How Perth man who had never worked in a cafe now owns one of Bali’s busiest food venues, Openhouse Cafe
There are only three cafes in Bali that I know of that do such a big trade that you need to reserve a table for breakfast or brunch.
Two of them are ultra-modern and on the verge of fine dining. They feature celebrity chefs and their Instagram obsession, working extensively with influencers and catering primarily to Indonesian tourists. The third one, Openhouse Cafe, is different. Traditional Javanese local house made of teak wood, with open walls and high ceilings, is located in Joglo. It offers standard cafe fare, not photo-ready fare—things like smashed avocado on toast, tropical juices, banana bread, burrito bowls, cheeseburgers and chicken Caesar wraps. And they refuse to cooperate with or give freebies to the countless influencers who contact them looking for free food in exchange for positive reviews. In fact, Openhouse Cafe does not advertise at all, relying entirely on word of mouth and free reviews like this one. And even weirder, it’s owned by a 36-year-old man from Perth who never worked a day in a cafe in his life before opening it. But when I visited recently on a Tuesday in May, well outside the peak tourist season, every table in the 120-seat venue was full and there was a line out the door for customers to enter. Openhouse Cafe is located in Seseh, a developing neighborhood on the outskirts of Canggu, Bali’s tourist hub. It appeals almost exclusively to foreign tourists and expats, with indoor and outdoor dining available, as well as a poolside area and a deck overlooking the rice fields, where customers can spend the entire day relaxing by the pool for a nominal fee.
I caught up with the owner after lunch. Its name comes from Ben and Perth. He requested that his surname be kept secret.
“When I first came to Bali two years ago, I was traveling and working online but couldn’t find a decent restaurant or co-working space where I could go into the flow and eat the foods I love,” she said.
“So instead of trying more places, I invested my savings and opened my own place in Pererenan. I called it Openhouse after something I used to do in Perth on the weekends. I’d invite all my friends over and we’d cook together, have a few drinks and play music. Openhouse Cafe is a public version of that. This is our second venue, opening in December. We’re opening our third in August.” So how did Ben manage to do this without the slightest experience? What is the secret of his success?
“I don’t know, to be honest,” he says.
“I need to examine my own business to see why it works so well while many other restaurants in Bali fail.
“All I know is that it’s not possible for a person like me to make it in Australia because of the huge expense of council regulations, jumping through hoops and taxes. But in Bali the only thing holding you back is your creativity.”
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+ Openhouse Cafe is at Jalan Pantai Munggu in Seseh. Open from 6 in the morning until 22 in the evening. Reservation is a must. openhousecafebali.com
