Years of big dreams and hard work came to fruition last week as the ribbon was cut on Winkler’s newest eatery.
A month after first opening its doors at 286 South Railway Ave., Sweet Tooth Café hosted a grand opening celebration on Jan. 8
Photos by Ashleigh Viveiros/Voice
The owners of Sweet Tooth Café say they’ve tried to create a warm and welcoming space for customers to come enjoy lunch or coffee. Left: Many of the eatery’s authentic Filipino dishes were available to sample at the grand opening Jan. 8
“This café, it’s more than just a place for coffee and soup,” said co-owner Melanie Hidalgo in addressing the full house of customers and local dignitaries.
“It started with a simple dream,” she shared, explaining she and fellow owner Ara Ascano began offering Filipino catering services from their homes in Altona four years ago. “Our passion is for community serving … that commitment forms the heart and foundation of our decision to establish this café.”
Sweet Tooth offers a menu packed full of soups, sandwiches, freshly baked bread, desserts, and handcrafted bubble tea and other specialty hot and cold beverages. They will also continue to run their thriving catering business from the new location.
“In our culture, food is love,” Hildago shared. “Coffee is communication. Sharing a table is sharing life.
“We are so excited to be a part of this community, to grow alongside it.”
Among the dignitaries bringing greetings was Mayor Henry Siemens, who noted it’s always great when a new business owner so clearly has a heart for the community it operates in.
“That fits Winkler so absolutely perfectly,” he said. “To have another business owner committing to be involved in our community, committed to giving back at the very beginning of your business venture here, that will help you succeed, because that’s the difference—that is the Winkler difference that we see all of the time.
“We’re very thankful that you’ve chosen to make that investment into Winkler.”
Hidalgo shared they’d been looking for a storefront in which to expand for some time.
“When we had the opportunity to have a physical store here, the rest is history,” she said.
It was a long road, added Ascano.
“It was so hard to find somewhere we could call home,” she said. “Now we have found it. It’s a blessing for us.”
They think their menu will resonate with customers looking for cuisine with an international flair.
“We offer authentic Filipino food,” Hidalgo said. “And we also offer other foods, Canadian cuisines.
“And we made this café a warm and welcoming and homey place where people and friends can come stay when the come for lunch or coffee,” she said, encouraging people to drop by and see it for themselves. “We guarantee it will be good.”
