Ways and Means
Features
Ways and Means seems like any other bustling CBD cafe. Office workers queue up for their morning coffee; and the staff busily prepares Reuben sandwiches and nourishing salads for the lunch rush.
Dig deeper and you’ll discover it’s also a social enterprise run by YSAS (Youth Support and Advocacy Service) giving disadvantaged young people the opportunity to learn the work skills they need to boost their confidence and thrive in the community.
The program pairs a young person with a hospitality professional who acts as their mentor. From there they learn what it takes to be a barista or a short-order cook; how to clean properly; and how to manage the cafe’s large catering orders.
The food here is as wholesome as the cafe’s ethos. Try the taco salad with cashew cream, walnuts, smoky paprika, coriander, avocados, nuts and seeds; or the signature Reuben sandwich with beef, sauerkraut and pickles on sourdough.
Produce is sourced from Aussie Famers Direct and beans come from Clark Street Coffee Roasters (which invites those on the program to join coffee education sessions). Offerings change daily and if someone in the team wants to add a new cake, pastry, tart or dish to the menu, it’s met with a “why not?” attitude, making everyone feel empowered to contribute.
Projects of Imagination (also behind Chin Chin and Trunk) gave the subterranean space a wooden ceiling throughout, imparting an underground cubby house feel. Benches and bar stools run adjacent to the windows; the best spot for people watching.
Contact Details
Phone: (03) 9639 8777
Website: waysandmeans.org.au
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