Why Buy the Cow?: At Fitzroy's St David Dairy You Can See How Your Milk Goes From Cattle to Cup
A freshly poured take on traditional dairy.
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A vibrant new cafe has opened in the heart of Fitzroy, and it's doing dairy differently. St David Dairy is Melbourne's only micro-dairy, which harvests its raw dairy in a more humane process than typical dairy farms and produces all St David Dairy products. At the cafe, you can take a look behind the scenes at the process, putting a whole new spin on the delicious ice creams and coffee you can enjoy onsite.
While the dairy industry sometimes cops some backlash, St David turns this narrative on its head – striving to produce dairy products the way they should be, bringing small, local dairy back to the streets of inner Melbourne. "At St David Dairy, our primary goal is to create a community-focused space that celebrates local dairy production while fostering connections between our customers and the source of their food," says Kristian Thanas, General Manager at St David Dairy. "We aim to provide an experience that not only highlights the quality and sustainability of our products but also educates our visitors about the importance of traceability in food sourcing."
And at the cafe, you can see it for yourself. Sit back and sip on coffee while you watch the team make the products from scratch. Handcrafted on sight, every product is hand poured and quality assured. Everything here is local, with dairy sourced from the green rolling hills of Gippsland straight to Fitzroy. Now you can have a little bit of the Victorian countryside during the middle of the day in the inner city – the best of both worlds. "We chose Fitzroy for its vibrant community and strong sense of local identity. This area is known for its appreciation of artisanal and sustainable food practices, making it the perfect fit for St David Dairy," says Thanas.
Local and fresh milk is sourced daily, and each batch is tested every single morning by 'stretching' to ensure each next drop is fit for your coffee. It's ethical and sustainable, leveraging smaller supply chains, both in size and proximity. Can't make it to the farmers market this weekend? No worries, you can buy farm-to-table products straight from the cafe. Tick off shopping while you sip on your coffee, finishing two jobs in one.
The cafe sells St David Dairy's milk, award-winning butter, cream, cheese and yoghurt. Plus, they now even have an ice creamery in the cafe. Going forward, the cafe will also host workshops, including a butter master class, coffee cupping, ice cream pairing, and events that educate people about sustainable practices, artisanal practices and the importance of sourcing locally.
"What sets St David Dairy's cafe apart from other offerings in Fitzroy is our unique integration of the dairy experience within the cafe environment. Our cafe menu features innovative dairy-based dishes and beverages (including the customer refill station – glass bottling milk) that highlight our artisanal products, all crafted with an emphasis on freshness and quality," notes Thanas.
Fitzroy's newest cafe offers a vibrant injection into the dynamic neighbourhood, playing a new role in education and community involvement. You'll simply have to go and check it out for yourself. Visit the website or the store at 16-18 St David St Fitzroy.
Images: Supplied.
