Octagon and nearby
The Swan
The team from Dunedin’s iconic Perc eateries have added their brand of magic to a new café and bar venue in Bath Street. With retro-esque fittings, a sun-drenched courtyard and live music at weekends, we’re predicting The Swan will soon take the crown for most popular inner city hang-out.
23 Bath Street
Corner Store
‘Simple. Tasty. Local' - that’s the motto of this bustling street front café which consistently produces the goods in terms of interesting and diverse counter food, organic coffee and all day breakfasts to drool over.
134 Stuart Street
Morning Magpie
With decor channeling vintage 70's with a fresh and modern spin, Magpie is a staple breakfast, lunch and caffeine refueling spot for many a local. They come for the strong coffee, iconic cinnamon rolls and menu A-game.
46 Stuart Street
The Perc
If you’re looking for baking like your grandmother used to do, The Perc Cafe is your go-to destination. Choco-caramel, Tan slice and banana bread are the true standouts, although the bagels and soups are similarly outstanding. There's always a range of gluten-free and vegan items and great people watching to boot.
142 Stuart St
The Kitchen Table
Great coffee plus hearty food made lovingly on the premises Chocolate brownies, friands, afghans, warm brioche, freshly squeezed juices, fresh bread – including gluten free - baked daily.
111 Moray Place
Nova
Something of a Dunedin institution, Nova is a popular cafe by day, restaurant by night. With a prime position in the Octagon right next to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, the menu features a carefully curated selection of dishes that champion local ingredients and is well-known locally for its sumptious deserts.
Upper Octagon
Charlie Sparrows
Very new and warmly inviting, this café serves a selection of house-made savoury and sweet items with raw and vegan options, plus locally roasted, fair trade Strictly coffee.
165 Stuart Street
Side-on
A airy contemporary space, Side-on serves a delicious, international array of foods from Euro-influenced fermented breads to panipopo Samoan coconut buns served warm with coconut milk, or try fried cauliflower with haloumi and cream cheese on sourdough and a curry vinaigrette.
326 Moray Place
Laneway
Coffee is taken seriously here, but the vibe is fun. Try the all day breakfast menu, cabinet food or the tapas menu for lunch and dinner. The chefs’ delicious Spanish inspired menu, locally sourced where possible. There’s also a great selection of wine and beer from NZ or Spain.
7 Bath Street
Mazagran
The blackboard art is as lively as this tiny café, in a curving corner of the inner city that has a real sense of entrepreneurial community. The coffee roaster shares elbow room with the four inside tables, and a rack of the grooviest magazines out. Coffee blends and single origin available plus cakes, tarts and slices.
36 Moray Place
George Street
Marbecks Foodstore
Always busy, always delicious, this thriving eatery has a French-style deli, gourmet food supplies in the Everyday Larder and fresh beverages of all kinds. Try their handmade cookie cup with OCHO hot choc and a lamington – decadence.
Wall Street Mall, George Street
Buster Greens
This fabulous eatery is making a splash for its delicious all-day breakfast menu and cool décor. Constantly humming with people, Buster Greens serves up some refreshing new takes on old classics such as the fried chicken bene and other tasty gems.
466 George Street
Kindred
Stunning 'high-vibe' food and botanical cocktails - what a combo. The bright, airy space perfectly complements a menu of delicious and indulgent dishes focusing on free-range and organic meats as well as an amazing array of plant-based meals and treats, all exquisitely presented and almost too good to eat.
333 George Street
Modaks Espresso
A popular Dunedin cafe with a healthy does of quirk and character. Modaks is one of the go-to spots for Dunedin Vegans and always offers an impressive range of tasty options. Word on the street says the fries and shakes are out of this world. Just another reason to add Modak's to your essential to visit list.
337-339 George Street
RDC
A chilled out little oasis in a busy world. They serve locally roasted Fat Cat Coffee and always have fresh savoury and sweet baking. The cheese rolls are great.
346 George Street (down the alleyway)
Governors Café
Look at all the berries on those pancakes, look at all the cinnamon on those scrolls. A Dunedin institution since 1977, visit and enjoy the warming menu of freshly baked snacks and generous meals.
