Though Besser Kitchen and Brew Bar takes its name from the besser blocks that make up its building, the café uses wood panelling, polished concrete floors, and greenery to lighten the space.
“Traditionally, Winnellie is an industrial area, but more corporate businesses are starting to open up here. It wasn’t the sort of place where you would find a sit-down venue. Everything was more of a takeaway style,” Director Lisa Heames says.
“It has been lovely to bring that type of service to the area and people have really embraced it – enjoying a leisurely breakfast instead of a coffee on the run.”
Since opening in 2016, Besser Kitchen and Brew Bar has served Campos Coffee’s Superior Blend as their house blend and some of the finest single origins around the world for both espresso and filter. Recently, the café was able to offer the award-winning Esmeralda Geisha Super Mario from Panama.
“Campos has been amazing. They supported us from the start, were very hands on with installing the machines, and continue to run training for our new staff and also to upskill our knowledgeable team when Campos tweaks its recipes and procedures,” Lisa says.
Besser Kitchen and Brew Bar also features a diverse food and drink menu. The café is licensed from 11am and offers a range of craft beers, wines, and martinis, including a “nostalgic” Milo martini.
On the non-alcoholic side, Besser Kitchen and Brew Bar makes its sodas in-house using seasonal flavours.
“People are looking for fresh unique offerings, not just something squirted out of a bottle,” Lisa says. “In Darwin, we haven’t got as much access to that farm-to-table [movement] as you’d get down south, but people really like knowing that we’ve made that ourselves.”
Other standouts on the menu include a gluten-free dark chocolate brownie with white choc chips, crispy fried chicken burger with pickles and purple slaw, soft spiced lamb taco with mango chutney, and pulled pork toasty served with jalapeños, house barbecue sauce, and chilli fries.
From food and drinks to cutlery and crockery, Besser Kitchen and Brew Bar makes an effort to be sustainable and eco-friendly. In the last few years, Lisa says the number of customers using reusable cups has gone from only a handful to nearly half.
“We’re passionate about doing our part for the environment,” Lisa says. “We’re phasing out as much single-use plastic as we can, replacing it with eco-friendly alternatives like plant-based non-plastic straws, and donating our used coffee grounds for composting.”
This sustainable approach has endeared Besser Kitchen and Brew Bar to its community and attracted a dedicated team of employees.
“We’ve been able to build nice relationships with our customers, and watch the development of our staff,” Lisa says. “Growing the business and owning two cafés, there’s been room for progression and more responsibility to give to people. It’s been nice to see our staff grow alongside us.”
Besser Kitchen and Brew Bar
6/116 Coonawarra Road, Winnellie, Northern Territory, 0820
Open Monday to Friday 6:30am to 3pm, Saturday 7:30am to 2pm
(08) 8984 3254