Verandah Café

by Elizabeth Butare

Perched aloft the classical temple facade of 174 Collins Street is a café that offers a space in the city for hospitality, conversation and reflection.

The Verandah Cafe, on the front portico of Collins Street Baptist Church, was created three years ago with Heritage Victoria approved glass panelling making it an ideal space to relax and watch the city life unfolding on Collins Street.

“I’m at that gorgeous place on Collins Street: The sign on the front said ‘Seek Peace’ and so I walked in to seek peace,” a café customer was overheard to say.

The practice of hospitality at the Verandah Cafe is like a dance: the cafe entrance also marks the initial church entrance – before another set of doors leads into the narthex and Sanctuary – and the art of welcoming guests is indistinguishable between those coming to the cafe or those visiting the church.

Food and beverages are nuanced with themes of stewardship, ethics and social justice. The organic and fairtrade Cafe Femenino coffee bean from Peru is grown, harvested, processed, administered and roasted by women growers. An additional levy from the sales of roasted beans goes to support much needed books and education facilities (Jasper Coffee).

Social enterprise Thankyou Water ensures that each bottle of water purchased directs funds to water projects in the areas of the world which still don’t have access to clean water.

The Verandah Café’s menu includes delectable food made from the best quality natural ingredients, like: Pumpkin, Feta and Basil muffin; Apple, Cranberry and Walnut muffin; Belgian Chocolate brownie; Oat and Pear slice; and Chocolate Chip and Hazelnut cookies.

Over the three years of the café’s life, the café has also crossed paths with over 200 young people/volunteers from all over the world, and eight church volunteers regularly represent the church community on the front portico providing balance, guidance and beauty.

The young people who are visiting Australia on a temporary basis undertake English lessons and coffee making lessons prior to participating as volunteer coffeemakers at the café. Many move on to travel or gain paid employment before returning home or settling elsewhere – those in Melbourne periodically drop by the café for a chat, while others make the cafe one of their last stops to say goodbye before returning home/overseas.

Prior to working at the cafe, I worked in international development: my fear in leaving my previous job was that I would not be connected to the issues of the world on a daily basis, but at the café I have worked with and served people from home and abroad, i.e., Melbourne, Japan, Korea, Colombia, Tanzania, Iran, Germany, Argentina, USA, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, Brisbane and beyond. Stories have infused our coffees and teas and hot chocolates: we have woven our story into the life of others, and people have woven their stories into our lives. This is my greatest joy.

The Verandah Cafe is actually the second cafe birthed by Collins Street Baptist Church, with the first and long time established Credo Cafe at the back of the church. All are welcome to free lunchtime meals at Credo Cafe now run by Urban Seed who provide welcome and hospitality to people who are marginalised and living on the fringe of society. Likewise, at the front of the church, all are welcome to buy lunch or bring their own lunch to enjoy at the Verandah Cafe continuing in this tradition of welcome and hospitality.

The Verandah Café is a place of hospitality to those that frequent the back of the church, those that occupy the middle ground, and those that interact with the front of the church.

The depths of goodness at the cafe positioned some 15 stairs from the street level continues to broaden its embrace and extend its welcome to more people through the recently completed wheelchair accessibility works.

A handful of years ago, under the guidance of Rev Rowena Curtis, the CSBC community made a bold and generous move in creating and continuing to grow the Verandah Café. If there is any truth to “Give and you will receive,” I dare say that the church is better for this venture and Melbourne is better for its presence.

The manager of the Café, Rafael Sans, hails from El Salvador, and prior to his appointment in October, Elizabeth Butare – French-born Australian of African ancestry – served in this role for over two years.