Eclectic Café puts business expansion on the menu

By Tyler Evans, Orillia Matters

Eclectic Café, known for its popular lunch menu and catering service, is expanding.

The popular downtown eatery is taking over the vacant space directly beside their 39 Mississaga St. W. location - previously Worksite Quality Workwear - to offer signature meals, dressings and spreads. The café is also expanding its coffee service with a takeout cappuccino bar.

“Supporting local Ontario is what is really important to us, so we will have Ontario beverages and Ontario handcrafted items made by small business entrepreneurs,” said Melanie Robinson, owner of Eclectic Café.

“We will also have a larger pastry counter, and we are hoping to focus on some breads as well. Also, all of our takeouts will now operate in the new space, leaving the café solely as a restaurant.”

The expansion was set in motion by Robinson due to an increased need for more space. Robinson says the café is pretty well booked into 2023 for weddings.

“We just can’t maintain everything in this one space, so two-thirds of the space next door will be additional kitchen and prep areas, and the front third will be food retail and our own signature products,” Robinson said.

Robinson is hoping the new expanded space will be open by mid-January.

The expansion wouldn’t be possible without the "incredible support" of the café’s loyal customers, she said.

“We’ve been able to maintain our staffing levels and we’ve been able to roll with the times of the pandemic. I think people recognize the effort and the fight that we’ve had through the pandemic, and they have continuously supported us,” she said.

“We are trying to do something different at Eclectic Café. We are trying to showcase our local farmers and educate people to where our food is coming from and how to prepare food in the peak growing seasons. I think people really respond to that.”

Along with the new space, Robinson also has a new operating partner, Alana Bell.

“This expansion couldn’t have happened without a business partner, and Alana shares the same vision, goals and values that we started the business with,” Robinson said.

“She is a much-needed and well-deserved partner.”