About Us
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“Only serving food that we would eat ourselves; locally sourced, organic, sustainable, natural.”
Shelter Cafe is a wholefoods cafe in one of Apollo Bay's heritage homes. Our cafe is entirely free from seed oils, refined sugars or anything artificial. Organic and locally sourced brunch menu during the day, and an organic pizzeria and organic wine bar in the night. With a sauna in our backyard. We are a place for community to meet, connect and share.
OUR STORY
Shelter is like stepping into your grandmother’s kitchen; a little antique, a little quirky, filled with warmth and the smell of something good on the stove. Nestled in one of Apollo Bay’s earliest homes, built in the 1900s, it’s a place that’s always been part of the town’s heartbeat.
From its days as the manager’s residence for the original butter factory across the road, to housing families for generations, the space has always been about nourishment and connection. Now, it’s a place for our community - local and visiting - to meet, eat, and share slow moments together.
THE TEAM
Shelter Café is family-owned and operated by Tristan, Camille, Cate, and Liz — born and raised in Apollo Bay, and long-time veterans of its hospitality scene.
For generations, the Carr family has been part of the town’s story. Their parents and grandparents owned local restaurants, and the rhythm of cooking, serving, and caring for the community runs deep in their blood.
Shelter is a merging of old and new: vintage wallpaper and modern beats, kids running across creaky floorboards, generations working side by side to feed the town they love.
“We didn’t open Shelter because we wanted to. We opened it because we needed to. Apollo Bay needed a place like this — and so did we.”
At Shelter Cafe, everything begins with that idea. We make every dish from scratch, using ingredients chosen with purpose and respect. What we can source from nearby, we do! Working with growers, makers, and producers from our own region. We believe food should bring people together, not just to eat, but to feel connected and grounded. Every plate we serve is free from refined oils, sugars, and additives; whole, organic, and real.
Shelter is more than a café, it’s a space that shifts with the rhythm of the day. In the morning, we serve nourishing wholefoods and coffee in the warmth of an old Apollo Bay home. As the day unwinds, it becomes an organic pizzeria and wine bar, a place to linger over food and conversation. Out back, our wood-fired sauna hums quietly, inviting rest and reconnection.
Family-run across two generations, Shelter is rooted in the life of Apollo Bay itself. Shaped by locals, staffed by friends, and held up by the community it serves. When people gather here for celebrations, workshops, or slow evenings under the lights, Shelter opens its doors wide, offering itself as a place to host, share, and belong.
