Salvation Kitchen

I’m a big fan of Avondale. It’s a great place to shop for bargains, it’s vibrant and multicultural, and they have an awesome market. On my last trip there I happened across a cool new spot for a coffee and a cake.

Salvation Kitchen, owned and run by husband and wife team Fran Mazza and Aaron Carson, is a cute and quirky little cafe that also couples as a gallery and a deli. It’s still just a baby (it opened in early June), but it’s earned itself a reputation for great coffee and baked treats.

Fran’s a patisserie chef (as well as being a mum of three), and her baking is the best. I tried one of her mini pavlovas with a chocolate centre, it was divine.

Fran and Aaron are rock’n’rollers from way back, so there’s always great tunes on the radio; and an ever-changing selection of art on display.

‘’We are real music and art fans so you’ll always hear good hand-picked tunes at Salvation Kitchen, and an eclectic mix of bits and bobs on display,’’ says Fran. ‘’Our latest installation art is by Frances Hansen an Avondale local. The back wall will continue to be a canvas for artists and we will regularly change out the installations.’’

Fran describes her food as “home baking with a twist” – ‘’I like to take a classic that your Nana might have made and add something of my own to it. I also like food to have a sense of humor, so if the opportunity arises . . .”

Salvation Kitchen also sells a range of imported products – chocolate, pasta, flour – and will soon be making home-baked goods, including gluten-free products, for people to take home. Plans for the future include setting up a farmers’ market, where locals can sell their homemade goods. Next time you’re in Avondale check it out – I can recommend the pavs!