If you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of Canberra’s busy breakfast and lunch hot spots then take a short drive to Hall where you’ll find Daughters at Hall.
Daughters at Hall is a family-run business and Jenny is one of the owners. She opened Daughters at Hall with her daughter in 2014 and they’ve transformed the venue, which was once the general store, into the gorgeous little café that it is today.
It’s no longer the general store that it previously was but they still have some essentials like milk and the newspaper available. It’s also still a popular stop for the school kids to get their lolly stash after school.
Hall is full of history and interesting facts. The building that is now known as Daughters at Hall was built in 1889 and was the village’s general store until 2014. It was rebuilt in 1984 but the tin you see is original, there’s an original glass panel and a 100-year-old door that goes to the kitchen. One of the past owners walked through that door for 70 years.
Seven generations of Jenny’s family have lived, worked and went to school in Hall. Her mum and dad live a few houses up the road and her brother and sister own Hops and Vine across the road. It’s definitely a family affair and it seems like Jenny’s family have helped Hall to progress into the charming little village that it is today, with some great food and beverage options.
This little cafe is exactly what you would expect a family-run café in Hall to be. It’s homely, cosy and it’s filled with incredible looking homemade baked goods and hearty food.
We visited on a Sunday morning at about 10am and the tables inside were filled with people chatting happily, enjoying their Sunday morning outing. There are lots of tables outside and it’s the perfect place to soak up some sun while enjoying the quiet surroundings.
We sat at one of the bench tables near the window and were greeted by the friendly staff. We perused the menu for a few minutes before I made my way to the counter to order. As I approached, I was instantly excited to see all of the homemade baked goods on offer. A basket of warm scones, muffins and palmiers sat on the bench and the cabinet was filled with slices and cakes.
You rarely see homemade baked goods in cafes so if you’re after an incredible coffee and cake experience, Daughters at Hall is the place to visit. Jenny is known for her famous cheesecake and the flavours change regularly.
I had to take my attention away from the sweets so I could place our order. I was hungry and I love indulging in a big breakfast occasionally so I went with the Daughter’s Big Breakfast. Mr Eat Canberra chose the Daughter’s Smashed Avo. It’s served on garlic sourdough toast and topped with a fresh salsa. Jenny tells me it’s one of the most popular breakfast items.
We also ordered a coffee each. They use Wagonga Coffee, a small, family-owned coffee roasting business that’s based in Canberra. They specialise in fresh roast and blending of quality arabica coffees and they have a very popular stall at the Capital Region Farmers Market.
If you don’t feel like a full meal you can grab a homemade pie or sausage roll from the warmer.
It didn’t take long for our breakfast to arrive and I can confirm it was definitely a BIG breakfast. All the usual suspects sat on my very large plate, the mushrooms were a highlight. They were garlicky, juicy and cooked perfectly but I couldn’t fault a thing on the plate.
Mr Eat Canberra was wrapped with his smashed avo. It was fresh and full of flavour. I gave him a few of my mushrooms and some scrambled eggs because I couldn’t eat it all.
We finished our breakfast and sat for a little while before ordering something sweet to finish. We had to try Jenny’s famous cheesecake and I couldn’t resist a piece of the caramel slice. It was a lime and ginger cheesecake and after the first bite I knew why it’s so popular. It’s light, creamy and flavoured well. The ginger shines through and the zesty lime balances out the usual sweetness of a cheesecake. You can tell it’s homemade and I can’t wait to return to try some of the other flavours. We were so full so we took the caramel slice home with us. It was and indulgent treat that was rich with a crunchy base – yum!
You’ll also find a range of homemade preserves on the shelves at Daughters at Hall as well as honey from Cavenagh Honey, a Canberra-based honey producer.
If you don’t have the time or don’t enjoying cooking Christmas treats then you can also order homemade goods from Jenny. She makes shortbread, chocolate bark, cheesecakes and Christmas cakes to order. There are three different sized Christmas cakes to choose from and they range from $45 to $75.
You can give Jenny a call on 02 6230 2457 or send her an email to cafe@halldaughters.com.au so you can find out more and place your Christmas orders.
Details
Address: 5 Victoria St, Hall
The 4th Hall Street Party is happening on Friday 26th October from 4-9pm. The street will come alive and there will be lots of different stalls and entertainment at the event.
This is a sponsored post but all opinions are the authors own. Photos by Amelia Bidgood.
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.