FOUR Limestone Coast eateries have served up success at the recent 2019 South Australian Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence.
Mount Gambier’s Presto Eatery double-dipped at the prestigious industry awards – held in Adelaide on Monday – named the best breakfast restaurant and top cafe dining experience in regional South Australia.
The Mayura Station’s Tasting Room was crowned South Australia’s best tourism restaurant, while Pipers of Penola was named best regional contemporary restaurant and Penola’s Royal Oak now carries the title of best regional restaurant in a pub.
Presto Eatery co-owner Josslyn Lee, who runs the business with Lucy Von Stanke, said the pair were proud to be recognised at the awards ceremony.
“It is a credit to our staff as you are only as good as your people,” she said.
“Lucy and I have tried to do something a bit different in regional South Australia, which was always a risk.
“But I think we were strong believers in what we envisioned and felt as though it was something which appealed to people and it has.”
Completing their chef apprenticeships together over a decade ago, Ms Lee said their business first started as a catering company.
“We then opened Presto By the Main and outgrew the small space quite quickly,” she said.
“We always had a dream of opening a large cafe so combining forces, we decided to make it happen.
“It was crazy as we took over the lease here which was previously four individual stores.”
Ms Lee said she was not exactly sure what won the mystery judges over, but said the business would continue to evolve and think outside the box.
“I would not say this is the end of our story.”
