Every bite tells a story | Mandy Gooley’s Welsford St Café

By Jan Phillips

Aug 1, 2024

John Cortese, Sophie Hawkins and Sue Cortese enjoy the cozy atmosphere of Welsford St Café. Photo by Contributed

Dive into the heart of the Goulburn Valley’s culinary scene with Jan and Paul Phillips. Every Friday, the pair will serve our readers with their knowledge of our communities’ restaurants, cafés and pubs — one plate at a time.

A menu that meets the diverse needs of its loyal local clientele. Photo by Contributed

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It is with the greatest pleasure that we review the Welsford St Café. For the past 11 years, it has been my go-to spot nearly every Saturday morning. This fabulous café is one of my favourite places to eat and socialise. Many life events have been discussed, shared, solved and celebrated here, with numerous problems talked through and overcome by the many ladies and the occasional gent who join me during these gatherings.

Mandy Gooley has always had a passion for great food, a trait inherited from her beautiful mum, Marie Mardling, who was also well known for her fantastic recipes. When the opportunity arose for Mandy to transition from a passionate home cook to a café owner, she embraced it wholeheartedly. The joy of working in an industry she genuinely loves and can earn a living from was irresistible.

Mandy has brought others along on her journey, including her consistently wonderful staff, Tanya Ward and Sandra Frappel, who have been with her practically from the start. They, along with many others, provide excellent service and bring great skill to the café. The Welsford St Café prides itself on offering made-on-premises food and a menu that meets the diverse needs of its loyal local clientele. Located in the legal precinct, the café caters to those working in the legal profession as well as bike riders, local swimming club members, tennis players and many people looking to have work and social catch-ups. It offers food that is fresh, seasonal and delicious without being heavy or starchy.

The dishes at Welsford St Café are hearty, flavourful and interesting. The Reuben sandwich with crispy sweet potato crisps is fabulous, and the croque monsieur is the ultimate ham and cheese sandwich. The café’s vegetarian dishes are possibly the best in town, offering a new perspective on vegetarian cuisine. The breakfast menu is terrific, changing regularly to offer something for everyone, with always a new dish to try. The coffee is wonderful. The café provides excellent outside catering options and is well regarded.

Mandy pays homage to her mum Marie’s culinary skills by cooking some of her special cakes, such as the sublime hummingbird cake and the ginger fluff. Mandy has mentioned that the only other person who could rival her mum’s recipe was Ailean O’Sullivan, although I suggested that Betty Holland’s ginger fluff might be up there as well. Mandy is hopeful that she will get to see those recipes one day and compare.

Tucked away on Welsford St, the café takes full advantage of our fabulous weather with a great outdoor space under magnificent trees. During our visit, John and Sue Cortese and their granddaughter Sophie were at the next table. They praised the venue, with John declaring the spiced chickpea soup he had as “the bomb” and claiming the café to be one of the best in town. We couldn’t agree more. We enjoyed the pea and ham soup, fragrant spiced chickpea vegetarian soup, roasted vegetable and quinoa salad, and shared the ginger fluff sponge cake with coffee.

Welsford St Café offers great value for money and is a wonderful place to eat and meet.

Food pricing for Welsford St Cafe, rated by Jan and Paul: $$

(Expensive $$$, moderate $$ good value $)