438 George Street
Kiki Beware
Snug in its heritage building and surrounded by some of Dunedin’s finest boutique shopping, this is a kooky, quirky and modern boutique café that’s quickly become one of Dunedin’s favourite haunts. Open everyday, serving great coffee, food and drinks. Enjoy the renowned fried chicken, some poutine, a salmon bagel, fresh-baked treats or a Vietnamese BBQ Pork Baguette (a favourite with locals), or peruse the dedicated and diverse drinks menu.
344 George Street
Hungry Hobos
Specialising in toasted sandwiches and soups. These are seriously long and tasty sandwiches for the aficionados among us. A popular snack stop reaching cult status for those in the know.
187 George Street
Market Kitchen
This popular café offers an invigorating approach to dining: seasonal, local ingredients all made on site by passionate people and served with happiness. The chefs use local producers where ever possible and the French patisseries alone are worth stopping in for.
472 George Street
Warehouse Precinct
Heritage Coffee
Another gorgeous heritage building renovation houses this stylish café serving locally roasted espresso, vibrant easy café fare that caters to most dietary needs. Choose from alfresco seating inside and outside, or cosy intimate booths.
Cnr Vogel and Jetty Streets
Precinct Food
Another strong contender in the ever-evolving Warehouse Precinct, this popular eatery takes fresh seasonal food to a whole new level, with a daily-changing menu made from scratch. Perched in among rejuvenated heritage buildings, Precinct Food is a mecca of sorts for foodies across the city seeking out a tasty bite.
125 Vogel Street
Vogel Street Kitchen
The first café/restaurant to open in Ōtepoti Dunedin’s thriving Warehouse Precinct, this has become a go-to spot for many looking for great food, great coffee, great staff and a great vibe. The exposed brick, steel beams and vintage or bespoke furniture make it extra classy.
76 Vogel Street
Princes Street
Catalyst Kitchen
Providing a space for mindful eating and conscious consuming, this eatery on Princes Street has fast become a local favourite with arguably the most insta-worthy dishes in the city which are as tasty as they are visually stunning. The weekend brunch & bubbles comes complete with cocktails, perfect for a leisurely lunch with friends.
286 Princes Street
The Daily Coffee Company
Jay the coffee alchemist/artist serves up the perfect cup every time which makes the Daily Coffee Company one of the most popular and undeniably cool coffee joints in town.
366 Princes Street
Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co.
Focusing on ethical eating, Vanguard source all their coffee ethically, either straight from the farmer or through a network of trading partners, ensuring quality, transparency and a fair price paid. Without exception, all the milk they use is organic, and all the animal products are free range. The food is seasonal and amazing, and well worth making a special trip for.
329 Princes St
Standard Kitchen
An eatery with a difference, focusing on local produce and whole foods made from scratch. Simple, seasonal, catering to a wide range of dietary preferences. The décor in this renovated historic building is worth coming for alone – yay for saving old buildings.
210 Princes Street
Wolf at the Door
Groovy murals on the walls, funky furniture, really good coffee and a clear enjoyment of community. The name isn’t the only great thing about this café.
6 Carroll Street
Around the inner city
The Strictly Coffee Company HQ
Are you a coffee enthusiast who loves roasting and the art of Barista coffee making? Visit the hub of the small Strictly Coffee empire. It specialises in buying, roasting, blending and supplying quality, ethically sourced Arabica beans. Their goal is to produce and provide the best espresso blends on the market for our amazing customers, whether they are café owners or enthusiastic home brewers.
137 Frederick Street
Ironic Café & Bar
Supreme Winner of the 2014 New Zealand Cafe of the Year Award, Ironic caters for all tastes and seasons. Dine indoors in front of the fire while enjoying the view of Dunedins' iconic railway station, or wallow in the sculpture enhanced courtyard in the evening sun while enjoying the selection of local wine or beer.
9 Anzac Ave
North Dunedin
ADJØ
Serving up deliciously fresh Danish cuisine in the form of smørrebrød open sandwiches, amazing porridge concoctions, excellent coffee and house-made schnapps, ADJØ is one of the most interesting little cafes in Dunedin. Weekend evening dining and regular art exhibitions add to the seriously cool scandi cred .
