“If it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing.”
That’s the motto behind Affamata, the new Italian-leaning cafe winning over Port Elliot locals, and it’s one owners Melanie Taylor and Joanne “Jojo” Bizano live by daily.
The best-friend power duo might already be familiar to many along the Fleurieu. Melanie previously owned Mum’s Beard Café, where Jojo worked as her manager, and after selling the business, the pair found themselves looking for their next chapter.
“Jo and I were looking for a new venture,” Melanie shares. “We work really well together, and Jo’s Italian, so we decided this time to make it an Italian concept, something fun, simple and food-focused.”
Affamata – Italian for hungry – opened early December, landing squarely in the thick of peak summer season. The cafe operates out of a converted shipping container at 49 The Strand, a setting that could feel industrial if it weren’t softened by what surrounds it. A compact kitchen and coffee bar open onto a deck area edged with veggie beds that supply herbs and produce for the menu, even down to relishes made by hand. The open-air seating lends itself perfectly to sandy-footed pit stops and the post-beach carb fuel, a space that reels you in with its small-town charm. “It’s relaxed, sunny and very Port Elliot,” Melanie explains.
Opening right as tourists flood the coast was ambitious, but Affamata hasn’t struggled to find its crowd. Locals, neighbouring business owners and holidaymakers have packed the space daily, drawn in by Bizano’s barista credentials and homemade sweets that rarely make it past midday.
“We’ve been so lucky with the support from other local businesses,” Melanie says. “They come in for coffee every day, tell everyone they know about us, and really back what we’re doing. It’s a tight-knit, friendly community.”
“If you have a latte one day, it should taste exactly the same the next,” she adds. “I’d even say it’s the best coffee on the Fleurieu.”
The panini menu isn’t afraid of creativity. Smokey-spicy beef brisket and jalapenos sit alongside paprika chicken with caramelised onion, a sweet-smoky pulled pork with giardiniera, and a pickled artichoke, grilled eggplant and olive tepanade vegan number. Each is given a tongue-in-cheek mafia-style name, including Forget About It and You Talkin’ To Me. Despite the Italian lean, the humble bacon and egg roll from the all-day breakfast menu takes the reins as most popular. “Sometimes people just want the simple things,” Melanie says.
But it’s the sweets that have become early cult favourites.
“The ricotta and pistachio cannoli are a family recipe and they’re flying out the door,” Melanie says. “Jojo is pumping them out at an incredible rate.”
At its core, Affamata reflects the South Coast at its best. Relaxed, welcoming, a place to feed people well, enjoy the season and build something sustainable alongside your best friend. And with the “best coffee on the Fleurieu,” it’s easy to see why people keep coming back.
“We wanted to create something where we genuinely enjoy coming to work every day,” Melanie says. “If you’re doing it with your best friend, that’s the best of both worlds. My girls are also helping out.”
Affamata
Where: 49 The Strand, Port Elliot
When: Thursday to Monday, 8am-3pm
For the Facebook page, click here.
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