Co-owner Vanessa in her open, light-filled area. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
I thought I knew all the great cafes in Dickson, but I have just discovered Stepping Stone, tucked away at the end of a quiet suburban street. This is truly a cafe with a difference, and when you drop in for lunch or coffee, you are helping to make a difference, too.
Owners Vanessa and Hannah founded the original Stepping Stone in 2015 in Colombia. When they returned to Canberra, they established their first Australian Stepping Stone Cafe.
“We started Stepping Stone with the intent to help people who aren’t as privileged as we acknowledge ourselves to be; to give back to communities that face discrimination and people who don’t have many opportunities or choices,” Vanessa says.
“We aim to provide them with an inclusive job which offers stability and safety in income. Our employees learn new skills, gain confidence and build social connections, but also transferable skills for when they want to move into other industries down in the future.”
Today, the Stepping Stones team represents 20 different countries, and they speak 12 languages.
This week’s delicately dressed salad greens are lifted by a crunch of seeds, glazed nuts and herbs. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
The cafe is an open, light-filled area with large tables, greenery and groovy lighting, and ample space out on the deck.
Its vegetarian seasonal menu showcases fruit, vegetables and herbs locally sourced or grown in local community gardens.
Stepping Stone has just launched its new spring menu, devised by head chef Jenny, and we are excited to taste some of its highlights.
“We are proud of the menu, making everything from scratch,” Vanessa says.
“We aim to provide really healthy and nourishing meals and to give the staff opportunities to be versatile in the kitchen.”
This vegetarian Reuben is a MUST Try!!! Kazuri Photography
Vanessa tells us that the spring salad bowl, the breakfast roll and the bircher muesli change on a fortnightly basis, and the salad changes with the seasons.
We order several dishes to share for a very late brunch.
Today, the delicately dressed salad greens are lifted by the crunch of seeds, glazed nuts and herbs. It is splendid!
Green Goddess is a yummy vegan brunch plate: rocket pesto, tofu scramble, lemon peas puree and toasted pepitas on Three Mills cracked rye.
The current bircher at the time of my visit is coconut and chia seed topped with toasted coconut, mango coulis and fresh mango. Fresh and tropical, I love the smooth cereal with the added crunch of the toasted coconut. Passionfruit and fresh mint add some delicious zing.
KyiKyi’s Myanmar omelette is a must-try, especially if you like to taste something exotic.
When I think of an omelette, I imagine it to be French-style, fluffy, and full of cheese. This omelette is thin and rustic, pebbled with corn and the flavours are on point – lemon grass and ginger. It arrives hidden beneath a vibrant bouquet of salad and herbs and is easily the best omelette I have eaten in ages.
My other favourite dish is the green Reuben toastie on rye. I would eat that Reuben every day.
Thick crusty Three Mills rye sourdough and wedged between it are slabs of pungent, aged cheddar, broccolini, sauteed garden greens kale, leek sauerkraut, and the tang of pickles and finished with mustard. It has so much delicious flavour, a blending of tangy, smooth and decadent.
We notice one particularly large table decked out with muffins and fruit. Primary school students slowly drift into the cafe and sit around the table. Soon after, a group of secondary students arrive. Each older student pairs with a younger student, and then, while nibbling on afternoon tea, a big one-on-one tutoring session unfolds.
Stepping Stone, indeed. It is a wonderful community feel.
This is a cafe well worth spending your brunch and coffee money at.
One particularly large table decked out with muffins and fruit. Photo: Kazuri Photography
Stepping Stone is located at 8 Hawdon Pl in Dickson. It is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 8 am to 3:30 pm.
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