“No matter how many times you’ve opened a business or how long you’ve been in the business, you’re always very nervous – there’s always something new,” says Jansen Domantay. Large format.

The seasoned cafe owner behind local favorites (Spilled milkA foggy guy and Citizen) has just opened his fourth spot with his partner Kate Jerrems: Mother.

After selling Citizen earlier this year, Domantay and Jerrems returned to a site in Caulfield North that they had had their eye on six years earlier. “When Kate and I decided to sell Citizen, we came back here, revisited it and it was free,” says Domantay. “So it was like the stars aligned.”

Located in a former milk bar, Mother’s welcoming, renovated interiors feature warm wood, terracotta tiles and century-old original brick floors. Dogs are also welcome in the courtyard overlooking the street.

“We wanted you to feel like you were at home when you entered the space. It’s not just a café,” says Jerrems. “We wanted it to have a soul, like Nonna’s house or Mom’s house.”

The matriarchal theme is also visible in the menu. Order Mother Nature a plate of pesto scrambled eggs on dark rye sourdough, with feta, seasoned green beans, spinach, truffle oil and avocado. Go the Godmother way and get eggs any way you like on toasted Turkish bread with pickled red onions, roasted tomatoes, chorizo, bacon, relish and arugula.

For something sweet, ask Grandma’s and enjoy a waffle sandwich topped with vanilla ice cream, caramelized apple, butterscotch and cinnamon. To drink, there is Padre coffee but also a selection of teas, smoothies and fresh fruit juices.

While opening a new location is always an exciting endeavor, Mother’s is especially meaningful to the couple and their family. They plan to work at the cafe every day, with the help of their children. “Kate has two children and I have two children who worked in the last companies,” explains Domantay. “It’s going to be a family affair.”