Origini – piccolo Italia gemma nascosta

During the week I was in Castlemaine and had lunch in a café called Origini with a local, who is also a friend of mine.  It is always the wisest thing to do when you are in a town you are not familiar with – ask a local!  They know where the hidden gems are. Castlemaine has many gems when it comes to food and dining and Origini is one of them. 

It is possible you could walk or drive past Origini if you weren’t looking for it even though it is on the main road through town.  It feels like a true little piece of Italy, which is probably silly of me to say because I have never been to Italy. But it looks sounds and smells authentic Italian. You are made so welcome when you arrive, right throughout your meal and until you walk out the door.  It is a petite space with only eight small tables inside, two on the footpath out the front and another eight in the lovely little garden out the back.

My local tells me that Origini has not been open long – maybe one year.  It is owned by Luca and Ingrid who came to Castlemaine from Melbourne and Northern Italy before that.  They are open Monday to Friday for breakfast and lunch and Friday nights for pizza night.  I am told this is a very popular night and it is hard to get a table.

Their coffee is a Brazilian blend of 100% Rainforest Alliance coffee beans roasted by a boutique roaster in King Lake especially for Origini.  They also use organic milk.  Origini is licensed with a sample of vini, birre and aperitivi.

Their lunch menu is simple but delicious – piadine (traditional Italian flat bread) with various fillings, bruschetta, salad, assaggi (tasting platters), formaggi (cheese platter), ravioli and a special of the day.

Our waiter, with his thick Italian accent, entices us into ordering the Assaggi per amici (tasting platter for two to share) – Vecchiet Casalinga salame, San Daniele prosciutto crudo, buffalo mozzarella, roast capsicum with garlic & capers, semi dried olives, rocket ($30).  Each part of the platter is explained in detail to us telling us how it will taste, what flavors mix well and where the produce is sourced.

The platter was so fresh and full of flavor – everything was matched together well and was perfectly complimented with some crusty bread and olive oil.  We left not a crumb!

Just for fun I ended the meal with a slice of frangipani and plum cake ($7) and a cappuccino ($3.50).  I love it when I can drink a coffee and not need to put sugar in it.  That speaks volumes to me about how the coffee has been made by the barista.  The cake was perfect – even sweetness and just out of the oven - well worth the calories!

Origini – piccolo Italia gemma nascosta - little Italian hidden gem.

Food – 8/10

Service – 8/10
Ambience - 8/10

Origini

213 Barker Street, Castlemaine.
T: (03) 5472 1766