Chris Starke is a very clever man.
Don’t let his quiet demeanour fool you, because he really knows what he’s doing. First he created Youeni in Surry Hills, which charmed all of us (my friends Tania and Lorraine have both written about it). It’s a tiny café, with enthusiastic, friendly staff, and a small menu focused on delicious organic produce. Since discovering it last year, Pete and I have rarely lunched anywhere else.
Chris’ newest store is located in Castle Hill – some 33km from the CBD. Other restauranteurs might have baulked at branching out so far from their inner city roots, but as I said, Chris knows what he’s doing. The Youeni Foodstore in Castle Hill opened just a week ago, and has been packed with eager customers ever since.
Pete and I promised that we’d drive up for a visit once they opened, and we took the opportunity to do so yesterday. We arrived at 9.15am for breakfast and sat at the bar, as all the inside tables were taken (on a Tuesday morning!).
This new Foodstore is much larger than the previous one, and has allowed Chris and his team (including Ky, Nolan and Damien from the Surry Hills store – it was so nice to see familiar faces) to expand their offerings. Their street front location comes with ample free underground parking, they now have a liquor licence, and the food selection has widened considerably.
As always, their bread is all baked in-house…
A selection of loaves can now be bought over the counter, with the range due to expand in coming weeks…
Their homemade muesli is packed with fruit and nuts…
…and served with fresh yoghurt and stewed rhubarb ($9) – I would have taken a prettier photo, but Pete didn’t wait…
We shared a jug of Ky’s “mystery juice” ($8.50), which changes daily depending on available fruit. Ours was a freshly juiced blend of orange, pear, beetroot and carrot, and it was delicious…
Pete and I sat at the end of the bar, watching the food being prepared, and listening to Chris as he patiently tutored his new staff…
Nolan was busy working his coffee magic…
My breakfast of avocado toast with a side of bacon ($11) was perfect. Next time I’m there though, I’m going to try the scrambled eggs, which were cooked without cream or milk. Prices were very reasonable, especially for organic, homemade food – we paid $28.50 for our meal, including the jug of juice.
We resisted the pastry cabinet, which Damien was working frantically to keep filled – by 10am, they’d nearly sold out of lemon meringue tarts and the apricot tarte tatins were on their second run…
Youeni Foodstore in Castle Hill is far more than just an eatery – it also offers fresh organic produce, homemade edibles, and an admirable philosophy for eating and living. You won’t find fizzy soft drinks on the menu here. But you will find carefully crafted, well thought out meals, smiling staff and a mellow, relaxed atmosphere. It’s easy to see why it’s already so popular!
. . . . .
Youeni Foodstore, Castle Hill
250 Old Northern Road
Castle Hill NSW 2154
www.youeni.com
Current Opening Hours: 7am to 5pm, 7 days a week
(they’ll be serving dinner in the near future)
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
seems soooooo delicious :) I want to fly now! Thank you dear Celia, love, nia
Nia, you would adore all their fresh organic produce! :)
Wow! That packed on a Tuesday morning?! Good for him. It just goes to show that people will travel far and wide for honest, quality food. Thanks for sharing Celia :)
Emilie, that’s exactly what Pete and I thought, good on them for making it work so well so quickly! You’re right too – I think it shows a movement in the zeitgeist, people have far more of an interest in eating well and organically, and that’s not just limited to the cities anymore! :)
Exactly the kind of place I like to eat. Join you for some mystery juice….. :)
When you come Sally, I will take you there for lunch. Then we can come back to my place and explore my cellar. :D
Hey, that is the little place where we had lunch in Surry Hills that you told us to go to!! See, I remember:)
Yes, that’s the one! The new store is MUCH bigger! :)
Looks good- I have a couple of favorite cafe/eateries that I love going to for exactly the reasons you have given!
(only mine are in Cleveland, Ohio, and NYC- :) )
Heidi, next time you go, please take photos for us! :) xx
Sounds absolutely divine. My eyes were opened when I moved to Melbourne from the UK in 1992 and ate food never even heard of there. Now am in Ireland and thankfully artisan food is on the up & up here.
I’d heard that the artisan food movement in Ireland is rolling along at speed! How fabulous to be in the midst of it! :)
How exciting Celia. It looks great. Maybe we could go on a Thelma and Louise and friends road trip!!
Tania, it’s definitely worth a visit the next time you have a day off! :)
wow thanks for telling us about them. im going to have to visit its 10mins away from me.
Sam, that’s so cool! I wish it was 10 minutes away from us, rather than a 35 minute drive! :)
I think he’ll do very well out in Castle Hill. It’s just what the area needs and it’s such a growth area in Sydney whereas Surry Hills couldn’t really get any more crowded. I’d love to try the scrambled eggs without dairy. I wonder what goes into them Just eggs? That would have the taste of an omelette. I’m intrigued xx
Charlie, you’re so right about Surry Hills and the inner west, I think they’ll do really well in Castle Hill as well! The scrambled eggs were a topic of discussion – Chris was adamant that if you make them properly, they don’t need milk or cream (there might have been a bit of butter to grease the pan). They certainly looked very creamy and delicious as they were going out!
I usually cook them just as you described and you do need a little good quality butter (not the watery stuff).
How wonderful they are in Castle Hill; I go there once a week to buy fresh fish!
Elaine, that’s great! I think you’re going to love their store! :)
It’s nice to find another great breakfast spot, isn’t it Celia. And I love that you can buy their bread, taking a bit of the experience home with you.
