No. 58 Cellar Door, owned by Thunderbird Wines, is a labour of love on Port Elliot’s Waverley Estate.
The venue is a one-stop shop for picturesque pizza and SA sights, with some of the state’s best wine, along with beer and a quirky art gallery.
It’s a special experience to see different works of art changing colour palettes from the sun-kissed orange hue of Port Elliot sky on an afternoon.
Business partners, Frazer Hayward and Joshua Sheppard come from two completely different backgrounds. Frazer worked in the mining sector and Joshua worked with SA Power Networks. Their friendship developed during their time working together.
While working for Thunderbird Wines proprietor Campbell Haig, Frazer established a good bond which later blossomed into No. 58 Cellar Door.
The art gallery came about through Frazer’s mother, a retiring art teacher that used her connections and eye for detail to curate the beach-y vibe.
Ceramic bowls and dog figurines speckled with paint, watercolour art and the lime green leaves of outdoor plants make each feast a feast for the eyes.
It’s been roughly 2 years since the two best friends took over the café and cellar door, which has admittedly served as a steep learning curve.
“We’d have days where we didn’t know if we could put a pizza out,” Frazer said.
Frazer and Joshua struggled to make their iconic sourdough wood-oven pizza work when they started, because it’s an incredibly volatile base. No two pizzas looked the same, which was deeply concerning to the duo, but over the years they’ve managed to deliver remarkable consistency with their food.
In the two years of running No. 58, they’ve honed their craft. They’re finally at a place in their management that they feel secure in their level of customer service, culinary quality and delivering the perfect pairings for their stock of Thunderbird wine.
With the input of Frazer at the helm of customer service and Joshua keeping the kitchen calibre high, all the way through to the family-sourced art which has drawn in crowds… It’s a collaborative process in all respects.
Even the chef has added his quirky brand of surfer socks, called Sandy Socks, using recycled bags of coffee beans.
In bringing the individual interests and talents together, they’ve created a unified vision fuelled by soul, constantly striving to do what they do best… Even better.
That’s why No. 58 Cellar Door have enlisted Shifty Lizard Brewing from Willunga to create their very own easy ale, pale ale and, soon to be introduced, lager.
The No. 58 lager will arrive during the first week of January, with its beer selection complimenting its rustic smoky pizzas, along with a few nibbles on tasting platters, bowls of chips, that kind of thing.
Joshua and Frazer really just wanted a seamless dining experience, which is scenic without the pretension. They emphasised their pride in being a family friendly Fleurieu eatery, which gives people the chance to just sit on a picnic rug or look out across the deck.
It’s about finding the perfect pair, sometimes that’s the right platter and wine, sometimes it’s the refreshing lager to go with salty meats, sometimes it’s two best friends, like Joshua and Frazer.
To grab a slice, see a slice of life or unwind from life with Thunderbird wine or No. 58 beer, check the website to learn more.
Where: 58 Waterport Road, Port Elliot 5212
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