In her second-go-round as a cafe proprietor in Windsor, Margo Keegan brings her wealth of experience – in both food and fashion – as well as her love of community to George St Loft. Margo and her mother originally opened a cafe in Windsor (in the same location) in the 2000s. “I fell in love with this little cafe way back when, when mum and I had it,” she recalls. With a gap of six years in between that cafe

Since opening in 2021, Lokha Cafe has gone from strength to strength; its reputation for Vietnamese fusion food growing beyond its Alexandria shopfront. Chef and co-founder Simon Mataafa boasts a 20-year career in hospitality and says the pace of work in fine dining restaurants has prepared him for the lunch rush at Lokha. “In fine dining it’s very accurate plating but it’s very fast paced, so your hands need to be able to move at the right speed so you’re

If you happen to be at Broadway Shopping Centre, need to pick up some office supplies from OfficeWorks Glebe (on Parramatta Rd), or just want to take a break from your studies at Sydney University, why not check out the coffee and food spots on offer in nearby Forest Lodge? The nexus where Glebe, Camperdown and Annandale meet, Forest Lodge is home to many a small but thriving cafe. One of those is In The Annex, not too far from

“The product is unique and it’s different – there’s nothing out there that’s like this. What people tend to do when they make a cake is make it look pretty on top; a couple of seeds or nuts on top of the cake and they sell it. But this one here [FNG BAR ™️], when you take a bite the product is in the actual cake itself – and that’s what gives it a difference. When you see people take

Growing up on a farm exposed to fresh produce and meat, Adrian Ellul knew he wanted to be a chef from the age of 15. “Mum and dad, who have a Maltese background, were always cooking in the kitchen and just that passion for cooking as a kid inspired me,” he explains. “My parents grew everything on the farm so we always had fresh produce; they even slaughtered their own meat.” Adrian learnt the basics of his craft at TAFE,

“When you are a chef, you are by yourself, but when you are an apprentice, you have a lot of people teaching you and a lot of information from here, here and here. From Ultimo TAFE to three years as an apprentice, I learned that, no matter how basic the dish, it is important to know the steps. The kitchen is like a house. We’ve got five sections and each section needs people with the ability to work on it,

“I would call it modern Australian: easy, quick, no frills — it is what it is. It’s egg and bacon rolls, it’s brekky wraps, it’s sandwiches and salads. It’s convenient and it’s what people want — and it’s not expensive. It’s in a good price range and not killing their budgets; we try to please the customer here. At the end of the day, we want to operate as a family cafe. We want to be part of the local

“Through my blog, I embark on a beautiful exploration of these [Greek family] traditions, breathing new life into ancient recipes and adapting them to modern tastes and lifestyles. It’s a celebration of how food evolves, yet always holds onto its soul. This journey fuels my creativity and reminds me daily that cooking is more than a task, it’s a form of honouring who I am and where I come from. My drive and passion for food come from the incredible

“I like the quality of the food here; I certainly like the servings. The variety is here too. I come here with my son and we have a great meal together. More importantly, I like the attitude of the staff and the service that’s provided. I’m not a cook but I do a good barbecue. I cook with all meats and I’m good with fish as well. For me, it’s [food] a connection; I like the whole process of it,

From the shipyards of Sydney Harbour to a sandwich bar in Ramsgate, Nick Benatos followed his passion for food and hospitality to set sail in a whole new career. “I come from the maritime industry, working on Sydney Harbour. I worked there on the harbour for 10 years and I loved every minute of it, but hospitality has always been a thing for me. Even at work I was putting on shows with the boys up in the lunch room,

As it enters its eighth year of business, Smoke n Grill continues to build on what it does best: wood-smoked protein and other tasty dishes prepared in-house. But the recipe for success wasn’t written overnight. “It all took time; a lot of trial and error. And documenting everything I did and changing it bit by bit until I got what I’ve got today,” proprietor David Schembri explains. “There’s a balance [with spices]. You can put too much salt, too much

After arriving in Australia from Nepal in 2008, RaJu Acharya forged a new life and career for himself. Starting out working in kitchens, Raju has since become the head chef of the Happy Soul Bistro which boasts two venues, in Beverly Park Golf Club and Paddington. “When I started working in a kitchen as a helper, that’s what drew my attraction towards the food. When I was prepping something, when I was cooking something, it always made me want to

Although a resident of Holbrook for 25 years, Vicki readily admits that she’s not a local — yet. “My daughters, who are 23 and 21, are locals, but I’m not yet; I’ve got about another five years to go,” she laughs. Vicki, however, is a valued member of the Holbrook community as the proprietor of newsagency Holbrook News and Gifts, which has recently added coffee to its many offerings. “I’ve been in business for three years and the coffee machine

Near to the site of Holbrook’s famous submarine sits the Submarine Cafe, captained for many a long year by Helen and Warren; so long, in fact, that their customers go back generations. “It’s very rewarding, I thoroughly enjoy it. What makes it special is the return clientele; people I’ve known for years. They first came to visit [the submarine], then had their children, and now their children are coming back with their children,” Helen explains. “It’s like family coming home,