The cafe at the heart of Whitebridge

When you step into Pegs Cafe in Whitebridge, you immediately feel the warmth that owner Mel Chapman has poured into every corner of the space. 

For Mel, Pegs is not just a cafe, it’s her life’s work, her family’s livelihood, and the heart of a community that has grown alongside the business for the past 13 years. 

Mel Chapman

“I always wanted to do my style of food and service. I wanted to make people feel like they were being welcomed into my home. I wanted whatever I created here to be the heart and soul of the community, which I think is exactly what we’ve created here at Pegs,” Mel said. 

The cafe’s name is inspired by her children – Polly, Eddison, and George – who have grown up with Pegs as much as the locals have.

“I’ve now got all of the kids working in the business from time to time. Eddie loves working the coffee machine, George prefers back-of-house, and Polly loves baking.”

But Pegs is so much more than your average run-of-the-mill cafe.

Over the past 18 months, Mel has been leaning into her love of baking, launching an impressive range of cakes that have quickly become a local obsession.

“Everything that you see is baked in-house fresh. I’ve also been doing lots of pre-orders for cakes as well as helping a local catering company on the odd occasion. It’s almost at a point of it being its own little side business!”

The cakes have been a hit, in particular, the Basque cheesecakes, all of which are gluten-free and absolutely flavour packed. 

“The cheesecakes are what people are really going nuts for. We’ve got lemon meringue, brownie, pistachio, and plain vanilla. On the weekends, we’re finding people are coming in for breakfast, but before they leave, they’re walking out with $50-$60 worth of cakes to take home!”

If you’re after something a little more custom, Mel has you covered. At the moment, cake orders are being taken through direct message via Instagram and Facebook.

“I can do quite literally anything when it comes to cakes. A few weeks ago, I did a chocolate cake for a two-year-old’s birthday. The brief was pink with 100s and 1000s. I really am open to working on anything.”

Alongside the launch of the new cake venture, Pegs continues to thrive in the evenings, with three distinctive dinner offerings across the week. Thursday nights are all about family-friendly Italian classics.

“The menu on Thursday nights is more Italian-style. It’s cheaper and a lot of our customers end up ordering it takeaway. It’s a little treat before the weekend hits.”

Come Friday and Saturday nights, the energy shifts with Pegs’ popular Mediterranean-style dinners. Guests can choose between share-style dining or a Feed Me banquet for the full experience.

“There are so many things you can do with Mediterranean cuisine, and it just works in this venue and this area.”

With dishes like Tuscan pork belly, lamb shoulder, and roasted pumpkin gnocchi – it’s no wonder the nights are a hit. 

The success of Pegs over the last 13 years has always come down to passion – both hers and the Pegs team.

“I have an amazing chef in the kitchen, his name is Nathan. We both think the same and we’re both so passionate about everything that goes in and out of the kitchen. I feel very lucky to have him. Jemma is leading our front of house team and she's also such a gem to have in the Pegs crew – she's a rare gem!”

Jemma (Manager), Mel (Owner), and Nathan (Head Chef)

After two decades of being self-employed, and over a decade of building Pegs into a Whitebridge institution, Mel still finds joy in every day she spends at the venue.

“I love everything that I do in here. I can walk back in here every single day and still get excited. It feels like home.”

Looking ahead, Mel has hopes to renovate, adding cosy booth-style seating to make the space even more welcoming. But her focus remains on the community that has embraced Pegs from the very beginning.

If you haven’t been “pegged” yet, as one recent Google review put it, it might be time to stop by. Whether it’s a slice of cheesecake, a family night dinner, or a Mediterranean feast, Pegs is serving more than just food, it’s serving the heart and soul of Whitebridge.