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FOLK KIOSK 1/399 EWINGSDALE RD BYRON BAY NSW 2481 (02)7789 7685
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urveyors of fine coffee and nourishing food. Folk Kiosk is a quaint and charismatic oasis located on the north side of the main hub of Byron Bay. Following a recommendation from a good friend as to where her favourite local coffee spot was, I was taken to a tranquil delight that pleased all the senses. This first visit was for our early morning coffee on the way to the local markets, obviously not only our choice, as the place was buzzing with locals and visiting campers in need of their morning caffeine hit. The natural landscape of lush greenery met with raw timber and thoughtful decorations gave me immediate visual gratification, so I just had to return for a sit down visit … so we went back for lunch. The very friendly and personable floor staff sang and floated around to the vinyl spinning on the make shift clothes dryer sound system - very impressive. This being my second visit in one day, I took in all the decor details of hanging plants, fresh flowers, timber finishes, not to mention the cute outdoor seating area with a sweet hand painted palm. I enjoyed a house cold pressed juice and smashed avocado bruschetta delight with fresh ingredients from the in house herb garden. Owners Maggie and Jules moved up from Melbourne 18 months ago to undertake a daunting three
month task of transforming an existing run down kiosk building into a well designed space that they hoped would become a unique destination for like minded people. Folk had been a long awaited dream of theirs (being both passionate foodies) and after stumbling upon the location, they decided the timing was right to take a break from careers in the city (music and photography) to embark on the Byron adventure. They have developed wonderful local regular customers who appreciate their nourishing café staples, as well as the interesting selections of ferments, elixirs and herbal tonics they provide. Given they rely completely on word of mouth recommendations for growing their customer base, they want to provide every person who walks through the doors with a café experience like no other. An experience worth talking about! I definitely recommend this charming space as a must visit for visitors to Byron. Their Instagram is their online space for showcasing the mood and menu of Folk - check it out @folkbyronbay. Plant based menu - Local / Organic / Seasonal. Dukes coffee - consciously roasted in Melbourne and sourced sustainably from around the world. Coffee is made on house made organic nut and coconut milks as well as Barambah Organic dairy milk. Open: 7am to 3pm daily.
trevs@dickson 20 CHALLIS STREET, DICKSON, ACT 2602
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(02) 6257 2355
ucked away in a "blink and you’ll miss it" strip of shops behind Dickson’s main shopping hub, is this little gem. Trevs@Dickson came on strong recommendation from various Canberrians for a casual weekday brunch. Sporting a solid variety of dairy free, gluten free and vegetarian options, this busy (yet extremely efficient) little spot certainly caters to all tastes. Everyone from government employees, mothers, students, to tradies were stopping in for a smooth and chocolatey coffee fix, a deliscious blend called Black Range by Cosmorex. The matte black four group machine stood loud and proud at the front door, with eye contact and a smile from the busy barista as your first impression. The delightful menu included an all time favourite - corn and zucchini fritters. As a corn fritter connoisseur, I know all too well that some places can get it so wrong - doughey, lacking flavour, lacking corn! But these, oh these fritters were some of the best: full of flavour, full of corn and smeared
with fresh avocado. The add-ons made it especially perfect, and customisable with my addition of a poached egg and bacon. According to the waiter, this kind of add-on system is perfect for the lycra-clad after their morning jaunt up Mt Ainslie. Trevs Taste Collective is next on my list for breakfast or brunch or lunch, the next time I'm in town. The contemporary interior is decked out in shades of green with a calm and fresh feeling and a friendly atmosphere. Perhaps it was just the adorable two year old with us, but the staff were extremely attentive and pleasant. With such a choice on the menu, it's not all that surprising that Thursday to Saturday nights sees Trevs transform to a contemporary à la carte restauarant. Specials on the blackboard like Duck Magret and Feta and Thyme Cigars, suggesting to me I should just take a seat and not leave for the day! Trevs@ Dickson really is the place to stay and play. Open: Weekdays from 7am, Saturday from 8:30, Sunday from 9am. Dinner Thursday - Saturday from 6pm.