Some of our favorite breakfast and brunch cafés we found while traveling across New Zealand
New Zealand’s café culture became one of the unexpected highlights of our year in the country. While travelling around both islands in our converted campervan, breakfast stops were rarely just about the food. They gave us somewhere to plan the next part of our route, wait out a rainy morning or simply enjoy good coffee and a proper meal before getting back on the road.
This guide brings together some of the best breakfast and brunch places we personally visited across New Zealand, from creative bagel shops and excellent bakeries to cafés we returned to often enough to feel like regulars. It is not intended to cover every great café in the country. These are simply the places we genuinely enjoyed and would seek out again.
Quick Picks
Best for pastries and bread: Cupple, Hastings
Best full brunch: Bespoke Kitchen, Queenstown
Best local café experience: Federal Diner, Wānaka
Best breakfast on the go: Fergbaker, Queenstown
Best creative bagels: Biggie Bagels, Whangārei
Best for serious coffee: Customs, Wellington
Last updated: September 2026
North Island Breakfast Cafés
Cupple, Hastings
After spending a few quiet days camping at Kairakau Beach, we drove into Hastings to properly begin our road trip across the North Island. Cupple was the first café we looked up on our way into town and proved to be a very good first stop.
Cupple brings together locally roasted Firsthand Coffee and pastries from Y’a Bon French Baker under one roof. The long, industrial-style space is separated from the bakery by large glass windows, allowing you to watch the bakers preparing bread and pastries while you drink your coffee.
The coffee was excellent, but the pastries were simply next level. The croissants, éclairs and tarts passed our admittedly demanding European pastry test, while the freshly filled baguettes and sandwiches were just as delicious. We left with a loaf of fresh sourdough for the road - a fitting start to the next stage of our journey.
Sol’s Place, formerly One2One Café, Auckland
When we visited this café, it was called One2One Café. The building itself dates back to around 1900 and has housed a succession of cafés over the years. Atomic Café opened here in 1992, One2One followed later and Sol’s Place took over in 2021. In the courtyard, a wall records the names of the cafés that have occupied the building.
We sat in the courtyard, listened to live music and ordered a flat white and an espresso with an almond pastry similar to a German Mandelhörnchen and a cream cheese bagel. We ended up staying for a while to work and research the next stages of our trip. One2One had plenty of character and the live music was also part of its identity, making it feel like a genuine neighbourhood café rather than somewhere designed for a quick coffee and departure.
Sol’s Place continues the location’s long standing connection with coffee, food and music. It remains very well reviewed, with visitors praising its cosy atmosphere, friendly service and tasty breakfast.
While you’re in Ponsonby
Ponsonby is worth more than a quick breakfast stop. We spent time eating our way through the neighbourhood, stopping for tacos and margaritas while exploring Ponsonby Road. A short walk from Sol’s Place, Ponsonby Central brings together cafés, restaurants, bars and independent shops in a compact market-style precinct.
Another nearby café we had saved but didn’t make it to was Little Bird Kitchen, a popular plant-based spot on the corner of Summer Street and Ponsonby Road. It continues to receive strong reviews and remains on our list for a future visit.
Biggie Bagels, Whangarei
We came across several excellent bagel shops while travelling through New Zealand, but Biggie Bagels in Whangārei stood out most. The whole place follows a playful hip-hop theme, from portraits of Biggie and Tupac on the walls to menu items such as Mother Dukkah, Grandmaster Smash and Notorious B.L.A.T.
We tried the Mother Dukkah, filled with roasted pumpkin, hummus, sprouts and dukkah, an Egyptian blend of nuts, seeds and spices. We also had the Wu-Tangy Clan with crispy pork belly, lettuce, coriander and sriracha mayo. Both were delicious, full of flavour and filling.
On another visit a few months later, we picked up more bagels for the road and they still hit the spot. In 2022, the café received the Best Street Food award at the Northland Hospitality Awards, which feels well deserved. We highly recommend stopping by if you are visiting Whangārei or travelling farther north.
The Artisan Café, Hastings
New Zealand summers can be hot and Hastings felt particularly warm when we visited. We briefly escaped the summer heat at The Artisan Café, a cosy little space with freshly baked bread, sandwiches, cakes and other tasty treats filling the cabinet.
We ordered refreshing iced coffees and stayed for a while to plan a wine-tasting route through Hawke’s Bay. The Artisan is also a small micro-roastery and bakes its own bread, making it a good choice for coffee and a lighter breakfast rather than a full sit-down meal. The Artisan also has a location in Napier with an all-day menu of cooked breakfast and lunch dishes.
Fidel's Café, Wellington
As both New Zealand’s capital and the main departure point for ferries to the South Island, Wellington brings together travellers, university students, government workers and expats who have made the city their new home. That mix gives the city much of its energy. We stayed near Cuba Street twice for a few days and gradually got to know Wellington a little better.
Named after the ship Cuba, which brought early settlers to Wellington in 1840, Cuba Street has long been a centre of activity in the city. Fidel’s Café opened there in 1996 and became part of the neighbourhood with its quirky Cuban-inspired interior, colourful atmosphere, Cuban-influenced dishes and good coffee.
The café was only a short walk from where we were staying, so we popped in for coffee and enjoyed the atmosphere. It was the kind of place where you could sit for a while, watch Cuba Street go by and plan the next part of your journey.
