From an online, plant-based bakery to a charming vintage coffee van, The Gator Club has evolved once more into a characteristic corner store. The vegan bakehouse and cafe is officially open in an ultimate collaboration of Chloe Mattner’s ambitions that all began as a childhood dream.
The revamped corner store resides on Payneham Road in what Chloe describes as the perfect little spot for her Chlo’s Vegan Club and Later Gator collab.
“[I had been] looking for about 4 or 5 months but the others were either too big and warehouse-like or too small but this one is a perfect size and exactly what I had pictured in my head when I was younger,” she says.
“I was initially looking for a space for Chlo’s because it was growing so fast so [The Gator Club] will serve as the commercial kitchen for the bakery as well as selling all the things from Later Gator,” she says.
Chloe’s Later Gator van began popping up around Adelaide late 2021 on West Terrace and quickly gained a following for its 100% plant-based menu that includes not only delicious coffee but more famously, Chlo’s hand-made, gluten-free baked goodies.
Not to mention, her delicious toasties that will be served at her new location. Like “the fun guy” that sandwiches sage and thyme mushrooms, melted with a “notzarella” twist and a creamy ricotta pesto, between two perfectly toasted slices of garlic bread.
“Owning my own café has always been the ultimate dream, I just never thought it would happen so soon. I always thought I would use my degree and travel the world and open a café when I was 60 but here we are!”
The menu at her brand new venue will, of course, feature her all her must-try plant-based baked goodies, including her choc brownies (aka “the fudgiest brownie you’ve ever had”) that started it all for Chloe, or her ooey gooey cookies that come in seven different flavours!
The new location features a unique “Gator Mylk” that is a house blend of creamy non-diary milk as well as Chloe’s house-made botanicals that she has worked hard to make a staple at Later Gator, and will now have their own shelf at The Gator Club.
“When I started a van I didn’t want to buy hot chocolate or matcha so I started making my own and quite a few people have asked to buy them so I decided to start selling them as well as my ready-made cookie dough.”
The vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free botanical menu features a unique “red velvet” blend of sweet beetroot and coconut sugar that’s balanced with cacao and cardamom. As well as a colourful “blue lagoon” that combines the ancient herbal plant, butterfly pea, with sweet rapadura and nutmeg.
The new menu features Chloe’s very own caramel and lavender syrups that can be added to your caffeine fix.
You can shop all Chloe’s products here or at her Payneham store.
The Gator Club also offers a retail space for Adelaide artisans to showcase their wares.
“Having the vans in markets for so long I’ve met so many amazing, talented artists and I want to give them a space to sell their crafts.” She says. “I want to create a community of people and give them a physical space to showcase their talents.”
The artisan market features Cloud & Clo‘s soy wax candle vessel’s that are made from ethically sourced sea shells, and Fencesitter‘s dainty handmade jewellery designs.
See the full list of Chloe’s artisan market placeholders here.
Visit The Gator Club website or check out Chloe’s Instagram to stay updated on her new exciting venture!
The Gator Club is located 33 Payneham Road, College Park, SA 5069 and is open Tuesday to Friday from 7am-3pm and on Saturday’s from 7.30am-2.30pm.
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