"Welcome to Five Senses Coffee"

When you talk to John Todaro, owner of Bella Vista Espresso Bar, you get the impression that he was almost destined to open his own café. A first generation Italian from Melbourne, with a background in fashion and design, John has always been around good coffee.

John has worked in family cafés in the past, and tells me, “I wanted to do it my way. I wanted a small café that was manageable, allowing me to refine my ideas and create my own style, whilst incorporating many of my favourite things from Melbourne establishments.”

And so Bella Vista was born. While John protests that he knows “very little about the industry”, he sure knows his coffee. John has a ‘no compromise’ attitude to coffee that is very refreshing. He refuses to conform to the demand for what he calls “franchised coffee — mugs and extra large takeaway cups, flavours, bells and whistles”.

John goes on to explain, “At Bella Vista, I have trained my team to appreciate good coffee and to understand that there is little need to change a good thing. We don’t do mugs and we don’t do marshmallows.” And his customers? Well, “they love it” says John. “They understand that we just make good coffee.”

John tells me that he considers restraint to be the most important aspect in producing excellent espresso. “The operator must show restraint in not grinding too fine, not packing too hard, not pouring too long, not steaming too hot. The operator needs to focus on these details and understand the subtle variation that each part of the process can make to achieving the best results.”

Actually, Bella Vista is not only about good coffee. Its reputation for good food is as strong as its reputation for fine coffee, and John has secured two of Geraldton’s best chefs, who produce sensational meals from the best fresh, local produce. Bella Vista is the number one breakfast venue in Geraldton, and attracts strong crowds. Drawing from John’s heritage, Bella Vista’s traditional Italian risottos and pastas have earned a very strong reputation. John isn’t one to boast, but I hear that Bella Vista was awarded a finalist place in the Good Food Guides TV competition for Best Italian Restaurant in WA. Naturally, being Geraldton, seafood also features strongly — freshly caught, of course.

John is obviously proud of the business that he has been building for over three years, and it’s not hard to see why. In fact, he readily admits that he loves his business and that he’s proud that Bella Vista has raised the standards for what is to come. It makes me smile when John confides, “I most enjoy that locals are now venturing out for breakfast and lunch every day, that men in Geraldton can now sit down and do coffee and that people appreciate that we are not prepared to be flexible about our style. It seems as though we have changed public perception rather than changing to public expectation.” It’s so nice to hear someone with an obvious passion for what they do being rewarded through the satisfaction of their customers.

Not everything is rosy, though. John tells me that with Geraldton under threat of invasion from numerous franchises that focus on making money for their Perth-based owners, rather than building the local community, the little guys like him are feeling the squeeze. Fortunately, coffee lovers in Geraldton seem to have learned to appreciate quality coffee rather than the “bells and whistles” approach.

It’s just a shame that I’m a five hour drive from Bella Vista … but I know where I’ll be stopping on my next trip to Broome!

Bella Vista Espresso Bar: Shop 1, 205 Marine Terrace, Geraldton WA 6530 Telephone: (08) 9964 2681

Opening Hours: 7.00am – 3.00pm, serving breakfast and lunch 7 days a week, including Public Holidays; open late for dinner every Friday night