Soups, salads and community spirit at Café Malo in St Monans

At some point over the past decade, cafés became the hospitality industry’s version of David Bowie. They are constantly reinventing themselves, adopting parts of contemporary culture in an attempt to capture the zeitgeist.

Although Bowie’s efforts saw him don brightly coloured wigs and Sci-Fi inspired costumes, cafés’ attempts are often even more disconcerting.

We have cafés that that specialise in boozy brunches and cafés that refuse to serve anything that isn’t bright pink.

It seems it’s not just those in Amsterdam who use the term ‘café’ loosely.

The outside of a café with a seating area. — Café Malo has recently opened in St Monans. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

To say these thoughts were at the forefront of my mind as I drove to St Monans would be a lie. Some preliminary research had reassured me that the team at Café Malo were not about to force a daiquiri down me, be it pink or not.

And yet, as I approached the timber-clad building, I had no idea that such a genuine, down-to-earth café awaited me.

A warm welcome

Margaret Leask, who runs Café Malo with her sister Louise Donaldson, greets me the moment I walk into the building. Hers is a distinctly cheery greeting, and she repeats it whenever a new guest enters the space.

“I worked for British Airways for 10 years,” she tells me later. “Customer service is something that’s ingrained with me.”

A sign for Café Malo, mounted on wood. — The space was newly renovated before the café opened. Image Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

She’s passed her training on. Her nephew, sister and mother, who are all working in the café, make friendly conversation as I take my seat. Even then they can’t interact with everyone – it’s just two months after opening, and the café is rammed.

Two women smiling at one another. — Margaret (left) and Louise (right) also rely on other family members for help with the café. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

Despite several of the customers being strangers to one another, Café Malo has a real community feel. This isn’t by chance.

“I want it to be a little café where people can just wander in,” Margaret says.

“If they’re on a walk with their pal or if somebody is alone and wants a bit of company, they can just pop in.”

A community-minded café

There are many aspects of Café Malo that ensure the local community love it. It is bright, inviting and, as I’ll soon learn, incredibly affordable.

Crucially, in a part of Fife where businesses often close over winter, Margaret and Louise plan to keep Café Malo open all year round.

“There’s no point just being open for the summer,” Margaret says. “Where would the locals go in the winter?

“They’ve got to have somewhere to come and chat or meet a friend.”

In addition to this, the sisters have also considered how their business could impact others around them. For example, they don’t have free newspapers in the café as they don’t want to take business away from the local newsagents.

Instead, they have initiated a £1 book swap program. The money is going towards the St Monans memorial garden.

Slices of banana bread sitting inside a glass dish. — All of the sweet treats are baked in-house. Image Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

The sisters’ approach has won a lot of people over.

“I’m a bit bowled over by the response,” Margaret tells me.

Great food at low prices

As we all know, customers don’t visit cafés for conversation alone. Many of them, including myself, are looking for some delicious food.

A man eating a toastie. — I clearly enjoyed the bacon, brie and cranberry toastie. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

Café Malo has an advantage here thanks to its location in East Neuk. The team get much of their produce from local suppliers, including J.B Penman Butchers in Crail and local bakers G. H. Barnett.

The quality of these ingredients is apparent in the toastie I order. The bacon is thickly cut and full of flavour; the bread is at once both robust and pillowy.

Accompanied by generous slabs of brie and a cranberry sauce, the overall sandwich is immensely satisfying.

I opt for my toastie to come with a pea and mint soup that sings of spring. It provides the perfect offset to the intense toastie. When ordered together, the soup and toastie cost just £8.95.

A toastie and a bowl of souped served in a café. — The soup and toastie combo costs less than £10. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

Café Malo serves two house salads. One spotlights chicken or ham, the other chickpeas. I’ve already consumed a considerable amount of pork, so I opt for the latter.

The salad (£8.95) is another exercise in generosity. Staff have filled a large bowl with leafy greens, onions, chickpeas and tomatoes. Hard-boiled egg makes an appearance as does coleslaw and croutons. The team make both of these latter items in-house. Everything is coated in a spritely dressing.

A close-up image of a bowl of salad. — The salad was fresh and full of flavour. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

“Everything is made fresh,” Margaret says, well-earned pride colouring her voice. This includes the café’s impressive array of baked goods.

I try the chocolate and caramel slice (£2.75). It is incredibly decadent. Alongside it, I enjoy a well-brewed flat white (£3.05). Together, they are the perfect end to a lovely meal.

A chocolate and caramel traybake, sitting on a table. — Even the traybakes come in large portions. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

Astonishingly, all this wonderful food costs just £23.70.

“It has to be affordable,” Margaret says by way of explanation. “We want people to be able to come in more than once per week not once every two months.”