BREAKING: Caffè al Lago is bringing its cult-favourite sandwiches to the Kingston Foreshore!
Posted on
If you’ve ever made the trip to Caffè al Lago at Yerrabi Pond for one of its famously generous Italian sandwiches, you’ll know it’s worth the drive… and later this year northsiders won’t be the only ones getting their hands on these gram worthy feeds.
Caffè al Lago is opening a second location at Kingston Foreshore (taking over the spot recently vacated by Lil Mama’s) , bringing its freshly baked schiacciata, focaccia panini and Italian-inspired fare to a new part of the city.
Caffé al Lago’s sandwiches have earned a cult following. Photography: Andrew Ly, Nineteen Creative.
For owners Dragan and Natalija Bektesh (and their very cute daughter Isadora), the new venue is an exciting next step for a business that’s grown a cult-like following for its quality food and community-minded atmosphere.
The couple first opened Caffè al Lago at Yerrabi Pond in 2024 after Dragan returned from a trip through Europe with a simple idea: Canberra needed the kind of fresh, light sandwiches he and Natalija had enjoyed throughout Italy.
“Every time we stopped at a petrol station, we ate fresh, light sandwiches, and we don’t have anything like that here in Canberra,” Dragan said.
So he decided to make them himself.
And there’s one thing Dragan is particularly particular about: the bread.
A third-generation baker with 15 years of experience, he makes the bread fresh in-house, using dough that is prepared days in advance before being baked to order.
“The bread is our point of difference,” he says. “Usually when you get a toastie, the bread is store-bought, and it’s from the day before or the night before. It’s not fresh like our bread.”
It’s a philosophy that has clearly struck a chord.
Photography: Andrew Ly, Nineteen Creative.
Caffè al Lago’s La Speciale, loaded with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil and balsamic vinegar, has already developed something of a cult following, while the enormous sandwiches have become a favourite for takeaway lunches, weekend walks and office orders.
The Kingston venue will bring that same Caffè al Lago DNA to the Foreshore while introducing a few new touches.
Alongside the signature sandwiches and coffee, Dragan and Natalija are planning to introduce more Italian-style offerings, including pizza al taglio and their authentic cannoli.
And then there’s the cannoli tower.
Rather than arriving at a birthday or office morning tea with a traditional cake, imagine turning up with a tower of crisp cannoli filled with mascarpone and ricotta.
We’re already sold.
Caffé al Lago in Gungahlin. Photography: Andrew Ly, Nineteen Creative.
The new venue will also have a small drinks offering, with spritzes, Negronis and a selection of quality beers, opening up the possibility of lingering a little longer after work. It’s a slightly different direction from the Yerrabi Pond café, but one that feels perfectly suited to the Kingston Foreshore.
Dragan also owns Bektesh Burek Bakery, which produces more than 15 varieties of traditional burek and supplies supermarkets across Canberra.
During COVID, he personally delivered orders to customers, an experience that he says gave him a much deeper appreciation for the importance of local businesses and the relationships they build.
“I realised how important the community is,” he says.
“I wish we had more small businesses. I wish it was a little bit easier for someone who doesn’t have that much to start. I think if we had more small businesses, it would be an even richer community.”
That community-first approach is something you can feel in Caffè al Lago.
And while opening a second venue might look like the natural next step for a successful café, Dragan is refreshingly honest about the reality of building a small business.
“It’s a good journey,but it is very hard, long hours and hard work.” he says.
There are plenty more ideas in the pipeline, too. Dragan and Natalija are heading to Italy and Europe later this year, with plans to bring back plenty of inspiration for the new venue.
So, whether you’re looking for a quick coffee and freshly baked Italian sandwich during the working week, somewhere to grab a pizza on the way home, or a spot for a spritz and a bite with friends, Caffè al Lago’s Kingston arrival is one to keep an eye on.
And if the Yerrabi Pond location is anything to go by, we suspect Canberra will be very happy to have another Caffè al Lago to call its own.
Caffè al Lago Kingston is expected to open later this year. Stay tuned to @caffeallago and @hercanberra for opening updates.
