St Arnaud, Victoria
Breakfast, lunch andproper coffeein the old shire hall.
We open at six on weekdays, which suits the people who start early and the people just passing through. Cooked breakfasts, lunch off the grill, a cabinet full of fresh food to go, and homemade sweets. Gluten free and vegan options every day.
The building
A hundred year old hall,still doing what halls do.
The cafe sits in the old shire hall on Napier Street, the red brick one with the arched verandah and the rendered pediment you can see from the highway. Inside, most of it is still there: the timber lined ceiling, the plaster ceiling roses, the tall arched windows with their coloured leadlight, the marble fireplace, and floorboards that have been walked on by most of this town at one time or another.
We have not tried to hide any of it. The walls are a soft sage, the tables are plain timber, the chairs are black steel, and the room does the rest. Some of it is worn, and we would rather it stayed that way.
The long shared tables at the back are there on purpose. Farmers in at six, families in on a Saturday, and a steady run of people who have pulled off the Sunraysia Highway for a coffee and stayed for breakfast.
180
Google reviews
4.5
Average rating
6am
Open weekdays
7 days
Every week
From 6am, Monday to Friday
Breakfast, cooked properly.
The big breakfast is the one people come back for: bacon, sausages, eggs how you want them, mushrooms, grilled tomato, hash browns, baked beans and toast. Happy to change things around if you need it changed.
Everything on the plate, and enough of it.
Poached eggs, ham, wilted spinach and hollandaise.
On thick toast, with beans and tomato relish.
Pancakes if you want something sweeter, and the coffee machine is on from the moment we open. Weekends we start at eight.
Through to three
Lunch that holds youuntil dinner.
Chicken schnitzel with gravy, chips and a garden salad. A steak and bacon roll with a fried egg, cheese and grilled onion, chips on the side. Lasagne, meat or vegetarian, with chips and salad if you are hungry.
There are wraps and Turkish subs made up fresh, quiches, and zucchini slice, including a gluten free and vegetarian one we make ourselves.
- Chicken schnitzelGravy, chips and garden salad
- Steak and bacon rollEgg, cheese, grilled onion, chips
- LasagneMeat or vegetarian, chips and salad optional
- Turkish subsChicken schnitzel, or salami and capsicum
- WrapsSweet chilli, or Caesar
- Zucchini sliceGluten free and vegetarian, homemade
“Nice Cafe in the old Hall, love the styling and the set out.”
Fresh food to go
The cabinet, if youhave not got long.
Made up fresh each morning for anyone on the run. Sandwiches and toasties, sourdough toasties, meat and salad rolls, croissants, pizza slices, quiche, lasagne, wraps and Turkish subs. Fruit salad, granola yoghurt cups and chia puddings if you want something lighter.
We also keep Otway Pasta Company pasta on the shelf to take home, and there are nourish balls by the register in berry, peanut butter and chocolate hazelnut.
The cabinet changes through the day, so it is worth a look on the way past.
Homemade sweets
Coffee, and something to go with it.
Carrot cake, lemon tart with raspberry, warm puddings with cream, muffins in raspberry and white chocolate or apple and cinnamon, and a gluten free savoury muffin most days. Coffee all day, plus tea, hot chocolate and cold drinks.
If you are gluten free or vegan you will find something here without having to ask twice. It is the first thing on our board outside for a reason.
What people say
4.5 stars, 180 reviews.
“Beautiful old building well maintained but also preserving a little wear and tear to give it authenticity. Premises very clean, and warm on a winter day. Friendly and pleasant staff. Young lady made me a perfect hot coffee, excellent. Delicious carrot cake. And not overpriced. If you're travelling through do not miss the opportunity to stop here.”
“Nice Cafe in the old Hall love the styling and the set out, staff were very friendly and helpfull. Had the big breakfast and couldn't fault anything on the plate the Mushrooms were the stand out for me, cooked perfectly. Coffee and Hot chocolate was also fantastic. If you going through St Arnaud definitely drop in.”
“We dined in with our 14 month old. Everything was really clean, clean highchair and clean bathroom with a clean change table. We both had the big breakfast meal with some adjustments, they were very accommodating. The meal was a great size and baby-approved. We interacted with three staff members, all were super friendly. Highly recommend”
“Great coffee and tea. Loved my bacon and eggs. Super friendly staff”
Reviews from our Google listing. 100 percent recommend us on Facebook, from 19 recommendations.
Find us
8 Napier Street,St Arnaud.
On the main street, in the old shire hall. There is parking out the front and tables under the trees when the weather is right. If you are driving the Sunraysia Highway between Ballarat and Mildura, we are worth the stop.
- Phone
- 0461 411 631
- Address
- 8 Napier Street, St Arnaud VIC 3478
Opening hours
- Monday
- 6am - 3pm
- Tuesday
- 6am - 3pm
- Wednesday
- 6am - 3pm
- Thursday
- 6am - 3pm
- Friday
- 6am - 3pm
- Saturday
- 8am - 2pm
- Sunday
- 8am - 2pm
Kitchen hours can change on public holidays, so give us a ring if you are making a special trip.