Belconnen’s Stella’s By The Lake has placed itself among the nation’s best cafes, earning top honours at the 2024 Restaurant & Catering Hostplus National Awards for Excellence.
The pet-friendly cafe, run by father-daughter duo David and Ash Reid, enjoyed a standout night, taking home Gold in the Breakfast Restaurant category and Silver in Café Dining at the event in Melbourne.
“I still can’t believe it, it’s very overwhelming,” said Ash. “I was just so happy. I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or smile.”
Finalist at last year’s award, David said that while he was hopeful of winning this year, it was still a shock to actually hear their name called.
“I had tears in the eyes, and couldn’t believe it,” smiled David. “It was just amazing. You’re always in with a chance to win, but you just never really expect it to happen.”
They both agreed the achievement was even sweeter doing it alongside family, adding that while some might expect clashes, they’ve always worked well together.
“It does make it extra special,” said Ash. “At the start, it was David in the kitchen, and I was at the front, being a manager. He took care of the kitchen stuff and I took care of the front of house. We both have our own little jobs that we really excel at.”
Dave has been involved in Canberra’s cafe industry since 1986 and when the urge to open a new place struck, he was excited to work alongside his daughter.
“We knew we could work well together, and I had the itch to get another place. I was always looking, and Ash actually came up to me and said, ‘Well, if you find something, I wouldn’t mind going in with you,'” he said.
Stella’s has become a local favourite over the last few years and is known not just for its great food and coffee but also for being one of Canberra’s best pet-friendly cafes. The name also has a special meaning behind it.
“I had two dogs named Stella and Tank, and they passed away just before we opened,” said Ash. So we’ve always welcomed dogs and have always had a pup menu.”
“It’s an ideal location for dogs, right next to the lake with a large outdoor area,” added David.
Stella’s by the Lake is located at 1 Beissel Street, Belconnen. Open seven days a week, from 7am-2pm on weekdays and 8am-2pm on weekends.
The ACT also had a number of other winners at the 2024 Restaurant & Catering Hostplus National Awards for Excellence. See below for details.
Full list of ACT Winners:
GOLD
- Hotel Realm – Wedding Caterer
- Les Bistronomes – European Restaurant
- Stella’s By The Lake – Breakfast Restaurant
- Vincent Restaurant – Wine Bar
SILVER
- Stella’s By The Lake – Cafe Dining
BRONZE
- The Boat House – Contemporary Australian Restaurant
- Les Bistronomes – Premium Dining
Click here to learn more about the awards and see the full list of winners.
