New Green Island cafe opens in Lismore

A chef who has cooked in five-star Taiwanese hotel restaurants is now serving food from her homeland at Lismore’s newly opened Green Island Cafe.

Ya Ching Yeh, who previously worked in prestigious hotels including Mandarin Oriental Taipei and Le Meridien, has opened the cafe on Wilson Street, replacing Silent Hands Bakery Cafe.

Yeh said her aim was to provide reasonably priced, healthy food in a relaxed, communal setting.

The cafe takes its name from Green Island, one of Taiwan’s popular holiday destinations.

“I chose the name so that I could share the joy and tradition of my home country with my new hometown,” Yeh said.

Originally from Taiwan, Yeh started the business with her partner Zac after the couple relocated to Lismore in 2021, drawn to what she described as its “less crowded, more rural lifestyle.”

Yeh said she hoped the cafe would add colour and energy to the city as Lismore continues its recovery from the 2022 floods.

Having opened on February 9, Yeh said the business was still in its early days, but she was keen to introduce customers to her favourite Taiwanese dishes.

“I’m trying to bring some of my favourite Taiwanese food to the community, especially a gluten-free rice noodle salad with peanut butter sauce,” she said.

“I loved eating this dish in Taiwan, and my version will be quite similar but with a healthier twist.”

The cafe has already begun attracting regular customers and positive feedback.

Yeh said an official opening night was planned for the coming weeks, featuring a Taiwanese-style bento box meal.

“I love that the people of Lismore can enjoy the dishes of my homeland,” she said.