Meltdown has only been open in the small Hunter Valley community of Huntlee for just over a week when we drop by, but already the café has its regulars.

It’s not hard to see why. Owner Cam’s affable personality greets you at the door, the aroma of coffee beckons and the warm space invites you to stay a while. 

Creating a welcoming place for the community to gather is at the core of Cam’s business ethos. 

“I want to be friendly and open with everybody and learn things about them, I want to build a community. People are coming from Sydney, Queensland, even overseas to live here, so being able to give them an opportunity to come and have a laugh is important,” Cam said.

After working in hospitality for many years and wanting to open his own café, Cam came across the space in Huntlee and decided to give it a go.

The food menu – full of elevated café favourites – is available all day and changes regularly.

“Our entire menu is changing all the time. It’s things that are seasonal, things that we feel like eating, things that we want to serve, things that are available,” Cam said.

While you might not get the same thing twice at Meltdown, you can expect menu items like toasties and baked goods to remain a staple. 

If you’re a fan of Reece Hignell, you’ll be excited to learn that Cam and the team are cooking up treats from Reece’s cookbook, like a Basque cheesecake and gluten-free almond coconut teacake. 

Meltdown takes their drinks menu seriously too. For your caffeine fix, expect a custom coffee blend by Floozy Coffee Roasters – nice and smooth with hints of chocolate. 

Not a coffee drinker? Enjoy a tea from The Tea Collective (which are available to shop at Meltdown too) or a plant-based smoothie, with the option to add protein. 

The decision to have plenty of plant-based, nourishing items on the menu was a deliberate choice by Cam, since Meltdown is next door to a gym. 

Other menu decisions, like stocking The Tea Collective’s range of Maternity teas, were also made with the local community in mind – as Cam notes, the area is full of young families and expecting parents.

Cam says the reception to Meltdown has been positive so far. After doing most of the café’s fitout himself in 8 weeks, he’s ready to settle in and see Meltdown grow.

“I think it was a success. But then again it’s not finished, it’s always going to grow – we’ll add character as we build a community together. I want to have a lot of other people influencing Meltdown rather than just me.”

If you head to Meltdown, chances are you'll become part of the family in no time.