The original Fidel’s location closed for earthquake strengthening in June 2025. The café is currently serving brunch, lunch and cabinet treats from a pop-up at Havana Bar on nearby Wigan Street.
Customs Café, Wellington
One of the hardest parts about exploring Wellington with only a few days in the city was deciding which cafés to try. There seemed to be another interesting place around every corner, so we often simply walked through the city and stopped wherever caught our attention.
That is how we found Customs on Ghuznee Street. Run by Wellington coffee roaster Coffee Supreme, the café has a warm, understated interior and a deliberately simple menu centred around espresso and filter coffee. The food selection is similarly concise, with toast and sandwiches featuring seasonal toppings.
We only stayed long enough to enjoy our coffees and sit down for a chat, but it was exactly the break we needed after spending the day exploring Wellington. Customs is particularly suited to anyone looking for excellent coffee and a light breakfast rather than a large brunch.
Wharf Road, Coromandel Town - now closed!
While summer on the North Island can be hot, it can also be surprisingly rainy. When we stayed in Coromandel Town around Christmas, it rained for much of our visit, giving us the perfect excuse to settle into a cosy café for some work and trip planning. We returned to Wharf Road two or three times for its good coffee, relaxed atmosphere and excellent breakfast dishes served with a creative twist. On sunnier days, there was also a small patio outside. Sadly, Wharf Road Café has since closed.
When we return to Coromandel Town, we would love to try Weta Café. Its breakfast and brunch menu looks promising and the relaxed setting beside the park looks inviting. For locally roasted coffee rather than a full breakfast, Naughty Bean Coffee also looks well worth a stop.
South Island Breakfast Cafes
Federal Diner, Wanaka
During the months we lived in Wānaka, Federal Diner became a regular brunch spot for us. Tucked down an alley off Helwick Street, it is easy to miss at first, but its location away from the busy lakefront made it feel like a proper local spot. The café is often lively and crowded, particularly at weekends, but that is part of its character. It felt less like somewhere we visited once and more like a place that naturally became part of our time in Wānaka.
The menu goes well beyond standard café fare. Some of the dishes we tried, were the Kumara Roti Roll and the Pork Roti Roll, as well as the Wisdom Salad and other more typical breakfast dishes. The food was fresh, full of flavour and substantial enough to keep us going for the rest of the day.
Federal Diner has been serving Wānaka since 2010 and continues to offer all-day breakfast and lunch made with seasonal produce, organic eggs and free-range meat. We returned for the good coffee and Federal Diner’s well-known cheese scones, which lived up to their reputation.
Bespoke Kitchen, Queenstown
We visited Bespoke Kitchen a couple of times while visiting Queenstown. Set on Isle Street just above the town centre, the café overlooks the bay and the Remarkables while feeling slightly removed from the busiest streets below. The space was lively but relaxed, making it equally suited to a slow morning or breakfast before heading out for the day.
The all-day menu changes with the seasons, uses free-range eggs and chicken and is particularly strong when it comes to vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Recent dishes include a vegan Benedict with potato rosti, crispy sesame tofu and hazelnut hollandaise, sticky date porridge with roasted pear and miso caramel and an okonomiyaki waffle topped with mushrooms, fried kale and pickled ginger.
Our breakfasts were fresh, generous and full of well-considered flavours without feeling overly heavy. Together with good Allpress coffee and friendly service, Bespoke Kitchen was a place we were happy to return to during our time in Queenstown. Unfortunately I did miss to take any photos of the food!
Fergbaker, Queenstown
We could not finish this post without including Fergbaker, the bakery next door to Queenstown’s famous Fergburger. Its cabinets are packed with fresh bread, pastries, cakes and hearty New Zealand-style pies, with fillings ranging from classic mince and cheese to lamb with kūmara and horopito or venison and mushroom.
We also picked up a slice of colourful lolly cake, a very sweet New Zealand favourite made with biscuits and soft lollies. Fergbaker is currently open every day from 6 am until 2 am, making it equally convenient for an early breakfast before an adventure or something warm after a late night. It is often busy, but the generous portions and reliable quality explain why it has become such a familiar part of Queenstown’s food scene.
Beam Me Up Bagels, Dunedin
New Zealand introduced us to more than one bagel shop with a sense of humour. At Beam Me Up Bagels, the theme shifts from the hip-hop references of Biggie Bagels to science fiction, with names inspired by Star Wars, Star Trek and other pop-culture favourites. Menu items have included Ham Solo, Darth Bacon, Mung the Merciless and Killer Tomatoes.
Behind the playful names are properly made bagels, hand-rolled in small batches, malt-boiled and baked fresh each day. The fillings feature local, seasonal produce and free-range meat where possible, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan choices as well.
We tried the Ham Solo with ham, Colby cheese, Dijonnaise, sprouts and pickles, as well as the 2000 and Juan with its Mexican-inspired corn, quinoa and black bean patty. Both were filling and full of flavour. Beam Me Up now has two shops in Dunedin, one in North East Valley and another in the city centre. The bagel scene in New Zealand was something we did not expect to find, but we were very pleased that we did. The world could use more pop-culture-themed bagel shops.
Looking for some of the best coffee shops & roasters in New Zealand?
Did we miss your favourite brunch spot in New Zealand?
Tell us in the comments and let us know what to try. We can always justify another breakfast as research.
From tiny espresso bars to full working roasteries, these are the coffee stops that kept our New Zealand road trip properly caffeinated.