Cliffy’s Emporium

Back in the 1950s, Cliffy Hauser’s general store in Daylesford was famous for an extraordinary range of produce, groceries and farm supplies crammed into a rustic timber and corrugated iron building.

Fast forward more than 60 years, and the heart and soul of this legendary store have been lovingly preserved. Farmers still drop into Cliffy’s Emporium with fresh fruit and vegetables, the old timber shelves are full of local produce, mineral water and preserves, while specialty groceries are chosen from near and far.

Cliffy’s has also become one of the region’s best known cafes. Locals sometimes drop in two or three times a day for exceptional coffee, while visitors love pulling up a stool at one of the original long timber counters or sitting outdoors under the shade of the verandah and grapevines.

Cliffy’s has that rare character and history that welcomes you to a warm, homely place. The old signs promoting Bushell’s coffee and Cadbury Cocoa still adorn the windows. The ceiling-high timber shelves, many with Cliffy’s indecipherable scribbles, are still reached by an old ladder. Wooden floors have mellowed with age, and the timber counters bear the marks of countless grocery transactions.