Words: Tahney Fosdike

Thanks to Coast Lines magazine

At the corner of Aldersey Street and Main Road in McLaren Vale stands one of the region’s most historically significant landmarks — the former Congregational Church. Built in 1861 to serve a growing community of early settlers, the stone structure replaced an even earlier chapel erected in 1844 following the district’s first open-air church service. For more than a century, this place of worship was a hub of local life, and today, its legacy continues in a very different yet equally heartfelt form — as the home of Joe’s at Sabella.

When chef Timmy Forster first visited McLaren Vale in 2024 with his partner Lilli Willoughby to meet her family, he was instantly taken by the region’s natural beauty and community warmth. Their days quickly fell into a rhythm of beaches, wineries, and a familiar dinnertime dilemma — where to eat. It sparked an idea. What if they opened a restaurant here? Within a month, they had left Queensland behind and made the move permanent.

At 3am, before they’d even relocated, they posted in a local Facebook group asking about potential venues. One stood out immediately: the old church. They had a look at the historic property. “We walked out, and I said to Lil, ‘That’s the one. Let’s make it happen,’” Timmy recalls. “It was right without even talking about it.”

They briefly considered Mexican cuisine but settled on Italian — a nod to the building’s more recent history in the hands of an Italian family since the 1950s. With decades of hospitality experience between them, including work across Asia and Australia, they opened Joe’s at Sabella with nothing but grit, passion, and an unwavering belief in what they were building.

In just a few months, the restaurant has become a bustling and much-loved part of the community. Open Wednesday to Sunday, Joe’s hosts two special weekly events that reflect Timmy and Lilli’s deep love for food and people.

Locals’ Night each Wednesday features one dish, no menu, shared tables, and BYO — often, Timmy jokes, of the soft drink variety. It’s a simple yet refined offering designed to break the ice and create connections. Bookings now fill weeks in advance.

“A lot of work goes into those simple bowls of pasta,” Timmy says. “Even if I’m doing just one thing, I’m doing it well. It’s not $20 slop-and-drop; it’s refined food.”

Lilli adds, “We’re not trying to build a tourist trap. We want to create a local joint where people feel welcome. We’ve made great mates, friends and community networking from it.”

On Thursdays, there’s Joe’s Deli and Soup Kitchen. Timmy says they asked themselves how they could incorporate charity into their vision and be more than just a restaurant. Every Thursday since launching it in May, they’ve used a side space next to the church to share food with those doing it tough. Right now, there’s hot soup and bread on the menu, although it will evolve seasonally, turning into a taco cantina this summer.

"It’s not about homelessness, necessarily. It’s young mums or families paying off the house or school fees. Those between pay checks. Anyone with just 10 bucks left." Timmy explains, adding that the venture is propped up by local generosity and follows a no-questions-asked model, "There’s no judgment or questions. If you need a feed, come and grab it."

This intentionality seeps into all aspects of the operation. They’re working closely with the community, collaborating with local producers for wine, fruit and other produce. Their wine list, they say, is almost purely from a 20-kilometre radius.

“People will drop off a box of fruit from their orchard, or wine. They don’t need to. That back-and-forth support is incredible. The people here get it,” says Lilli, who adds that they are often pouring whatever wine locals have supplied, seeking to uphold a circular system of generosity and quality.

The local response so far? The newest dining joint in town is already an icon.

“Everyone is so supportive, we’ve got so many regulars that come in again and again already, which is incredible after only being open for four months,” Lilli says. “It feels like we’ve got our own little family. People trust us to look after them and cook for them. It’s wild.”

And the pair isn’t running out of steam. Every dollar is reinvested into the venue; there’s a ‘disco dunny’ bathroom installation and a wine label in the works. They’ve hinted at frozen margaritas for the summer too.

"Lil doesn’t know until I tell her, then it happens the next day," Timmy says on their rapid-fire yet long-game approach to business development. "This isn’t something we’re doing to make a quick buck. We want to institutionalise it. Legacy it."

“There were nights where we sat outside and drank a glass of wine and ate pizza together because there were no customers,” Lilli reflects, “Now, I look out and there are 150 people in our dining room. It’s such a pinch-me moment.”

And so, within the old church walls — steeped in the stories of McLaren Vale’s earliest settlers — a new story is being written. One of passion, resilience, shared tables, and community spirit. It’s a continuation of purpose, just with pasta instead of preaching.