Cat and Cow Coffee has been championing the zero-waste movement long before it was cool. From the get-go, Czech migrants Jacob and Lenka Kriz set out to create a community-minded café that was fully waste-free in the front-of-house operations. Fast forward nearly five years and these eco-warriors are setting new standards for sustainability with their mug swap system, takeaway jar deposit scheme, and ever-evolving seasonal menu.
It's not just Cat and Cow’s commitment to saving the planet that makes the café a standout spot. The kitchen wizards here work their magic by creating everything from scratch, including miso mushroom toasties, halloumi brekky rolls, and homemade baked beans on sourdough. No pre-made food goes to waste in this joint.
Cat and Cow is all about personalising your brekky experience too, while saving unwanted garnishes or sides from going to waste. Are you really going to give that lemon on the side of your smashed avo toast a good squeeze, or is it destined to be left behind?
The zero-waste menu, cleverly laser printed without a drop of ink, leans on the healthy side including house granola, gluten-free waffles, and a seasonal harvest bowl with roasted veggies: odds, ends, skin, leaves and everything in between.
During winter, you can cosy up with seasonal breakfast oats topped with berry rhubarb compote that's then squeezed to make lemonade. Trust us, when we say these guys are masters of using every last bit.
You may be surprised that Cat and Cow up-cycle scraps from their fresh fruit juices in baked goods, like their carrot cake, while leftover egg whites are given a second life in their cookies and friands. If you're in a hurry, Cat and Cow will save the day with sustainable takeaway options. You can grab one of their housemade baked goods or Tuga pastries, neatly packaged in recycled paper, or better yet, opt for a smoothie or bircher in one of the nifty takeaway jars. Simply pay a small $2 deposit, which you’ll get back when you return the jar. Talk about a sustainable solution.
If you forget your reusable coffee cup, Cat and Cow has got your back with its ingenious mug library and swap system, along with disposable compostable cups as a back-up. Sure the disposable cup costs an extra 50 cents, but every extra cent goes straight to supporting the ocean clean-up initiative, Take 3 for the Sea. This means you can sip on guilt-free caffeine, courtesy of their good friends at Black Market Roasters and New Paradigm Coffee Roasters, which gets delivered in coffee buckets instead of bags.
Sustainability tastes as good as it feels at this sunny, zero-waste café. Grab your reusable mugs and your eco-friendly friends for seasonal all-day brekky and specialty coffee.
