The Roses Cafe in Mittagong is a family-operated cafe that we stumbled upon one afternoon for a late lunch. We were only going one suburb further to Bowral for the night but we were starving and decided to pull up on the main street where a parking spot had just been vacated.
It so happened we were right outside a cafe and looking through its glass windows, we saw it was spacious and tidy so we popped inside. It turned out to be our amazing find of the day. A blackboard menu on the wall listed a number of meal options but it was the long front counter of delicious looking items behind glass that drew our eyes in.
Setting this cafe apart from many others is the fact that everything is made onsite and not sourced from wholesalers or huge manufacturers. This is evident as you peruse the counter. The Rose family have a desire for reality and non-conformity and that can be seen in their products with the not-so-perfectly-shaped pies full of flavours that range from Salmon Mornay to Shepherd's pie and everything else in between. Then there's the lasagne, both beef and vegetarian, round-shaped and huge like a layered birthday cake. I have never seen lasagne done like these below.
It took us a while to decide on what to have as there were so many savoury and sweet delights begging to be eaten. We definitely needed coffee, that much we knew, and after much deliberation, I ended up getting a beef burgundy pie. I got it in combination with potato bake. You can also choose a salad to go with it. Well, it was the best pie I've had in a long time. The flavours were wonderful and it went well with the warm potato. A little salad of greenery was a surprise with the unique beetroot twists.
Hubby chose a classic bacon & egg roll, which went down a treat as well. The bacon was plentiful and it was all very fresh.
As we were leaving, we decided to get some takeaways for later. The beef lasagne was too enticing to ignore and the huge slice was big enough that it did both of us for dinner. It was tasty and moist with rich, flavoursome meat. The Florentine and Lemon Biscuit slices were other treats, which made for dessert another evening.
Other items they hand make include pumpkin pie, mini quiches, frittatas, sausage rolls, sandwiches and wraps, cakes and cookies, muffins, protein balls, croissants, pancakes and waffles, a variety of colourful and interesting salads, burgers and fries, delicious milkshakes and great coffee. They also cater to vegans and gluten-free diets in mind, whilst Easter and other festive celebrations see cute cupcakes and treats being popped out.
We vowed to go back on our return journey to Sydney but just didn't have the time to stop, however, The Roses Cafe (and that Mars Bar slice above) is firmly on the agenda for our next trip south. It ticks all the boxes – the food is mouth-watering with generous servings, prices are reasonable, seating is plentiful (indoors & outdoors), tables are clean and the ambience pleasant.
The Mittagong location (address below), is the latest cafe opening for The Rose Family with the original in Goulburn and another in Yass (all bearing the same name). Running rings around other cafes, it's a must visit for your next breakfast or lunch with its honest food and excellent service.
