CAFFEINE NATION

02 — Made Espresso

01 — Untouched World Kitchen 03 — Hello Sunday

04 — Grain Coffee and Eatery

After a killer cup of joe or a silky smooth latte? We’ve done the rounds to bring you up to date on the city’s café scene, from the latest hotspots bringing some serious international cool through to those with legendary status.

HIP HAUNTS

Get a bit of atmosphere and style along with your caffeine fix. There’s plenty on offer for those looking for a side serving of quirk or chic.

Hello Sunday’s former Sunday school in Elgin Street in Sydenham houses a multi awardwinning brunch and daytime dining hotspot turning out inspired eats – including some great smashed avos – and seasonal treats. In the city centre, effortless cool prevails at Unknown Chapter Coffee Roasters in St Asaph Street, roasting their own beans and belting out amazing breakfast quesadillas.

Sophistication and shared plates abound at Addington’s Town Tonic in Lincoln Road – this sleek eatery serves up the freshest local fare alongside organic coffee, craft beers and fine wines. Neighbouring Addington Coffee Co-op’s wares come with a side serving of good karma; roasters of Jail Breaker Coffee out of a former mechanic’s workshop, the café is a local fave and the banana bread is the stuff of legend. In Riccarton Road, Park Ranger’s rustic aesthetic and artisan focus has made it a go-to haunt.

And channelling seriously quirky cool, the team at Spooky Boogie in Lyttelton combine primo coffee (from neighbouring roaster Lyttelton Coffee Co.), cakes and cookies with local art, collectibles and some mean vinyl.

THE FOUR AVENUES

The rejuvenating city centre is pretty much bursting with awesome cafés and crazy good coffee fixings in every direction. Eclectic gourmet eatery on the block Good Habit serves up a divine selection of goodies and coffee. Dotted around the CBD, Black & White Coffee Cartel cafés all pair slick fitouts with tasty sweet and savoury offerings, and be sure to tap the caffeinated goodness down at Black & White Origins in the Lichfield Courtyard.

In Cathedral Square, discover the sandstone charms of O.G.B – grab a takeaway coffee from the handy Square-side coffee window or kick back and watch the world go by. Nestled among the fine homewares of Ballantynes’ Lichfield Street wing is Kin, an elegant café, deli and wine bar. It’s the perfect place to pause in your next shopping expedition and relax with a primo coffee, tea or even a cheeky glass of vino. Head to Miro, Francesca Voza’s brilliant culinary venture housed in the former Caffe Roma site, sip on their signature breakfast cocktails and enjoy eats from the old-skool-style grill as you kick back in the contemporary cool surrounds. Serving up primo coffee and highly-tempting cabinet food with a shot of banter is Fulla Beanz, a slick café operating in the heart of the city. Moment is a clean and green eatery that can cater to any dietary requirement or preference. Need a serious fix? Head to Espresso Studio by Fushoken, at Riverside Market, for a standard triple-shot espresso – you’ll see why it’s a favourite not only with coffee lovers but with professional baristas as well. Also at Riverside Market, as well as in Sumner and St Asaph Street, you’ll find Bohemian Bakery. While rightly famous

01 — Black Betty

for its award-winning sourdough, it also boasts sweet and savoury pastries and some tasty eats.

St Asaph Street’s Boxed Quarter has self-described ‘sensory-focused company’ Engine Coffee Brewers serving coffee tasting trays and coffee-matched fare. Down the alleyway via 245 St Asaph Street you will find Espresso 245 and the wildly talented husbandand-wife duo Markus and Maria Hirner.

Seriously good java (courtesy of Lyttelton Coffee Co.) is the order of the day at the two-storey charms of New Regent Street fave The Caffeine Laboratory (the super-creative delish doughnuts are almost too pretty to eat – almost). At the other end of the street is Belle, an art-filled micro roastery and coffee house with a predilection for amazingly-presented plates of food and excellent espresso. Also in New Regent

01 — Bunsen

Street, Rollickin Gelato has a real treat for caffeine fans – affogato made with a scoop of Rollickin’s finest ice cream and a shot of C4 espresso.

