Rainforest Retreat
Wander the tranquil grounds, enjoy a flavoursome meal and immerse yourself in another world at the Bamboo Buddha
Nestled into the rainforest in Holgate you will find the Bamboo Buddha, a beloved local institution that is so much more than a vegetarian café.
Constructed among natural vegetation, the picturesque venue features charming little bridges, Buddha statues and a central koi and goldfish pond that will transport you to Bali.
Tanya and her husband Oliver Kuster fell in love with the space four and a half years ago. While they have made a few small changes over the years, they have kept the overall vibe and set-up true to its core. The Bamboo Buddha is a place to be nurtured through food and the surrounding environment.
There is a colourful range of delicious vegetarian and vegan food – homemade cakes and soups, slow cooked curries or the famous Buddha Burger, made from a vegan walnut patty on a whole wheat roll with salad, and a side of rosemary salted potatoes.
Owner Tanya Hazlewood said that patrons returned to the Bamboo Buddha post the COVID-19 lockdowns, craving some much needed fresh air in the soothing space. Enjoying the organic coffee and gorgeous teas while basking in the ambience.
“We offered takeaway throughout COVID. After which, we wanted to create a comforting space for staff and the community to connect with each other, not physically but with nature,” she said.
There is a strong sense here of supporting ‘local’, something that Tanya mentioned had really ramped up in recent times.
There are handmade earrings and necklaces by local mum Heidi at Happy Chance Finds. Jams, relishes and fruit butters by local chef Joy from Soul Food Gluten free. Seasonal fruit and vegetable boxes fresh from the markets delivered by The Fruit Spot. As well as gluten free bread by Naturally Gluten Free and Matcham Gold Honey from BeeUtiful Honey.
The café uses the Central Coast’s famous Little Creek cheeses and you can also find a wide variety of sweet treats made locally like mouth-watering apple berry crumbles, salted caramel macadamia tarts, lemon myrtle and white chocolate brownies, vegan carrot cake, vegan cupcakes – supplied by Soul Food Gluten Free, The Brownie Lady and Constant Craving Cakes.
Famous local country singer Kasey Chambers has performed at the Bamboo Buddha and regularly visits, referring to it as her ‘happy place’.
The venue hosts a number of events and activities each week, and recently, during the pandemic lockdown, they held two ‘house concerts’ where local artists recorded music that people could enjoy at home while the venue delivered meals to their door.
Acclaimed musician and director Andrew Worboys, sax player Paul Chennard and singers Pippa Grandison and Shauna Jensen were part of the occasion.
In addition, you can partake in a range of yoga classes with experienced teachers. Styles include Hatha, Yin, Vinyasa and Kundalini.
There are also monthly sound baths, a popular relaxation technique and meditative experience whereby participants ‘bathe’ in the sound waves produced by the human voice as well as instruments such as chimes, gongs, drums and singing bowls.
In the future, the Bamboo Buddha plans to collaborate with Fires Creek, a Holgate winery that handcraft an innovative and diverse variety of award-winning fruit, flower and herb wines. They also plan to offer lunch and wine tasting with local tours.
If you’re in the Holgate area, we recommend paying the Bamboo Buddha a visit.
