Pop in for a Coffee at Baffles Cafe in Fyshwick

There are several reasons why you should venture out to Fyshwick this weekend. For us, it’s simply to visit Baffles Cafe, a vibrant little nook located inside the Canberra Motorcycle Centre (CMC).

You don’t have to be a motorcycle enthusiast to enjoy everything this hidden gem has to offer. From a classic pizza menu to some of Canberra’s frothiest coffees, Baffles should definitely be on your ‘to try’ list.

While originally added as a social space for those visiting the Motorcycle Centre, Baffles has since transformed into a food and coffee outlet in Fyshwick.

Sales Director, Kane, says that Baffles was part of an initiative to boost customer experience at the CMC, where people tend to spend a lot of time.

“If you buy a motorcycle, you could be here for over two hours. By the time you choose what bike you want, figure out a deal, or negotiate a price, choose and try on all the gear, it just could take a lot of time. What we did then is put in this cafe. Now, you can come in, sit down, have a coffee, and think about what you want to purchase.”

Unlike at car dealerships, where you can bring the whole family for a test drive, motorcycle purchases are usually a solo experience. Baffles thus makes it that much easier for customers to bring along family and friends. “It creates a nice little spot for the partner or the kids to hang out while someone is out on a test drive,” explains Kane.

But Baffles isn’t only for motorcycle riders. For Kane, the cafe has grown over the last three years to become an important spot for people to ‘pop-in’ and have some food or a coffee where there otherwise wouldn’t be anything.

“Here in Fyshwick, there is not a lot of places to go out and eat lunch or have a coffee. Especially for those who work around here. At 9 o’clock in the morning, this here is simply full of staff getting their coffee and breakfast. It really adds that extra little something for the people around here.”

Even families passing through Fyshwick on weekends now have somewhere to stop for a quick lunch (or coffee).

“We want to service people as a food and coffee destination. Whether you are a motorcycle rider has nothing to do with it. Baffles is located smack bang in the middle of our dealership, but we just want people to know that you don’t have to be a customer or a rider to having something delicious here”.

While the standard Baffles menu offers pizzas and coffee, it’s the ever-changing specials menu that will really have your taste buds singing.

Designed and developed by Corey, a former local Canberra business owner who has a knack for whipping up creative dishes in the kitchen, the specials menu provides that genuine café feel at Baffles. The menu also caters to those with food allergies and intolerances, and always includes a veggie-friendly option.

Corey is even famous for rolling out the BBQ every Saturday to whip up some crowd-pleasing bacon and egg rolls, leaving that charred smell in the air across Fyshwick.

While the food itself is worth popping in for, it’s the coffee at Baffles that is the real show-stopper.

Using Kyo Coffee, the coffee at Baffles is a great example of how the cafe supports local Canberra businesses. Even the pies and sausage rolls on display at Baffles are sourced from Sutton Bakery.

Kane says that Kyo Coffee’s relationship with Baffles is one built on an old friendship, when Dale (owner of CMC) and owner of Kyo Coffee (Michael) first met through the Canberra cycling community.

“A big thing for us is to support locals like Michael, especially because we knew him and we knew what he was doing. He spent so much time researching and experimenting so we wanted to support something he was so passionate about.”

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Corey can whip up a satisfyingly good latte.

Baffles is located at 30 Ipswich St in Fyshwick.

It is open Monday – Friday from 8:30 am – 5:30 pm and Saturday from 8:30 am – 3 pm.