Stationside Café in Lauder has won its second consecutive “Travelers’ Choice” award from Tripadvisor.

Owners Darryl Jones and Helen Reid, who took over the café less than two years ago, are understandably chuffed. 

“It’s pretty good for a place in the middle of nowhere,” Darryl told the Central App.

Tripadvisor is an international platform where the public reviews their travelling experiences.

The company aggregates comments and reviews and lets the winners know. A quick look at the Tripadvisor site shows that almost all of the 190 reviews to date award the café a score of 5 out of 5. 

Not bad for two newbies to the hospitality industry. 

Retired food technology teacher Helen and graphic designer Darryl took over the café in December 2020, “smack in the middle of the big C-word” as Darryl refers to the Covid pandemic. 

They figured if they could make it work during Covid they should be able to make a go of it.

It turns out they did and they can. 

Their first two seasons went well thanks to the popularity of the rail trail with local travellers between lockdowns. 

The old school fare the couple specialise in has gone down a treat. Darryl says they are now becoming known for their traditional sausage and cheese rolls, with customers enjoying the old family recipes the two southerners bake from.

They have also begun to specialise in making packed lunches for cyclists. Rail trail riders can pre-order these or the couple can whip them up while patrons have a coffee in the morning.

Packed lunches for cyclists is one of their specialities. 

Often when they deliver their custom packaged filled rolls to a customer, “people suffer from roll envy” Darryl says, and end up ordering their own. 

Darryl’s graphics background has helped make their packaged food photo-worthy, which definitely helps when it comes to online reviews. Customers regularly take pictures of their purchases; some are even reluctant to dismantle the packaging.

Darryl finds people often use Tripadvisor to plan their travels so the award and positive reviews drive customers to them. 

If you want to see what has earned Stationside Café its award, they’ll be open this summer from 8.30am to 2pm in Lauder. And if it’s a packed lunch for the rail trail you are after you can pre-order these via phone or email, or arrange it through a cycling company. 

PHOTOS: Supplied