“Food is Medicine – Friends are Everything – Laughter is Music – Music is Mighty – Life is Love – Enjoy,” it says at the bottom of the menu at Clover Café. And sure enough, that’s the kind of vibe you get when you’re wiling away a sunny Sunday afternoon at Clover.
My soy cappuccino
Agata and I sit down near the window and sip on our coffees as we wait for Aaron, the owner of the cafe. The place is brimming with an irresistible and social energy that I want to bundle up in my pocket and take home with me.
And much like his cafe, Aaron is charming and sociable. Aaron emphasises that Clover is an eating house – it’s designed to be a place where you can eat good food in good company. That’s not to say the cafe is uncomfortable or uninviting. Quite the contrary. The cafe is friendly and relaxed, which makes it all the more welcoming.
Tomato Tin Cutlery Holder
I immediately notice the tomato sauce tins on the tables that are used to store cutlery. It’s a great idea – not only because it’s like recycled art, but also because it gives us a connection to what’s used in the kitchen. Aaron tells us that he uses this particular tomato sauce for the baked beans, pasta sauces and ragout.
Mushroom & Capsicum Hot Pot: baked beans, roast potato, onion marmalade, feta & organic eggs, served with our delicious Sourdough
One of the most popular dishes on the menu is the Baked Breakfast Hot Pot. Take your pick from the Mushroom & Capsicum hot pot or the Fresh Chorizo & Yarra Valley Goats Cheese hot pot. You can’t go wrong with either one, really.
A unique take on the French Toast using our Sourdough
If you’re after something sweet for breakfast, go for the French Toast with sweetened labne, maple syrup & pistachio. The dish uses our Sourdough Boulot, which piques my interest right away. I can’t say I’ve had Sourdough French Toast before!
Not much is left on the bread stand at the end of the day
I think it’s safe to say that we’ve converted Aaron into a breadhead – like me, he’s a Quinoa & Soya Loaf fan. After only using our products for around six months, the café has one of our bread stands in place for two weeks now. So far the Sourdough Batard, Quinoa & Soya Bread and New York Rye are the bestsellers.
Find out where you can find other retailers of our artisan breads here.
Three things we like about Clover Café:
1. The social and cheerful energy
Simple, relaxing and social is how things are run here. The communal tables make sure that you can have an in-depth conversation with a stranger (if D&Ms with strangers are your cup of tea, that is).
Aaron points out that the Clover customer isn’t easily defined. From young, funky students to business lunches and ladies of leisure, Clover Cafe has a clientele from local and surrounding suburbs as well as faraway places. And it’s easy to see why people keep coming back. The colour scheme is delightful, with yellow walls and pastel green and blue furnishings, complemented by the warm palette of wooden fixtures.
While chatting with Aaron, the clock struck 3 o’clock. He ruefully had to tell passersby who were curiously peering into the café that it was closed for the day. He was very apologetically turning them away, and kept telling us how bad he felt. Aaron’s sincerity and honesty comes through in his business. This cafe is all about the simple things – good food, laughter, conversation and relaxation.
Charming colour palette at Clover Cafe
2. Aaron won’t settle for second best
Aaron uses the best quality ingredients for all his food (I’m chuffed because this means he considers our bread to be the best of the best). He uses free-range meat, organic eggs, the best quality parmesan in Australia, and (ahem) an excellent range of artisan breads and tarts. He’s big on healthy and quality food at reasonable prices.
So much so that “people always think we’ve missed something off the bill,” Aaron says.
3. Exciting new things are happening at the cafe!
Firstly, Aaron is launching a range of Clover products: homemade baked beans (do-it-yourself Breakfast Hot Pot, anyone?), chilli & garlic labne, sweet labne and a basil & macadamia pesto.
And on top of that, Aaron is constructing a retail area, which will feature the Clover range, complemented by Brasserie Bread products. Homemade baked beans, delectable condiments and artisan breads? You’ve gotta be excited about this amalgamation of yummy food.
But if that’s not enough to get you excited (we don’t judge), Aaron is also building a conservatory sun lounge in the courtyard. You can spend your Saturday mornings bathing in sunshine whilst gorging on French toast. The project is still a good two months away from being finished, but it’s always nice to have something to look forward to and daydream about.
Download the Clover Cafe app onto your smart phone here to keep up to date with what the cafe is up to! And if you’d like to have a look at the menu, it’s in the Photos section.
Clover Café
78 Booth St
Annandale NSW 2038
Tel: 0433 258 252
Opening Hours
Monday-Friday 7am to 3pm
Saturday & Sunday 8am to 3pm
