Local Legend NSW: Dad and the Frog

Owned by two hospitality pros Daniel Ng and Baptiste Viard, Dad and the Frog has been serving their community since June, 2022. Since then, it's been an incredible journey of brewing, serving, and connecting with their wonderful customers.

Dan initially conceived the idea during the first wave of Covid lockdowns, using the unexpected downtime to refine his vision for a unique café experience. By the time the second lockdown rolled around, it was clear that he needed a partner who shared his enthusiasm and had an equal wealth of experience in the hospitality industry. That’s when Bap, a longtime friend and colleague with over a decade in hospitality, came into the picture.

“We both shared a profound love for quality coffee and a dream to create a space where we could serve it alongside delectable food.”

Bap’s French heritage and Dan’s role as a dad played a quirky role in the christening of their café, and thus, 'Dad and the Frog' was born—a name that encapsulates their personal journeys and the playful spirit of their brand.

We asked asked our winners a few questions about their journey

Why do you like being in the industry?

At the heart of our love for the hospitality industry is a deep-seated passion for people. The joy of serving, entertaining, and sharing the finest we have to offer with our guests is immeasurable and fuels our dedication to excellence in every cup of coffee and every plate of food we serve.

Why Toby's Estate?

Choosing Toby’s Estate as our coffee partner was a no-brainer. Their reputation for producing a consistently delightful range of blends, single origins, and filter coffees is unparalleled. But it’s their behind-the-scenes support and exceptional service that truly sets them apart. Being a part of the Toby’s family means that we’re not just customers; we’re partners in a shared mission to bring the best coffee experience to our community. They invest in our success, provide invaluable support, and share their expertise, ensuring that we can serve every cup with confidence and pride.

What is unique about your venue?

At Dad and the Frog, our uniqueness stems not just from our exceptional selection of Toby’s Estate Roasters coffee or our inventive culinary offerings, but from the soul and passion we pour into every aspect of our café. We're incredibly hands-on, ensuring that our love for service and excellence is reflected across all operations and experienced by every customer who walks through our doors. The experience extends to our alfresco dining area, a space thoughtfully curated to provide a comfortable and inviting ambiance for those who wish to enjoy their coffee and meals under the open sky. We pride our menu on combining familiar breakfast ingredients in unique and creative ways. We use Toby’s Estate espresso for our espresso martini with slight tweaks to the classic recipes to ensure our customers will enjoy the finest flavour and silkiest creamer an espresso martini has to offer. We also provide a catering service for delivery across Sydney where we showcase colourful and delicious boxed meals for corporate and private events.