Yerrabi Pond is the new Tuscany thanks to Caffe al Lago

Gungahlin residents are flocking to a new local that’s opened on the shores of Yerrabi Pond. Caffe al Lago is a Tuscan-inspired sandwich joint serving fresh food and top-notch coffee.

Owners Dragan Petreski and wife Natalija Petreska have always been big fans of sandwiches, but it wasn’t until they went on their honeymoon that they found a new passion.

“Maybe it’s a little bit of a cliche, but I love sandwiches – I’m always making them at home for Natalija,” Dragan told Region.

“Two years ago, we went to Italy on our honeymoon, and we were travelling around, and every two hours we’d stop, and I’d get a sandwich from a petrol station, and they were so nice! And so light!”

In Florence, they found their ideal sandwich made with schiacciata bread, a 72-hour fermented bread baked thin and perfect for sandwiches.

Dragan is a third-generation baker with over 15 years’ experience in the industry. But it took him a little while to perfect the bread for the signature freshness he wanted to offer at Caffe al Lago.

“Every single sandwich is baked on the spot. We use a conveyor oven, and it takes about three minutes. It took me over a year to develop the recipe.”

The sandwiches are stuffed with Italian-inspired fillings like thinly sliced prosciutto and provolone cheese, or the diavolo with spicy salami, artichokes and pesto. Vegetarians have the options of a Caprese with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and aged balsamic, or Dragan’s own breakfast sandwich. Unlike the other options, he’s taken inspiration from Macedonian cuisine and used ajvar capsicum relish as a base for eggs, marinated goat cheese and fresh tomato.

The cafe is rich with the smell of baked bread and fresh herbs, and on a sunny day, it’s a delightful spot to sit and watch people enjoying the shores of Yerrabi Pond. On weekends, it gets busy with Park Run participants, who are eligible for a discount at the cafe.

For Dragan and Natalija, this is an opportunity to share their success with the people who helped to make their business thrive.

“Canberra is our home now. We’re in love with Canberra,” he said.

“I’m glad we can give something back. We have had great support from the community.”

He’s hoping to collaborate further with Park Run for a summer running festival and he also has plans to open in the evenings for wine and charcuterie boards (served with freshly baked schiacciata bread, of course).

The cafe also stocks Macedonian burek pastries from Dragan’s other business, Bektesh Burek, which are handmade every morning and delivered to supermarkets and cafes around town. They serve ONA coffee and other pastries at the counter.

The sandwiches at Caffe al Lago cost around $17 to $20, but the price tag is well worth it for the fillings and the whopping size of each one. I ate half for lunch and saved the rest for later!

In the few months they’ve been open, Dragan said they’ve amassed a loyal following of regulars who keep coming back every week, some every day! From Tuscany to Yerrabi: the sandwiches are buonissimo.

Caffe al Lago is located at 60A Phyllis Ashton Circuit Gungahlin. They are open from 8 am to 4 pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Follow Caffe al Lago on Instagram.