The Ditch Café
“The only time you want to find yourself eating in a ditch.”
After multiple requests from readers, I visited The Ditch Café in Oliver. As someone who doesn’t drink coffee, I typically avoid coffee-centric spots, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
However, I was misled into thinking The Ditch Café was just a “coffee house,” but it’s so much more. It’s a food, beverage, bakery, entertainment, and social hub. While coffee plays an important role in their offerings, it is by no means the focus of the business. The real stars here are the people.
The staff at The Ditch Café crafts homemade soups and sandwiches and bakes fresh bread in-house. The menu is constantly changing, using local, sustainable ingredients that are easy to source depending on the season and proudly only sells “Fair trade coffee”.
By coincidence, I visited on International Women’s Day and had the opportunity to sit down with owner and operator Norah Prodan. After speaking with her, I can confidently say that if you have daughters or granddaughters, Norah is the kind of person you hope they grow up to be like.
At just 29 years old, Norah has opened and maintained one of the highest-rated and most successful businesses in Oliver. With a team of four other women, Norah’s entrepreneurial spirit is inspiring. When you speak with her, it’s hard not to be uplifted by her enthusiasm and positivity. I found myself so engaged in her story that I forgot to take a majority of notes on our conversation.
Norah moved to Oliver about four years ago from Calgary to work in the busy wine industry. She got to know the previous owners of The Cock and Bull, who wanted to retire. Recognizing a gap in the café market, Norah took the leap and bought the storefront from them and opened The Ditch Café – and the residents of Oliver are the real winners.
The handmade chicken pesto sandwich that comes with a side salad and a house-made dressing.
Sheldon Herman photo
When I first saw the name “The Ditch Café,” I’ll admit, I was confused. Who would name a café after a ditch? But after hearing Norah’s story behind the name, I was completely won over. She explained that while looking through Oliver’s history, she discovered a book from the Oliver Heritage Society titled “The Ditch: Lifeline of a Community.”
This book (and video) details how the Oliver irrigation canal was crucial to the survival and success of Oliver, and how it continues to contribute to the region’s prominence as Canada’s largest wine producer and hub for fruits and vegetables. The book is on display at the café and I encourage you to check it out. The Oliver and District Heritage Society recently created a video about the canal, titled “Oliver’s Irrigation Ditch: Lifeline of a Community” and it can be viewed at oliverheritage.ca/history-of-the-canal-ditch-project.
Norah is incredibly proud of her team, which she describes as a sisterhood. She was adamant that I acknowledge her employees by name: Lauren, Olivia, Renee, and Leah. They have been with Norah since the very beginning and deserve recognition for their dedication and hard work. Without them, The Ditch Café wouldn’t have achieved the success it enjoys today.
It may be unusual to write a restaurant review where the food takes a backseat, but in this case, the story of the café and its employees are more important. The food, of course, is fantastic.
I had a handmade chicken pesto sandwich that came with a side salad and a house-made dressing that was so good I had to ask Norah for the recipe. But after spending time with Norah on International Women’s Day and learning about her inspiring journey, I can confidently say that The Ditch Café is worth visiting not only for the food but also to meet a group of women who are role models in the community.
They are an inspiration to girls, women, and men who aspire to become successful entrepreneurs and make their communities better places and as a result, I encourage you to go to The Ditch Café for the people and stay for the food and as always tell them Sheldon sent you.
The Ditch Café is located at 6213 Main Street, Oliver, BC and is open Thursday to Monday 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Sheldon Herman is the author of the international best-selling book The Tortured Traveller: How I Survived The Worst Vacation Ever and has travelled to and eaten in 60 different countries. Neither the writer nor the newspaper received financial compensation for this article; the thoughts and opinions expressed are strictly those of the writer. If you’re a restaurant owner or have a suggestion for one you’d like to see featured, please send an email to [email protected].
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