Check out the Arts Centre as it bounces back post-quake with a trip to Bunsen, a laboratorythemed café serving Switch Espresso. Just a block north on Gloucester Street, Lux Espresso, within the stunning Centre of Contemporary Art (CoCA), offers local and organic delights as well as ethical and consciously sustainable products. South a couple of blocks, Westend Stories on the corner of Cambridge and Cashel does fantastic Turkish Eggs with house-made flatbread and hummus. City Social, at the corner of Cambridge and Gloucester, is the place to go for bagels and pizza, and you can wash it all down with a beer, wine or an invigorating Unknown Coffee.

Taking up residence in the Botanic Gardens is Ilex Café, a stunning oasis in the heart of the city with a focus on using produce and coffee that is sourced locally, ensuring you enjoy all that the Canterbury region has to offer.

In Hereford Street, Avon River views and Atomic coffee is where it’s at for stylin’ café Therapy, where you’ll find an ever-updating range of culinary delights like cookies and cream slice and vegan mango and coconut tart. And on the west of the river is Everyday Dose; you owe it to yourself to try their epic eats (trust us).

The diverse lineup of Indian, South Indian and sweet dishes at Shree Jagannath Café & Restaurant in Colombo Street are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free. To the south of Durham Street, the industrial cool of Underground Coffee Roasters is home to Christchurch’s only fluidised air roaster, while to the north you’ll find Laneway Espresso, rocking an all-day brunch menu alongside killer coffee.

Keep heading north to find the super-cute 01 — Made Espresso Made Espresso Bar on the Montreal/Cashel corner, which turns out honest, wholesome and simple fare including freshly-made and daily-changing salads.

In Manchester Street, at the corner of Welles, you’ll find Raw Sugar Café, a vegetarian and vegan-friendly entry on the city scene rocking tasty, hearty meals like the Butter Beans + Edamame & Avo Mash. And to the east of Manchester in Southwark Street, Grain Coffee and Eatery serves up fierce coffee and regularlychanging eats.

To the east of the CBD you’ll find healthy eating at The Herb Centre in Kilmore Street – this wholefoods leader teams seasonal vegetarian, vegan and gluten free eats with healthpromoting drinks like ginger tonic and herbal tea blends. Do not fret, though – Switch Espresso is still in the house. Further east, along Kilmore, Little Pom’s (next door to sibling institution Pomeroy’s Old Brewery Inn) houses tasty and nutritious fare that features house-made nut butters, go-to brunch offerings served alongside craft beers, wine, and local Allpress Espresso. And seek out Coffee Embassy Espresso Bar in Fitzgerald Avenue; these serious coffee-heads cater beautifully to the masses with a small brunch-esque menu and brimming cabinet, and also offer speciality brews, beans and the lowdown on all things coffee.

NORTH

Over in St Albans, The Origin turns out speciality teas (including some from Zealong, New Zealand’s only commercial tea plantation) and coffees alongside pure vegetarian cuisine. Try Café Raeward in Harewood Road near the airport, where locals flock to enjoy freshly made cabinet fare and an epic menu.

In Burnside, sustainable style joins one of the

country’s leading sustainable cafés at Untouched World Kitchen. The menu is a celebration of all that’s fresh, seasonal and organic, balancing sensational cooked-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch items alongside decadent cabinet fare. At the corner of Wairakei Road, long-established Terra Viva is a favourite weekend destination that combines a garden centre, an inspiring homewares and gift store, and an iconic café.

WEST

Head west out to Russley to seek out Passengers & Co and the primo Big Breakfast Burger. If you’re out Riccarton way, make sure you call into funky café Park Ranger in Riccarton Road. With its seasonally-driven menu, super-cool fitout and superb three-origin blend coffee, this café will quickly become a go-to favourite.

