Wine Bar in Merimbula winning the seafood restaurant category and other restaurants in Batemans Bay, Wollongong and Moama being named finalists in their categories.

Ms Stamp said Birchwood Jindabyne’s menu was based on seasonal (and fresh) produce.

“We use as much local produce as we can, so it comes from here, the South Coast and the Canberra area as well,” she said.

“It sometimes means paying more for produce, but it means it’s not months old – it’s days old.”

Despite the seasonal menu updates, some community favourites remain, such as avocado toast and their Dippy Eggs.

“We like to mix up the culinary influences,” Ms Stamp said.

“There’s a fair bit of Asian influence – none of us are Asian, but they just like to play with that [cuisine] a bit because it’s fresh and light.

“A lot of other cafes have one vegan option, or one veggie option, but we think that’s not going to cut it.”

Since the awards, Ms Stamp said the Jindabyne community had been quick to show its support of their cafe.

“Every time we go to the shops or people come into the cafe, heaps of locals have been congratulating us,” she said.

As 2024 approaches, Ms Stamp said Birchwood Cafe would continue on its path.

“We just want to keep growing and learning and trying new things,” she said.

“It’s about trying what works in your community and we’re always trying something new and different.”

The successful Fish Fridays would return in the coming months, Ms Stamp said, after being well received last year.

She said the win had taken recognition of the Snowy Mountains to a wider audience.

“We feel really honoured to win the awards, and to put Jindabyne on the map,” she said.

“We’ve had a few Jindabyne restaurants win [other awards], and there are some great venues in town.”

A full list of winners and finalists in the 2023 NSW Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence is available online.

Birchwood Jindabyne is at 3/3 Gippsland Street and is open daily from 7 am to 2 pm.