Short Street Store — Restaurant in Dubbo

After I finish my work commitments I make a point of exploring the cafe/restaurant offerings in small and large regional communities.

I discovered Short Street Store last August 2023 and visited again a few days ago.

Just as good and just as friendly.

Located in a quiet residential street about 1.5 km west of the Dubbo CBD, this cafe continues to look, feel and taste different to most of the local establishments.

Once again greeted with a wide smile and enthusiastic table service I ordered a toast dish that in my widespread travels remains unique. Call my lazy however I had to try it again.

Called a “Fancy Toast” (compared to what???) you get a two substantial pieces if Vienna white bread topped with a house made spinach and pistachio mousse. It was just as lovely the second time however my photograph probably does not do it justice. The cafe claims this fancy toast is awesome with bacon or chorizo - that delight is for next time in a couple of months.

Coupled with a freshly pressed “Green Juice” (apple, cucumber, mint, spinach & ginger) and a macchiato I set myself up for the long drive home. The juice is very flavoursome and well balanced. While the macchiato was very good I can’t give it more than an 8/10 rating. I am a bit of a coffee nut so forgive me the indulgence of hard rating. Having said that, I would still come back for another coffee. I had two while there.

If you really want an all day Breaky to fortify you for a long drive, try the Butter Chicken Bene - Vienna toast topped with baby spinach, pulled butter chicken, 2 poached eggs, curry hollandaise & crispy fried onions. Wow! Then there is the Breaky Risotto with saffron oil …..

So my suggestion in Dubbo is get out of the busy and rather feature less main street and head up to Short Street Store. I certainly will when I return in the near future. Looking around I could see the local community meets here for...

A café that really surprised us—in a good way.

Right from the start, it felt different. Thoughtful touches were everywhere, from the layout to the little details. You could tell someone actually cared.

Service was warm and efficient. We were greeted straight away and made to feel welcome. Before we even ordered, it was clear this place runs with heart.

The gluten-free menu was done well. It wasn’t just a token option—there were plenty of choices, and each one was marked clearly with a small flag.

One detail that stood out: all the women at our table were served first. It was a simple gesture, but it said a lot about the care behind the scenes.

The food was spot on. The hash brown was house-made and crisp—not the frozen kind. Pancakes (gluten-free) were a hit, and the bacon and egg roll was packed and cooked just right.

We all had different egg requests—some runny, some not—and they nailed every one without issue.

It’s the small things too: a bite-sized brownie with each coffee, a quiet green courtyard, and tidy, unfussy decor.

Only minor note: the cappuccinos were a bit heavy on the chocolate, almost like a mocha. Nothing major, just a personal taste.

To the team—kitchen, floor staff, and whoever’s behind it...

Maybe rename to 'Short Temper Cafe'. Having ordered 2 coffees via phone-ahead, I had the gall to ask when 20+ minutes passed if everything was ok and that it was a long wait time for 2 coffees.(I'd called ahead as it was Father's Day and knew they'd be busy). The woman who called me up to the window when prepared coffees were ready angrily (and loudly for the crowd!) stated she'd received my order only 15 minutes ago and it was time stamped. I showed her my phone call register, which by this stage showed 24 minutes since the call-ahead and informed her this too was time stamped to the cellular network. She then retorted huffily that it wasn't 30 minutes like I'd claimed (???). Ummmm, noooo. It was 20+ minutes, as I stated, but alas, she had stormed away before 2 grown-ups could effectively communicate the facts. Maybe the mystery lost 9 minutes between phone order to barista, and the magic extra 10 minutes added on to my wait time indicate communication issues. The coffee was pretty good, but the public showdown with the scary head out the window isn't worth returning for. Que...