Photography courtesy of Moon Sage Media

Whether it’s breakfast or lunch, a quick coffee pick-up, or a mid-day meeting, there’s one local venue that’s perfect for any occasion; Talulah!

Having been gracing our local café scene for years, this foodie joint has seen many a change with the new owners Jack, Kahlea, and Myles Scheeren taking over The Junction-based café in 2019.

“We moved to Newcastle from Canberra in 2018 chasing our dream of living in a close-knit seaside community where we can balance raising a wholesome family with our passions for architecture, hospitality, and Buddhism.

“The day we arrived in Newcastle we knew this was going to be our home for life. We have integrated into the community faster and deeper than we had imagined and feel more at home here than we ever have,” Jack shared.

Having built a reputation over its first 12-years of business as the go-to food and coffee spot for The Junction, the new crew have continued the Talulah legacy if you will, all whilst injecting their own personality, beliefs, and overall good vibes.

“Who we stand for as a brand and what we offer our community is extremely important to us. It’s not just about money, it’s about doing something meaningful with our lives that fits with our values.”

For those that have been big fans of Talulah since its original opening, you can relax knowing that the venue, one of Newcastle’s best known cafe institutions, continues to be in good hands. 

“We’re not just some family having a go at hospitality. I have been part of some of Australia’s most highly regarded cafes in Canberra and Melbourne and want to bring that knowledge and experience and contribute to Newcastle’s fast-growing industry.”

With the couples’ values firmly rooted in Buddhism, the café’s ‘why’ is ultimately very simple; for everyone to be the happiest they can be! Knowing the feeling people can have from indulging their senses with food, drinks, music, and beautiful surroundings, this is the philosophy that Talulah strives for.  

“We aim to make others happy by attracting them with our passion for modern, creative hospitality and expert products. Through this, we are able to connect and build a relationship. That could be used through meaningful conversation or providing a platform for them to work with us using their expertise or passions.”

The duo have an extensive background in specialty cafes and have continued on their journey in the hospitality world by shifting Talulah’s focus on specialty coffee, exceptional modern café food, and a vibrant environment. Since taking over, they have refreshed the space by opening up the interiors to reflect the venue’s new direction as a unique, modern, yet homely cafe. 

The overall experience features that classic combination of an always reliable menu that never disappoints, a cosy indoor and outdoor dining space that’s perfect for casual catchups, and of course, good old-fashioned quality service.

Delivering a foodie menu that rolls with the seasons, you can expect fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients, alongside a beverage list that continues with their attention to detail featuring ONA Coffee.

“We always push ourselves culinarily, however, our focus is to deliver it in an approachable rustic yet refined manner.”

The all-day menu features dishes perfect to suit all taste-buds, our current picks are none other than the Summer Hotcakes with fresh peach, berries, whey caramel, fennel cream, and earl grey genoise; and crowd-favourite Aussie brunch dish, Smashed Avo complete with charred corn salsa, hummus, pico de gallo, crispy spiced black beans, lime, and charred sourdough.

More than just their food and drink, Jack and Kahlea are big on becoming a part of the local community by providing endless opportunities for others to engage and interact with, share values, and support one another.

Since taking over, the local café space launched their UNRESTRICTED event program which provided a platform for local artists, musicians, and catering chefs to rebuild following the 2020 COVID lockdowns.

As well as engaging local creatives and crafts people to contribute to the activation of the space both internally and externally and even utisiling the space for out-of-hours yoga classes and other community events.

Whether you’re dropping by for an early or mid-morning coffee, quick bite or long lunch, a catch-up at Talulah in The Junction is your next go-to venue.