I love coffee, you love coffee so I have put together some of my favourite places to get coffee in the Auckland City area; this list is in no particular order.
1. Ampersand Eatery
Ampersand's spacious and collaborative space is always a delight to walk into... I love the atmosphere and it is an amazing place to experience great food. However, it is also a place where you can relax with friends while enjoying a good cup of coffee - using Espresso Workshop coffee beans, try their flat white.
2. Chuffed
Located in High Street, Chuffed is a well-known cafe in Auckland, winning many awards in the past. They serve Rocket Coffee beans, which is my favourite at this stage. You can always expect an amazing cup of coffee made by their talented team of baristas.
3. Forest Eatery Cafe
Another personal favourite of mine, Forest Eatery Cafe serves one of the best coffees in Auckland. Also using Rocket coffee beans, the quality of the coffee you get from Forest is top tier. Located out in Epsom, it is the place where all the locals go to. I used to live nearby and would visit them at least once a week for my triple-shot flat white.
4. Melba: Vulcan Lane and Little Melba (Queen Street)
The name you have all heard of, Melba has been around for over 25 years, providing beautiful food and coffee for the locals. Their unique Melba coffee blend is roasted by Espresso Workshop - with caramel sweetness, cocoa + liquorice tones, accompanied by plum acidity, don't assume Melba's coffee is a typical franchise coffee because they take coffee very seriously.
5. Chillout Cafe
Located in Ponsonby, Chillout serves coffee made with Aoraki coffee beans - to be exact, the award-winning 1960s Blend; this coffee blend is rich and smooth with caramel notes - also has a gentle floral finish. Amazing in both black or with milk, try Chillout next time you are in Ponsonby.
6. Benedict's
Opened in August 2020, Benedict's quickly (almost instantly) became one of my favourite cafes in town. With a cool interior, lovely menu, delicious donuts and beautiful coffee, I can confidently say Benedict's meets all the right requirements to be a top-tier cafe.
Do you know, this is one of the few cafes I try to fit into my driving route so I can grab their coffee to my next meeting, etc. My go-to is their triple-shot large flat white and you should get the same, too.
7. Lieutenant Coffee Bar & Eatery
Probably the most visited cafe for me in the last 12 months, Lieutenant's coffee always gets into my top coffee places in Auckland; their baristas are some of the best in town. Found in Commercial Bay, you are definitely missing out if you haven't tried Lieutenant's coffee yet.
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Founder & Editor | Say (Seowon) Song
I run Caramel, a restaurant creative agency with the biggest portfolio in New Zealand, helping restaurants grow by providing creative and technological solutions. In addition, I manage a few restaurants more hands-on.
Instagram: @forkandtruffle
Email: say@caramel.co.nz