When Brad and Amy Dalton first opened Ginger Dynamite in 2013, they were excited to bring a café food and their signature retro style to the small town of Riwaka.
Brad originally worked as a kitchen hand, hopping his way around cafés and restaurants in Wellington and gathering a range of skills which would later prove crucial to their business. “After almost twenty years in hospitality, I started to wonder what to do next. Then, when the opportunity arose to open something for myself, I decided that this was to be my next step,” explained Brad. He and Amy purchased what would become Ginger Dynamite and set sail on their business adventure.
What once was an ice-cream parlour was transformed into a retro style café, kitted out with furniture and bikes from the period. But following their meticulous redesign came disaster, and Ginger Dynamite became inhabitable after a devastating fire in 2015. “Local support is the backbone of this business,” Brad said. “We were not ready to give up, and with the awesome local support we set up operating out of two shipping containers.” Ginger Dynamite survived a trial through fire, and with the backing of local clientele, were able to rebuild their café.
Despite dramatic twists and turns, at the heart of Ginger Dynamite is simplicity. “From day one our motto was to keep it simple, and do simple in the best way we could,” said Brad. With a small but dedicated team of five, the café prides themselves on producing excellent food and sublime coffee. The restaurant picked up a Gold Award at the Bakels Supreme Pie Awards and ranked in the top 10 in their Café Boutique for four years in a row, proving that simple can be impeccable.
Business takes off for the small café in the summer seasons, with travellers and holidays makers excited to visit this cosy café. “Being so close to the national park and beautiful beaches mean we get a steady stream of customers,” explained Brad. The café is proving a must-see destination for anyone passing through. Despite the drops in the winter months, Brad and Amy once again praise the loyalty of their local customers, who see them through each and every year with their patronage.
Ginger Dynamite provides irresistible café style food to go to locals and travellers and is sure to become a staple for the small town of Riwaka.