Don’t miss popping into Bernard Street’s Little Merchants, for seriously good coffee and guilt-free sweet treats. Portershed in Lincoln Road offers some of the city’s finest vegan fare, including tasty slices and treats.

SOUTH

In Sydenham’s boutique shopping centre The Colombo you’ll find Underground Café (an outpost of Underground Coffee Roasters), where slices and cakes meet fine savoury fare alongside famed locally-roasted Underground coffees. For a quickie on the go, they also have an outlet in the centre’s food court pumping out primo brews, including the legendary fair trade and organic offering Beatnik for serious coffee drinkers. The Sign of the Takahe on the corner of Dyers Pass Road and Hackthorne Road has also made a welcome return to the café scene and offers great views with your coffee and brunch, lunch or dinner. You’ll need to head for the hills to find The Handle Bar & Café in Cracroft too, where tasty eats and cool brews on the deck complement the downhill mountain biking and other action adventures at Christchurch Adventure Park.

EAST

Follow a trail of good cafés down Ferry Road out towards Sumner. First cab off the rank heading east is the diverse offerings of Waltham’s Gentle Giant, including homemade iced tea and bodacious takes on the classic baked beans. Detour to The Tannery for the extensive range of breakfast, brunch, lunch and drinks on offer at Mitchelli’s Café Rinato, where great atmosphere and friendly service are guaranteed. Keep heading east to Ferrymead to hook yourself up with a caffeine fix and dose of ‘good honest food’ at the off-the-grid charms of Dispense Espresso, where you can also pick up house-made jams, chutneys and more, or drop into modern eatery ten27, which serves up some outstanding coffee and seriously sophisticated plates from its contemporary menu, as well as the unmissable John’s Mum’s Fudge (or simply JMF to those in the know). When you get to Sumner, take a dive into Ocean Café & Bar, down by the clock tower. Head there early in the day for breakfast or lunch – Ocean’s special eggs bene will have you coming back for more. On Fridays you can sample the very tempting dinner menu alongside a beer or wine. Make tracks and journey through to Lyttelton, where SUPER Restaurant serves up a selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes that’ll keep you fuelled long after you’ve chowed down on it. Or head north to New Brighton and Salt on the Pier. Its unique location (funnily enough on the pier) provides the perfect atmosphere. Try the scrumptious brunch and lunch menus, or peruse the gourmet deli cabinet.

LEGENDARY STATUS

Christchurch’s institution cafés are popular for a reason; think great food, even better coffee, and some sweet surroundings. The legendary C1 Espresso works out of the old High Street Post & Telegraph Office and will fire your sliders at you via pneumatic tube, Futurama-style. In Madras Street the coffee alchemists at Black Betty rock their own special blend of Switch Espresso, BBIV.

Relaxed bistro dining with a touch of class is the order of the day at Brigittes Restaurant & Bar in the heart of Merivale, where the Brigittes Big

Breakfast takes some beating. Watch the magic happen at the open-plan bakery goodness of Vic’s Café in Victoria Street. Also on Victoria Street, Procopé Coffee House sees Hummingbird Coffee join free-range eggs and free-farmed bacon on the menu, all served up in Procopé’s swanky digs.

The historic Mona Vale Homestead just off Fendalton Road is the perfect place to drop in for weekend brunch or a bite to eat from the cabinet, and enjoy a freshly-brewed coffee with stunning views of the gardens and the Avon River.

Strawberry Fare has been famous for its delish desserts for decades now, and its café offerings are just as desirable. The team now roast their own coffee under the brand New City Roasters, and the original Blackbird blend is what they serve in-house. It consists of up to four different origins and is roasted to be well balanced, sweet and full of fruit.

Addington’s Oddfellow’s Café in Disraeli Street is next door to roastery operation Hummingbird Coffee, and serves up a mean cuppa.

East of the central city in Linwood, iconic Tancred Street cottage Under the Red Verandah charms with its sunny courtyard. Or take a quick trip through the tunnel to discover the industrial, casual cool of portside coffee roasters Lyttelton Coffee Co.