190  Military Rd, Port Kembla
280 Keira St, Wollongong

How did Cakes by Rach come about?

I originally worked in a corporate job for 22 years and trained myself within the last 5 years to become a cake maker, just as a hobby for friends’ birthdays and engagements. Over a glass of wine with a friend, I asked “do you think anyone would buy one?”  and before I knew it, I had a side hustle selling cakes via Instagram. I had a commercial kitchen set up in my home where I had my son helping me, but we outgrew that fast as business picked up. I left my corporate job and began looking for a commercial space where I found this shop in Port Kembla, but when I saw the location and size, I knew it had to be more than a cake shop. It was screaming for something else. So, I planned a fit out for a café as well. The locals were so excited.

How long have you been operating?

We just celebrated our one-year anniversary in September of this year and from the successful year we had, I was fortunate enough to open in a second location on Keira Street, Wollongong, which we opened in August 2023.

What is the best thing about your location?

It is 100% the locals, they are amazing. They have all been so welcoming and supportive of us to the area. It feels like we are not only part of the Port Kembla community, but a part of all the little subcommunities too, like the PK Pumas soccer club, Vespa Club, surf club, all the cyclists, as they stop by on their ventures. It truly feels like we get to be part of it all.

Tell us about your menu…

I had a brainstorming session with my staff, but then I decided there is no point in trying to guess what our customers would like, so I simply asked them. I am always happy to try anything new. Most importantly I wanted to create a menu that offers quality meals at a reasonable price that customers can afford to return to. We are currently working on our new summer menu, but don’t stress, we are leaving a few customers favourites like our B&E rolls and the big breakfast.

What brand of coffee do you serve and why?

We serve Campos coffee. Again, I asked the customers what they wanted, and I was pleased to decide on this brand of quality coffee.

What’s the secret to a perfect brew?

Honestly, there is a lot of contributing factors. A good coffee is more than just quality coffee beans and well-trained baristas, it’s a whole experience that we try to make as pleasant as possible. We try our best to remember regular coffee orders and just make sure our customers feel good in the mornings, because really that’s why they are there – for a pick-me-up!

If you buy coffee from another spot in the Illawarra, where do you go?

North Break café in Woonona, that’s my local.

What’s are your plans for the café in the future?

I currently have a project underway for both cafes. I want to open nights in Port Kembla and host an end of the week wind down, with sundowners and live music out on the deck. For Keira Street, it offers a more intimate feeling which is perfect for hosting high tea. Both locations bring in different crowds which I think complement each other.