Our special producers, farmers and restaurants deserve our recognition, and your Committee will be awarding the 2025 Snails of Approval at Kiama Farmers Market on Wednesday 14 April at 4:00pm.
Our awardees this year are again a diverse collection of businesses, who continue to strive to produce Good, Clean and Fair food in our area and for our community. Each will receive a certificate and a plaque to display at their businesses so visitors and locals alike will know they are businesses worthy of support, and who are part of a world wide Slow Food organisation.
They are also invited to apply for a Business Development Grant to be awarded at our Autumn Dinner on 30 April,
The 2025 awardees are:
Bee Inspired
Producing raw, local honey encouraging biodiversity with local farmers for tree and flower planting. No chemicals are added, no plastic packaging, and honey is sold in local shops reducing food miles.
Classes and demonstrations spread the organic lesson and the vital need to keep bees healthy!
Branch and Barrow
Primary producers who pasture raise and regeneratively farm meat and eggs for their local community, on a small farm near Braidwood. A small number of animals are raised with respect to their needs, using low stress techniques, and respecting the natural environment.
High quality produce is sold at Kiama Farmers Markets.
Gung’s Gourmet Thai Food (Facebook)
Gung’s market product is made using local produce from the Kiama Farmers Market and the Southern Highlands, close to 100% farm to plate, combined with Phuket traditional recipes, for totally handmade meals. Preserving Thai eating traditions with convenience and goodness.
Hywel’s Lemonade
A simple business model, using high quality local ingredients. Glass refillable containers reduce carbon footprint, and all packaging is 100% recyclable.
Little Earth Roasters
Little Earth Cafe
Westend Coffee Lab
Long standing great coffee makers and distributors are now in 2 Kiama sites, near the Little Blowhole and the West end of town. In-house homemade snacks combine with locally made produce on the shelves to add to the best coffee and toastie experiences.
Coffee roasting is a speciality.
Manning Street Local (@manningstreetlocal)
A local coffee producer adding a changing menu of seasonal and organic foods daily, supplemented with farm and market-produced jams and pickles from the counter. Produce from a local family farm enhances flavour and sustainability.
Martins Ridge Farm
Operating in a chemical free environment, using whole heritage bred animals, no waste and no use of single use plastics. The animals are controlled in house from breeding to selling to consumers. Education about seasonality on farm is demonstrated in tours and charcuterie courses.
Miss Arda Restaurant
Middle Eastern traditional recipes made with local Australian produce continue the pleasure of healthy eating, reflecting international food cultures. Small scale local producers are sourced for ingredients, aiming to minimize the environmental footprint and support biodiversity.
Moonacres Kitchen
A restaurant in the Southern Highlands selling sustainable, and locally grown produce incorporated in their Italian inspired menu. Produce comes from farms using sustainable practices, especially its food partner Moonacres Farm.
Silica Restaurant
Enhance the palate with locally sourced food! A long term Slow Food Saddleback partner. Most produce comes from local farms, and Silica’s own plots at the Dapto Community Farm. The battle to minimize food waste continues with portion control and calculated ordering systems. Waste disposal practices ensure minimal land fill.
Slow Dough
The bakery with a vision to bring people together around their wholesome goods! Chemical free flour combined with seasonal produce is incorporated into a changing weekly menu. All cups and waste packaging is composted or recycled and surplus bread is distributed to charity partners through the Kiama Uniting Church.
The Blue Swimmer Restaurant
Produces food that not only tastes good but is healthy to eat. Where possible local seasonal produce is included in all menus, and food from the farm allows for traditional methods of fermenting and pickling to prolong the harvest period. Slow Food practices are always on show.
Top Shop Kiama (Facebook)
The South end of Kiama is blessed with this small shop selling local produce, handmade goods and high quality fruit and veg. This combines with staples that are often organic and wherever possible Australian made. Convenience with quality.
It has been a while since Members got together for a special meal, a chance to support another local restaurant that is developing Slow Food practices.