Vita Cafe and Restaurant, at Wangi Wangi, wins Australian Good Food and Travel Guide award

It’s become part of the town’s morning ritual. A tradition, if you like.

And now the traditional baking and cooking methods of the popular eatery have been recognised at the Australian Good Food and Travel Guide awards.

Readers of the publication have voted Vita winner of the Readers’ Choice for regional cuisine in Newcastle and the Hunter.

Vita owners Michelle Austen-Tabone, and husband, Carl Tabone, said the accolade was a welcome reward for their hard work over 14 years.

“It’s really nice to be recognised,” Ms Austen-Tabone said.

“We make everything here from scratch. We put a lot of hours into making this all happen. Carl gets up early every morning for his first bake at 6am, and when I come in to open the place up at 9.30 it smells amazing.”

Vita prides itself on its traditional French hand-made baking methods, with no preservatives, Ms Austen-Tabone said.

“It’s all about keeping the traditional methods of cooking going,” she said.

“And that follows on to our dinner menu.”

Mr Tabone hand-makes the pasta dishes, as well as the bases for the stone-baked Italian pizzas.

Ms Austen-Tabone said the award had given the entire town a lift.

“We’re lucky because we have such a niche market,” she said.

“Our customers are so excited. They love it. They’re all coming and saying ‘congratulations!’. They like the fact that we’ve been recognised, as well.

“It’s a community thing, too. It’s good for Wangi,” she said of the win.

The Australian Good Food and Travel Guide has listed Vita as a recommended venue since 2015.

Among the popular main meal choices on the Vita dinner menu are pan-roasted blue eyed cod on prawn-filled ravioli in a clam and fennel bisque sauce ($39), and housemade potato gnocchi with fresh roma tomato and fennel ragu, regianno and tarragon ($24).