10 Bank Street, North Dunedin
Beam Me Up Bagels
Find the tastiest, freshest bagels at 9 North Road and in the city centre at 104 Great King Street. Their bagels come in several more-ish flavours, from sweet to savoury. They’re great on their own , but the smiling staff can toast them up and prepare sandwich versions with organis/free range fillings. Try ‘Men In Black’ with blackened Cajun chicken breast, lettuce, red onion, mayo and green pesto, or ‘The Borg’ Blueskin Bay wildflower honey, roast walnuts and cream cheese.
9 North Road, North Dunedin, and 104 Great King Street, City Centre
The Good Earth Cafe
Made from scratch every day, using fresh, wholesome, mainly organic ingredients, the menu at Good Earth Cafe has something for every dietary need. Also offering locally-roasted Fair Trade coffee and beautiful courtyard dining.
765 Cumberland St
South Dunedin and beachside
Common Ground
In a small hole-in the wall, South Dunedin site surrounded by tradies bases. Grab a park next to the builders and plumbers and relax into the friendly vibe. Order your favourite coffee once and the barrister/roasters will remember and serve it up on your next visit – they’re real pros who supply small batch coffee to all the classy cafes in town.
Unit 11, Strathallan Industrial Estate, 4 Strathallan Street
Kūkū Coffee Ōtepoti
Bringing some seriously cool credentials to Caversham, Kūkū serves doses of happiness in the form of freshly roasted beans and coffees, all accompanied by a soundtrack of old skool tunes playing on the instore turntables.
292 South Rd Caversham
Hill suburbs
No. 7 Balmac
Rising from the ashes of a fire that led to a complete refit and a chance to renew the menu for a reopening on its Maori Hill site, this stylish spot has been welcomed back with open arms. Breakfast, lunch, dinner - this wise choice is yours.
7 Balmacewen Road
Grid Coffee Roasters
No nonsense coffee roasters using top quality ethically sourced beans, making really good coffee. They have a well-stocked tea shop attached, too. A couple of tables offer visitors a spot to chat while having caffeine shot. Locals have their own cups hanging on the wall.
172 Eglinton Road
Rural café scene
1908 Café
History and good food combine perfectly at 1908, a café/restaurant that offers quality imaginative, contemporary fare with traditional New Zealand flavours. Situated in the charming Portobello village on Otago Peninsula, the chef uses only fresh local produce to create an appetising menu with something for everyone. A great meal stop as part of a day trip along the Otago Peninsula or as a destination in its own right.
7 Harington Point Road, Portobello
Brighton Beach Café
There’s a cheery yellow cottage café beckoning you to Brighton. Bright, airy and so relaxing, the emphasis at Brighton Beach Café is on fresh, fresh food. Weekly specials keep the menu on its toes, with dishes showing an exciting, globe-trotting influence. Praises for its seafood chowder glow as brightly as the café itself. Everyone’s sweet tooth will be catered for in the array of slices and cakes, which you can take away to savour at the beach across the road.
1034 Brighton Road
Union Co Café
Delicious food and spot-on coffee in a cosy, pie-wedge space on the corner facing Port Chalmers bustling wharves.
2 George Street, Port Chalmers
The Galley Café
Offering a mouth-watering selection of fresh baking (with loads of Gluten free and vegan options) as well as delicious barista made coffee ground from our locally roasted beans and a seasonal menu covering, breakfast, lunch and dinner with something for everyone to enjoy.
36 George Street, Port Chalmers
The Wobbly Goat
This bustling rural café and eatery is run by people who take real pride in what they offer you. Right in the heart of Outram village on the Taieri Plain, it’s a great day trip from Dunedin, or a place for a tasty snack as you drive towards Middlemarch. At the weekend you’ll find plenty of leisure cyclists resting there after a ride from Dunedin city, gathering their energy for the journey home.
17 Holyhead Street, Outram
The Kissing Gate
A country café with a sheltered picnic garden, fruit trees in blossom, wholesome food and friendly service.
2 Swansea Street, Middlemarch
Café the sustainable way
Keen to support sustainable café crawling? Check out UYOC.CO.NZ an online café guide. It stands for Use Your Own Cup and represents cafes who are committed minimising their environmental impact by welcoming you to use you own cups when buying take out. You can find out where participating cafes are all over New Zealand and whether they have cool stuff such as free WiFi, ethically sourced beans, responsible food waste systems and other excellent initiatives.