Jasmine Greens: A Cafe with a Healthy Conscience
If you’re looking for great coffee, nourishing food and house-baked sweets right next to a beach and an action-packed park, Jasmine Greens might just be the haven you’ve been looking for.
From takeaway treats and turmeric lattes with funky outdoor seating and a free book swap at the kiosk, to a cosy indoor cafe with a wholesome breakfast and lunch menu, and the occasional dinner, this Umina Beach eatery suits just about any occasion.
And when you dig a little deeper into Jasmine Greens, there is so much more to this “local” than meets the eye.
Jasmine Greens at Umina Beach
Jasmine Greens aim is to provide healthy, nurturing food which makes you feel better after eating it. And it does.
But don’t worry, they don’t skimp on flavour. You won’t even realise the hidden benefits whilst tucking into their moreish cinnamon scrolls with cardamom butter – like a soft, warm, cinnamon hug – freshly baked on weekends by the café’s fabulous artisan baker.
Or the healthy taste sensation that is brunch favorite, “the mermaid” – a colourful plate of smoked salmon, avocado and free range poached eggs, lightly sprinkled with sesame seeds and nori dust and served on Brasserie Bread sourdough toast (yes, that’s the multi award winning bakery no less).
Or the insta-worthy halloumi burger served on a charcoal bun.
Cinnamon scrolls at Jasmine Greens
All the produce is brought to you with love and care, while supporting local producers and farmers.
With genetically modified organism (GMO) free, free range, sugar-free, gluten-free, veggie and vegan options available on the menu, this is food with a conscience.
Plus, the coffee is fair trade and you get a discount by bringing your own reusable cup.
As owner Gabby Greyem says, “it’s all prepared fresh to order with love”, whether that’s a freshly squeezed juice, freshly baked gingernut cookie, freshly ground coffee or freshly fried gluten-free chips (in a separate fryer).
The Mermaid breakfast at Jasmine Greens
The café’s healthy and ethical influences can be traced back to Gabby’s macrobiotic upbringing in the Mediterranean and a stint with Greenpeace, as well as her passion for real food and the role it plays in bringing communities together.
After relocating her young family from the Eastern Suburbs to the southern Central Coast more than 15 years ago, Gabby was one of the first people to bring healthy food to the area with her first organic café and food store opening on Mt Ettalong Road back in 2004.
Turmeric latte at Jasmine Greens, Umina Beach. Photo: Lauren Riley
Fast forward a few years and thanks to the lobbying of a local mums group, Umina Park received a much needed $5m facelift and, in addition to a great new park for kids, came a sustainable, community cafe.
In 2014, Jasmine Greens opened its doors to the local community, tourists and wider coastal visitors.
Combining a passion for healthy and sustainable eating with her talents as a chef and a business owner, Jasmine Greens was a natural progression for Gabby.
The cafe has since won multiple awards including the most sustainable business on the Peninsula.
Jasmine Greens cafe
With the kiosk open seven days a week offering its takeaway menu from 7:30am to 4pm, Jasmine Greens is like a local friend whose door is always open.
The licensed indoor cafe is warm and cosy on cold and rainy days or offers a fresh, light-filled spot in summer. A full breakfast and lunch menu is available from Friday to Sunday.
The inviting space, with its colourful hanging umbrellas and floor-to-ceiling glass doors, is a great spot to sit back and enjoy brunch while the kids run amok outside or makes for a great regular hang out for book clubs, mothers’ groups or even a wedding.
Jasmine Greens kiosk
Not only has Gabby created a beautiful, ethical and sustainable cafe in Jasmine Greens, but she engages with the wider community as a whole.
Working closely with Brisbane Water High School, Gabby offers mentor programs including barista training for local teenagers. Originally a six month program, it’s now in its second year.
During school holidays, you’ll find Gabby hosting booked out cooking classes to hundreds of high school students, all packed into the cafe space at Jasmine Greens as they learn how to prepare nourishing dishes that also taste good.
And if that’s not enough, Gabby is currently developing a community garden, working closely with local schools and council to provide a space to grow food; bringing it from soil to plate… watch this space.
