Cafe culture with a dash of experimentation
Claris Jones-White isn’t sure whether Nelson’s prepared for hemp lattes. But ready or not, they’ll soon be on the menu at her new cafe.
‘‘Hemp lattes are big in LA, but it’s probably going to throw Nelson,’’ she said.
Jones-White has just moved her commercial kitchen to the Nelson CBD from its former premises at Victory Square, opening a cafe at the new premises on Bridge St. The sign outside reads ‘‘7010 Your Local 2.0’’, a reference to her other 7010 Your Local cafe, on Collingwood St.
Although she’s done it all before, opening a new cafe in a city centre dotted with empty shops was a daunting prospect, she said.
‘‘I was so nervous. Is it going to work on Bridge St? Does Nelson need another cafe, really?’’
The prospect of failure – ‘‘a scary thing in a small town’’ – meant she kept the new venue under wraps until it was all renovated and ready to go. ‘‘I didn’t even tell my Mum and Dad.’’
‘‘In a big city, cafes pop up and close every single day; here, it’s such a vested interest.’’
But so far, she’s been busy, with a steady flow of people queueing for matcha lattes and coconut milk flat whites – as well as the the more familiar cafe offerings.
She pitches to busy workers to grab doorstop sandwiches, soups and slices on the go. ‘‘We’re catering for people that have a limited break and want a healthy, substantial lunch offering.’’
When it comes to food and drink, Jones-White said she was attracted to the experimental. ‘‘I will try anything. I get as much inspiration as possible from overseas. I’ll test the market, and I’ll go in first.’’
She liked the idea of helping people find a new favourite drink or flavour. ‘‘It’s a place for people to experiment. I don’t want people to be embarrassed to try new things.’’
‘‘Hemp lattes are big in LA, but it’s probably going to throw Nelson.’’
Claris Jones-White