General News
13 September, 2026
Popular Ballarat bakehouse expands to Ararat
ARARAT is set to welcome a new bakery and café to Barkly Street in a partnership between Ballarat’s 1816 Bakehouse and the owners of Chalambar Golf Club, MAD Hospitality. The new 1816 Bakehouse × MAD Cafe will open Wednesday at 120 Barkly Street, bringing together 1816 Bakehouse’s award winning renowned pastries, sourdough and baked goods with coffee by respected Melbourne coffee roaster Vittoria Coffee.
The café will initially trade Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7am to 2pm, with its first day of trading on Wednesday, 16 September.
Alongside the 1816 Bakehouse range, the café will serve freshly made toasted sandwiches using 1816 Bakehouse’s famous focaccia, creating a simple lunch offering alongside pastries, sourdough and coffee served throughout the day.
The collaboration will see 1816 Bakehouse supply its products from Ballarat, while MAD will operate the Ararat café and hospitality side of the business.
MAD’s Adam Haddow said the partnership was an opportunity to bring an established and highly regarded regional business to Ararat.
“1816 Bakehouse has developed a fantastic reputation in Ballarat and across the region. Rather than trying to replicate what they do, we saw an opportunity to work together and bring their products directly to Ararat,” Mr Haddow said.
“We want this to be a really simple proposition of exceptional bakery, outstanding coffee, fresh focaccia sandwiches and friendly service in a space I personally designed on Barkly Street.”
The new café forms part of MAD’s continued investment in hospitality in Ararat, alongside the major redevelopment currently underway at Chalambar Golf Club.
“There are a lot of positive things happening in Ararat at the moment, and we think good hospitality plays an important role in creating a vibrant main street and a town where people want to stop, spend time and come back to,” Mr Haddow said.
“We’re investing here because we believe in the town and its future. This is a relatively small venue, but we’re really excited about what it can add to Barkly Street,” he said.
1816 Bakehouse × MAD opens Wednesday, 16 September 2026 at 120 Barkly Street, Ararat, and will initially trade Wednesday to Saturday from 7am to 2pm.
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