Five minutes with Stacey Catlin, The Little Cup Cafe

Who is Stacey Catlin? I was born just outside of Leeton and I’ve been in Wagga for five and a half years. I wanted city life without being in Sydney and still in the country with a little bit more going on.

I bought the cafe [The Little Cup] in 2019 and we converted it into the drive-through at the end of COVID. The drive-through has been really good. It’s very consistent … we see the same people every day. But in the last 12 to 15 months, with the cost of living going up, the people we saw every day, we might see them three times a week. There’s definitely little of change but you’ve got to save money somewhere.

I started working when I was 14 years old and I’ve always worked in hospitality. I was looking at purchasing a cafe before I moved [to Wagga]. I then found the cafe and took over when I came here.

Best recent dining experience: It was at The Rocks in Sydney. There’s a steakhouse where they do a seven-course meal and it was really good.

Favourite cuisine: My favourite cuisine is Italian.

What ingredient can you not live without? I can’t live without salt.

Best coffee spot in Wagga: Aside from Little Cup Cafe, it would be Thorne Street.

Favourite coffee: If I’m at a cafe, I’ll drink a latte. But if I’m on the go, I’ll drink an iced coffee.

What’s your coffee blend? It is Art of Espresso and I use Kombi blend.

What’s the weirdest coffee order you’ve received? It’s not so much weird. Everyone has their way of drinking the coffee. It’s more the amount of sugar people put in that throws me off. Honestly, there’s no limit. It can go from having one sugar to someone asking for 20.

Next big thing in the Wagga food scene: Wagga is always a few years behind the cities. Things are happening in the cities and then Wagga catches up a couple of years later. I think craft beers, wine and those little quiet spots where you can go out and just drink and enjoy something will take off here soon enough.

Favourite place to lunch in Wagga: I don’t really lunch. I’m a brunch person. We go between Thorne Street and Bayleaf Cafe.

A must-try on our menu: We usually have cookies or cakes available. At the moment, it’s Malteser Easter bunnies getting in on the Easter vibes. But it’s usually the freshly baked cookies. Everyone wants the chocolate chip cookies.

Most used ingredient at The Little Cup Cafe: It would be coffee.

Our top pick from our desserts: Chocolate chip cookies.

My biggest culinary influence: My biggest culinary influences are Gino D’Acampo and Silvia Colloca.

Favourite cookbook: The Eternal City by Maria Pasquale.

Who I admire in the Wagga food and wine scene: Everyone is doing well across Wagga. We’re always focusing on ourselves. You never look around and see what other people are doing around you. Everyone has their own thing and they are focused on their own goals. As much as we have an abundance of cafes, every single one has its own unique thing. Even the Bottle Shop – we are completely different to everybody else.

Death-row meal: Pasta, then you could choose whatever you wanted in it at the time, and wine. The wine will depend on the pasta.

Where am I travelling to next: We’re off to Italy in four weeks. Food-wise I like Rome, and we’re also visiting little coastal towns we haven’t seen before.

Dream destination: Aside from Italy, I would have to say Greece.

My biggest fear: I have lots of little fears. I don’t like bugs and I’m outdoors all day. I’m not a fan of spiders.

My least favourite food: Anything with a soft, mushy texture. Like wet Weet-Bix.

My top three cooking tips: Use good oil. Use salt and taste everything as you cook.

The Litte Cup Cafe is open Monday to Friday from 7 am to 9:30 am and it’s inside Wagga Cellars at 407 Lake Albert Road, Kooringal, Wagga Wagga.