Bertoldo’s founder Mary Bertoldo told The Area News that the first cappuccino was sold in 1970 at Belvedere Ristorante.

“The three Vico boys, Renato, Robert and Sam and their father bought a cappuccino machine from Melbourne,” Mrs Bertoldo said.

Belvedere did a roaring trade, and other vendors soon followed suit.

In the 1970s office workers were the city’s biggest coffee drinkers according to Mrs Bertoldo. 

“They would get up a bit late for work and grab a cup of coffee because it’s handy.”

Before the cappuccino came to Griffith there were a couple of “little tea cafes” near Bertoldo’s.

“When the Greeks were in town they used to sell a cup of tea or a cup of hot coffee, but not the cappuccino,” Mrs Bertoldo said.

New migrants were far more interested in the cappuccino than people whose families had lived in Australia for generations.

“Australian people weren’t very interested, your dinkie-die Aussie would probably go more for tea.”

And as for stay-at-home parents? 

“The first housewives didn’t go for takeaway coffees,” she said.

“It’s very hard to change country people’s way of life,” however over many years Mrs Bertoldo has seen “quite a revolution in change.”

She is certain that people are more addicted to coffee now than they were in the past.

Mrs Bertoldo also remarked that social interactions have shifted from the home to the cafe.

“I remember when I was young people just came to town to shop, your social life was all at home.

“Friends would come visiting in the afternoons for a chat or a cup of tea.

“The younger Aussies are all getting used to the cappuccino, quick-living style now.”

Coffee culture may have changed, however the faithfulness of Mrs Bertoldo’s family has continued through the decades.

“My three boys stuck with their father, and they still make the bread as good as their father...beautiful.”