Want a bite of the best homemade cheesecake you can get on the island? Ready to support local farmers and butchers with fresh, delicious cooked-to-order burgers? How does a plate of maple bacon onion rings sound right about now? Red Ochre Cafe makes good on its promise that it’s worth a drive for incredible food and stunning views of the north shore of Conception Bay, Newfoundland.  

Ray Dwyer, owner of Red Ochre Cafe in Ochre Pit Cove, says when he made the decision to open the cafe and began construction in the spring of 2019, he knew there was a big void for family-style dining in the area, with few options available between Carbonear and Old Perlican.  

“Opening the Red Ochre Cafe brought a sense of pride and excitement. However, our first four years in business forced us to work harder than we imagined, and then work even harder,” Dwyer says, explaining how the pandemic forced the business to get creative fast - even in its first days in operation. “While it was initially a stressful time for us, as it was for many small businesses, particularly those of us in the tourism and hospitality sector, it was also an opportunity to dig deep and flex our resilience muscle. Not only did we survive COVID-19, we continue to thrive because of the changes we made.”  

The cafe offered door-drop delivery as part of a promotion for Valentine's Day to adhere to lockdown rules and it was an immediate - and ongoing success strategy. Not only did it keep the entire staff employed throughout the pandemic, but created a massive customer base throughout the entire Avalon Peninsula. Today, these treat boxes and delivery services are still hugely successful, often selling out in days.  

Following the pandemic, Dwyer says Red Ochre Cafe stopped apologizing for its location, insisting in its marketing to customers the cafe was worth the drive.  “While we went from takeout only to limited seating capacity, then back to takeout, business and our sales numbers graphics looked like a roller coaster,” he says. “Some say we are lucky, but luck had little to do with it. We worked hard and were not afraid to shift gears.  “… The satisfaction that this brings as a small business owner is immeasurable.” 

Red Ochre Cafe is now open 12 months of the year and for six of those months, seven days a week. The team has a commitment to the community, priding themselves on using local suppliers for everything from the meat on the menu to the beers and spirits served, and giving back to Conception Bay organizations like the Trinity Conception Placentia Health Foundation and CBN Trailway, among others. 

Part of the Red Ochre Cafe community was the partnership they built early with the team at CBDC Trinity Conception.