As Melbourne looks towards lockdown restrictions easing, small businesses in Melbourne’s west are working hard to keep locals supplied with some of the very best food and coffee on offer this side of the West Gate Bridge.
Anton Horvat, who owns the Naked Egg café in Yarraville chatted to the Transurban team about pivoting during a pandemic, why he loves serving Melbourne’s west communities and some of his favourite menu items.
Anton said he is proud to live and work in the western suburbs, which he describes as particularly unique.
“I’ve lived in the west for a long time, and the west, particularly Yarraville Village, is a very unique place. The community really supports each other, local cafes, other traders, and the local people are all very community minded. In my 40 years working in hospitality, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Anton said.
When chatting about Melbourne’s lockdowns, Anton commented that while local cafes and restaurants have shut down over time, the Naked Egg has remained open, offering takeaway to service the local community.
“Fortunately, we have stayed open during this time, providing service to our regulars. We continue to offer some of our most popular dishes, which include our homemade pies and gourmet toasties.”
Anton took over an existing café to create the Naked Egg six years after many years of working in hospitality.
“I took over a Greek pastry shop and transformed it to more of a quintessential Melbourne café. I had lived in the area for years and wanted to work closer to home, as well as provide an establishment where my kids could work casually while they studied,” he said.
When asked about the most difficult coffee order he has encountered while operating the Naked Egg, Anton said he was stumped when a Yarraville resident local ordered a quarter strength latte with half almond, half oat milk.
The Naked Egg is open for takeaway during lockdowns and will be welcoming back diners when the government deems it safe to do so.
“While we can’t wait to open up for seated breakfasts again, in the meantime, come down and try our famous chicken and leek homemade pie or our Cuban tamper gourmet sandwich,” added Anton.
The Naked Egg is located on 32A Ballarat Street, Yarraville and open Wednesday to Sunday from 8am-3pm.
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