Located on Yarralumla’s Bentham Street, a suburb known for its dining scene and Spanish and Italian influence, Farmers Daughter is a friendly spot to enjoy a cup of coffee and authentic Italian food.
Having started his hospitality career in his family’s Italian business, Owner Danny Tosolini wanted to create his own little slice of Italy in Australia’s capital city.
“We started trading in the late 1980s. In those days, Canberra was barren when it came to espresso, coffee, and focaccia. No one knew much about it, so we introduced these Italian foods and style of coffee,” says Danny.
“Tosolini was the name of the family business. We ran a group of cafés and restaurants from 1980 up to about 2015, and then went our separate ways.”
After deciding to remain in the café business, Danny saw Farmers Daughter for sale and took ownership in 2017. Determined to restore it to its full potential, he renovated the space to create a simple and humble café where locals could savour homemade food and relax with a quality coffee.
“Farmers Daughter was a project I took on with my wife after seeing the opportunity to bring it to its full potential as a café. Given my background in the hospitality sector, I saw potential in the area and decided to grow the concept,” he says.
The food menu is influenced by Danny’s Italian heritage and is often prepared by his mother, who loves to share her traditional minestrone soup with Farmers Daughters’ customers.
“We keep our coffee and food simple and we have some old favourites on our menu. Everyone raves about mum’s minestrone. It’s a Northern Italian recipe so it isn’t tomato based, instead it contains cauliflower leaves which she buys fresh from the market. Customers love it because it’s tasty and hearty – the kind of soup that you can stick your spoon in and it stays upright,” he says.
Served alongside the traditional Italian food is a range of blends and single origins from Campos Coffee in Sydney.
“Our focus is always trying to pour the best coffee. We mainly use the Campos Superior blend, which is the most popular. It has a smooth, bold, and full-bodied taste – it goes down well with our more serious coffee drinkers.”
Danny is currently on the lookout for further opportunities to expand the business but remains hesitant given the current economic climate. Despite this, he is still optimistic and is ready for when the opportunity arises.
“I have plans but it’s a very tough gig right now. The economy has impacted hospitality. I’m hoping for better days and that there will be some good developments going on in the suburb that I can cash in on. Food is fashion and fashion changes, so I am taking my time in eyeing up my next move.”
Farmers Daughter
27 Bentham Street, Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory, 2600
Open Monday to Friday 6.30am to 2.15pm, Saturday to Sunday 7am to 2.15pm
This article appears in the October/November 2024 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