Amanda, you can buy their toasted muesli as well! :) And yes, it was a lovely space to while away a couple of hours.. x
It certainly looks like he’s onto a winner there Celia! I certainly never add anything to my scrambled eggs but seasoning and a tiny splash of water. If you ever have nasty, weepy, watery scrambled eggs it’s because the dairy has split. There’s nothing worse than that oozing into your toast and making it soggy- yuck! :P
That’s very interesting, Chef Becca! I must experiment – people seem to add all sorts of things to scrambled eggs. Apparently Tetsuya adds creamed corn and ricotta to his! :)
Wish more people have the vision to open further away from Sydney central. All these top restaurants and food places closing around Surry Hills, but others opening to replace them only to close within a year or two. Isn’t that saying something?
I’m just glad that there is someone who realises that people out this way (or anything further than 5km out of the city) still enjoy a good coffee and good food.
Lien, is it close to you? I wish it was closer to us! :)
I’m so happy another great little cafe has opened up in my area – and I’m glad that cafe owners finally see that people in the west like good food, food coffee and good produce … it’s nice not having to travel 33kms into the city these days for a decent feed. I went to Youeni last week – loved it, and I’m going to go back this week for lunch.
Mel, that’s fantastic – and if the full house yesterday was anything to go by, it’s going to be a great success! Their lunches are amazing! :)
Good to see what the new place is like. And those prices are amazing! You could pay for that for one person for breakfast at times!
I know! And I think I have! :)
The jug of juice was $8.50, we watched it being made, and it filled our two small glasses twice! :) xx
33km isn’t far to go if the store offers high quality products. I’d go without giving it a second thought. His type of business needs our support so that others might try it, too. :)
Darn it John, why do you live so far away? ;-)
Oh, this is such great news! I just forwarded it to my husband.
We are so missing organic food in this area. Can’t wait to check it out. Thanks for this, Celia
Elisabeth, you are very welcome, I’m sure you’re going to love the place. The food is great, and the people are incredibly nice! :)
What a lovely place to dine. Delicious food, pleasant atmosphere, great price and organic also, my kind of eatery. If I ever make it to Sydney (dreaming).
Whenever you get here, Norma, I think these guys are going to be around for a looong time! :)
If only every city was filled with places like this Celia. Thanks for the water in scrambled eggs tip InTolerantChef I’ll have to try that as I don’t like adding milk or cream to mine. I would have gone for the avo toast too Celia. Yum!
Claire, all I’ve wanted to eat since is more avocado toast and bacon! I might now have to go and buy some avos! :) You’re right too love, if only all cities were filled with places like this.. x
I love the feel of this place Celia, it looks really good. As Claire said…if only there were more places like this.
Wouldn’t it be lovely, Jane? :)
This so looks ‘like me’ also – just cannot see myself going 125 km for breakfast and shop :( ! Second best thing – let all my Sydney friends know: some of them even live in the Hills!!
That’s great Eha, thanks! :)
Wow! That looks great (and not TOO far away from us). Looks alot like the most fantastic place I finally ate at in Armidale NSW – “the Goldfish Bowl”. Housemade Bread and all! I could live there.
Vix, nice to hear that it’s reasonably close for you – it’s quite a distance from our house, or I’d probably haunt the place! ;-)
There’s something luxurious and ‘holiday’ feeling about going out for breakfast and that place looks so inviting. I would have gone for the muesli – and the mystery juice and maybe two coffees. Presentation is such a big part of the enjoyment of food isn’t it.
Jan, you have such a nice way of phrasing things, and you’re absolutely right – Pete and I both had the day off, and it was a very “holiday” thing to do!
That avocado spread on your toasted bread & the side bacon looks,just perfect for me! A great & lovely looking store!
Sophie, it was the perfect breakfast! Thank you! :)
There is something lovely about going out to breakfast and your choices look perfect. It would be hard to pick which dish I would order, they all look so nourishing. :-) Hugs, Maz.
Maz, you would love the lunches here. They do an amazing garden salad with all sorts of interesting veg in it!
Wow, what a fantastic place! One to add to my, “to do breakfasts” list!! Thanks for sharing Celia.
You’re most welcome, Mrs Mulberry! It’s a great space! :)
This is just the sort of restaurant I love.. and nothing is more wonderful than wandering in on a day off and enjoying the scent of breakfast and baking in the air. All with a good cup of coffee.. it’s just the best! xx
Barb, I could see myself sitting there with my Kindle for a couple of hours.. :) xx
The food looks yummy, loooove your avacado toast. Do they serve breakfast and lunch only?
Sponge, at the moment, but I believe they’re expanding their hours to include dinner soon! :)
oh I still need to get there don’t I!
You’d love it, Brydie, but Surry Hills is a heck of a lot closer to you.. :)
Yay! New food venues are always welcome in the Hills district, especially if they serve good coffee. Coffee is a big problem north of the harbour, but it is improving. Can’t wait to try it out.
Celia, next time you are out that way check out Dolcettini (for a treat) but don’t tell anyone!
Now Chris, if you don’t tell anyone, how will you keep them in business? :D
Dear Celia,
The food looks really wholesome and honest. Prices seem very reasonably too considering organic produce and large servings. The locals must be embracing this newcomer with open arms, great review!
Thanks Chopinand! We’ll never make it as restaurant reviewers – we find people we like, and follow them wherever they go! And we really like Chris and his team – they’re genuinely nice guys with a passion for making great food.. :)
Looks good, Celia. Would love to check it out sometime.