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February 11, 2025 6:55 AM

Get your Skates on for a Great Meal in Denman

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BY JASON BATES

After heading out west in the early hours of the morning for work, my partner and I found ourselves caught in the rain and by the time we reached Denman, we were very much in need of a warm meal and a bit of shelter from the storm.

Denman is located in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales and has a population of about 1500 in the township.

Denman was originally settled as “Merton” in 1825 by Lt. William Ogilvie, on the eastern side of the Hunter River and directly east of the current town. But as the years passed by, the settlement moved closer to the river and eventually crossed the Hunter River.

The name Denman was gazetted in 1855, after Lord Denman, who was later to become the 5th Governor General of Australia in 1911-1914, with the town well and truly establishing on the western bank of the Hunter River. Subsequent flooding of the river continued to push the village west away from the riverbanks to its present site.

Driving up Ogilvie Street, the one-way main street of Denman, we called into the Vocal Café and Skate Shop, located at 25 Ogilvie Street. The café is open from 6am to 4am Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (Closed on Tuesdays because everyone needs a break now and then.) with 7am to 3pm on Saturday and 7am to 2pm Sundays.

The Vocal Café and Skate Shop is a charming little café that doubles as a skate shop, not only by selling delicious breakfast and lunch style food and drinks, but also skateboards and scooters. 

This unique idea is a rare treat for those in the Hunter with the next nearest place to purchase skateboards being in Greenhills.

The Vocal Café might have unique business acumens, but the food they serve is delectable.

Vocal Café offers indoor and outdoor dining, and despite the rain we choose to sit outside under the shelter of a large umbrella. Completely dry while still getting to enjoy the fresh air and rain.

If you haven’t been to Denman before, Ogilvie Street is a peaceful street which becomes clear to you, when sitting down at the café.

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To take the chill off, we ordered a pot of tea, the café’s tea is from the Byron Bay Tea Company, made with premium ingredients and is a truly unique taste. And a Hot Chocolate warmed the tummy.

As it was morning and the scent of bacon and eggs cooking was in the air, we had a look at the breaky menu and decided on the Big Breakfast, 2 rashers of bacon, 1 sausage, grilled tomato, and fried mushrooms with 2 eggs your way. All served with toast (gluten free options available) with additional extras available such as hash browns.

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When the food arrived it was well presented on the plate, beautifully cooked scrambled eggs, delicious bacon that was crispy on the edges and soft inside, juicy fried tomato and a nice fat sausage all garnished with a fresh sprig of parsley.

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After we had finished the breakfast and shared a chat with the friendly owner, we were ready to hit the road and continue on our way out west.

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So, the next time you find yourself in the beautiful little town of Denman, go to Ogilvie Street and call in to the Vocal Café and Skate Shop for a delicious meal, friendly service, and maybe even a skateboard.

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