Bohemia Cafe and Bar

No country town works without a place like Bohemia Cafe and Bar. It’s the go-to hub, where locals catch up during the week, over strong coffee and a reliably good bite to eat. That is, until the summer holidays kick off, the tourists flood in, and your favourite table gets nicked.

By now, owner Steve Hickman is used to the controlled chaos, as he likes to call it. After all, his buzzing, well-loved cafe sits smack bang in the middle of Warrnambool’s town centre, just moments from the end of the Great Ocean Road’s 200 kilometre stretch.

For those fresh off the highway and feeling a little flat, Chef Brenton Hussey’s menu is full of revivers. The open kitchen pumps out creatively-plated dishes, such as housemade lemon and herb crumpets with smoked salmon, poached eggs, crispy kale, avocado-fetta whip and pickled fennel. It’s finished with hollandaise, like a classic eggs Benny. Angling for lunch? Beer-battered fish tacos, or a poke bowl with sous vide chicken breast, coconut black rice and pickled veg might be your catch.

Bohemian by name, Bohemian by design; this cafe has eclectic artwork hung from exposed brick walls. A roaring fireplace keeps the place snug in winter. It’s also fully-licensed, which means there’s always something to imbibe, should the bohemian spirit move you.