CAFÉ SCENE

BITTON OATLEY

119 Mulga Rd, Oatley, New South Wales, 2223 Open Tuesday and Sunday 7am to 4pm, Wednesday to Saturday 7am to 9pm (02) 9570 5777

After 17 years operating Bitton Café and Bistro in Alexandria, New South Wales, Owner David Bitton has taken a leap of faith and opened a second venue in Oatley.

“It was the next logical step,” David says. “We’ve taken the best parts of our Alexandria venue and replicated it in the south.”

Those familiar with the Bitton brand will find comfort in the café’s French-inspired menu and coffee offerings, but be confronted with the completely new style and fit out of this Sydney favourite, including a 180-seat café and function space. But it’s biggest drawcard, David says, is its forest-like outdoor garden setting.

“I was attracted to the opportunity to create something visually different on a large scale,” David says. “It was a business decision more than a strategy. I plan to grow the brand with four to five new stores, maybe even in Asia, within the next few years.”

David notes the suburban location has meant a loss of peak-hour commuters on their way to work in the city, but says the change has encouraged him to find new ways to attract clientele.

“We had to adjust quickly, and we have with the addition of our function space that caters to engagements, weddings and birthdays,” he says.

One thing that hasn’t changed is David’s partnership with Grinders Coffee.

“Grinders and I have had a very strong relationship from day one,” David