For some, the choice between a café with quality coffee and a sandwich shop with great food can be a difficult one. In the Perth suburb of West Leederville, the newly established Bread Boy has both.
The café formerly known as Element has recently rebranded to become the specialty sandwich shop Bread Boy. Owner Michelle Penniment says the transition has been nothing but positive.
“Longstanding customers always say how happy they are for us, while new customers are excited to check it out,” she says.
Michelle says the support of the local community has helped the business through its transition phase.
“What’s great about West Leederville is that it’s close to everything,” she says. “We’re three minutes away from a freeway entry which takes you anywhere, and there’s a nice business scene here.”
Bread Boy offers a wide range of sandwiches with the chicken katsu and chicken ‘schnitty’ the two most popular choices.
“What’s unique about us is that we have sandwiches from different cultures around the world,” she says. “Instead of focusing on just one thing, we have options for Japanese, Australian, and even Cuban sandwiches.”
While many things have changed at Bread Boy, Locale Coffee Roasters has remained a constant support, providing the sandwich hub with a number of blend options including its Ultimate Wingman and Eco Warrior.
“Our relationship [with Locale] is awesome,” says Michelle. “We do training in their lab in East Perth. They teach cupping and training, and the lab has everything that anyone could need for coffee.”
“If we wanted to, we could create our own house blend, but Locale offers so many blends that there’s really no need,” Michelle says.
The sandwich shop uses a Mahlkönig EK grinder and La Marzocco coffee machine to produce its daily the coffees, which are a popular beverage choice to complement the extensive sandwich range.
“[Customers] are surprised that a sandwich shop has good coffee and sells specialty coffee as well,” Michelle says. “There’s no reason for places that sell coffee to have average coffee.”
Michelle is eager to expand Bread Boy café with pop-up stores around Perth and extended opening hours on the weekend.
“As it turns out, everyone wants a sandwich,” Michelle says.
Bread Boy
170 Railway Parade, West Leederville, Western Australia, 6007
Open Monday to Friday 7am — 2:30pm
This article appears in the October 2023 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.