The Snow Bunny Cafe offers exceptional service. Photo: Tenele Conway.
There’s a new place to take a break on the way to the snow this year and, no matter when you are passing through Bredbo, they’re likely to be open.
Open from 6 am until 10 pm every day, the Snow Bunny Cafe is located in the former home of Bredbo’s Pancake and Crepe Restaurant. After a fresh coat of paint, the bold green stripes of the creperie are a thing of the past, and in their place is a pretty cream paint job that complements the cottage-like facade.
The renovation doesn’t end at the front door.
Inside, you’re greeted with an all-new interior – the kind of kitsch European alpine-esque carved ceiling that is definitely not original to the building. The cafe has a fresh and thoughtful feel with vibes of country charm meeting industrial chic.
The green stripes of the former pancake and crepe restaurant are gone. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The timber floors have been exposed and polished, and a long counter, lit by modern industrial-style pendants, runs the length of the cafe. Couches are gathered around the fireplace, and tall tables and stool seating offer ample space for the snow-bound crowds.
Everything about it feels dual-purpose, catering to both the grab-and-go trade and those needing a break from the Monaro Highway. The shelves are stocked with snacks for the road, and pie warmers are loaded with homemade pies in a wide variety of flavours that are perfect for the winter chill. Think goulash, Thai chicken, mushroom and Moroccan chicken.
For those taking a minute, there is a made-to-order menu, and I was pleased to see that the Barbie pink of the online menu didn’t translate to the look and feel of the cafe.
With such long operating hours, the menu is staggered to suit the time of day.
A brekky menu covers the 6 to 12 trade, with the almost compulsory cafe item, an egg and bacon roll, being the most affordable item at $10. A sourdough toastie with a selection of fillings is $16, and a big brekky will set you back $28.
From 11 am, the menu expands slightly with small bites, such as a bowl of hash browns ($14) or a bowl of onion rings ($14). You can also grab fish and chips in two varieties, a battered barramundi ($22) and battered flathead ($19), or you can grab a burger from a selection of five choices, including a beef patty burger ($18), a fish burger ($19) or a double cheese burger ($21).
After 12 pm and taking you all the way through to their late-night close at 10 pm, the pizza menu comes into effect.
The 17 flavours on offer are baked in their stone-based ovens and range from $24 for a cheese pizza to $34 for a vegetarian supreme. On the more creative side, there is a Mexican taco pizza ($32) topped with salsa, cheese, beef, onion, jalapenos and corn chips, or an Indian curry chicken ($32) featuring a housemade curry sauce.
The alpine-esque ceiling now meets a chic, country-industrial cafe fit-out. Photo: Tenele Conway.
Recently, finding myself in Bredbo, an occurrence that happens maybe twice a year, but which I am keen to make more frequent, I tucked into the beef burger. It was a simple offering with only lettuce, tomato, onion and a little too much housemade sauce, which puddled on the plate. After completing my burger, I realised there was an entire add-ons menu, and I should have levelled up my burger with an egg and a slice or two of Swiss cheese, an oversight I can only blame myself for.
The coffee is by Campos, an established brand that I could comment on if I were a coffee drinker, but alas, it is tea for me. My cup of tea came in the smallest teacup imaginable with no pot to accompany it, which was a bit of a surprise and not a move I’ve seen elsewhere, given the minimal cost of water. I would recommend grabbing it in a takeaway cup to increase the quantity.
The exceptional service is what sets this experience apart from other highway pop-ins with a very attentive gentleman manning the counter, greeting customers, opening the door for customers and pumping out the coffees. It was fast, very friendly and just what you hope to receive in the country, but it is definitely not a given in many rural establishments.
The Snow Bunny Cafe is located at 17 Cooma Street, Bredbo and is open from 6 am until 10 pm daily. Follow them on Facebook.
