A small neighbourhood cafe is racking up award nominations and getting ready to expand, jumping on the bandwagon of Ballarat’s suburban eateries.
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Bodega on Howitt Street straddles the line between Ballarat North and Soldiers Hill, and has become so popular its owner hopes to increase the cafe’s patron allowance almost three-fold.
Open for less than two years, the plaudits are already rolling in for the popular neighbourhood cafe. Bodega was announced as a state finalist for the Golden Plate Awards this week.
It’s one of a number of Ballarat’s cafes that have found success while firmly embedded in a residential pocket of our city. Only streets away are local favourites Tin Roof Cafe, the Local, and Bike Rack Cafe.
Further afield, Webster’s Market and Café continues to be full to the brim with health professionals, office workers and families young and old. The revolution is also being eyed off on the other side of Sturt Street, with Grant Street’s Drive given planning approval this month.
Bodega owner Margie Quinlan said setting up in the suburb was an easy choice, because while “central Ballarat is saturated with eating places”, people were looking for options they could easily walk to from home or visit without parking angst.
“People see it as their neighbourhood cafe,” she said.
Regulars get recognised, and the baristas know what they drink, and are often onto it before they’ve even taken a seat.
- Bodega owner Margie Quinlan
“Sometimes residents feel like they own the cafe as well, it’s really like it is their own.”
For Ms Quinlan personally, the opportunity to “bring a bit of life into some of the outer areas” was gratifying.
“It’s nice to see people further out than just in the main street,” she said. “One of our neighbours just across the road said how great it is to see cars pulling up, people wandering around and a bit of life in the area.”
Ms Quinlan has applied for a liquor license and extended trading hours for her business, allowing Bodega to open for dinners and provide more function space.
Two shipping containers and an accessible toilet are also planned to be placed behind the commercial building, with gallery space to be used as the restaurant and function centre
In a report, City of Ballarat’s planning officers recommended the liquor license be granted, as it was clear there would be few amenity issues from alcohol being a “compliment the focus of the serving of meals”.
“As this is the focus of ‘Bodega’ it is unlikely that there will be any unreasonable amenity impacts from patrons,” council officers said.
Councillors will consider Bodega’s liquor license and extended trading hours at an meeting on October 24.
