“Where happiness is homemade and coffee is always a good idea.” Meet the café where a smile is a side delivered with every order. Along Walkerston’s rustic main street is the Siding Café, where owner Sharna Crawford and her team Brooke, Sue and Mel, bring joy to locals and passers-by through coffee and conversation.
“The idea behind owning a café was to be able to make a difference to somebody’s day,” Sharna said.
“For some, their daily cup of coffee is more than the beverage itself. For some, it’s their chance to get out of the house, an opportunity for a conversation or connection with another person or simply a break from the daily grind.”
The Crawford family purchased the café just over 6 months ago. It’s been a favourite in Walkerston for about 7 years. The family grew up within the region and decided to move to Walkerston with their two young children, aged 4 and 2.
Sharna says that the food can be summed up as hearty and humble.
“Our regulars love that they can grab-and-go when they need to, other times they’ll stay and enjoy a chat.”
The regulars who frequent The Siding agree that a drawcard is the daily freshly made sandwiches with the dedicated crew up at 3:30am to ensure fresh fare is available from 4:30am when they open.
The early open time coincides with the civil construction crews and Bowen Basin miners who are passing through on their way to shifts. The breakfast wrap is a crowd favourite and Sharna says it’s the café’s most popular item.
“It’s one of the items we changed when we bought the business. It’s jam-packed full of wholesome goodness, but don’t take our word for it, come and try it yourself!”
It’s not just the fact that the sandwiches are made daily, but also that the filling is plentiful. The thick sangas feature favourite fillings like home-cooked corned beef, chicken and salad, egg and lettuce, ham and other specialties.
Passers-by love the convenience of grabbing fresh food on the go to enjoy on the road or to have for a hearty lunch later. Most regulars are known by name by the Siding girls.
“With some of them being from the South-East, the connections they form with us is knowing they will see a smiling face and enjoy some good banter through conversation. Being away from their families for two weeks at a time, sometimes they need that feeling of familiarity to feel more at home,” Sharna said.
“That’s always been a point of difference with our café, we get to know our regulars and know most of them by name.
“It’s like creating an extended family, it’s not just about knowing their coffee order, in many cases we’ve watched their young family grow, consoled them during a time of grief or chatted about daily life.”
In the café you’ll find this local business supporting other local businesses, with a selection of homemade sauces and preserves, peanut butter, jerky, almond bread and even sets of handmade earrings for sale from small business throughout the region.
Platters can be made featuring the famous sandwiches as well as assorted sweets. They are popular for business morning tea and lunch shouts.
The next time you’re passing through Walkerston, stop at the Siding Café and see what all the fuss is about. Sip on great Merlo coffee, treat yourself to something sweet or savour a big sandwich for later. If you have time to dine in, try a delicious burger.
And a tip from the Editor, grab the banana bread. You’ll go bananas for it.
(left to right) Brooke, Sue, Sharna & Mel
