Three Peaks Coffee

As you cross the Clyde Bridge from Earnscleugh, a small stucco building is waiting on the other side with a cup of specialty coffee – and a few buttery treats too.

Charlotte and Blair are the duo behind Three Peaks Coffee, leaning into their love of brews and baked goods to open the cafe in autumn 2024. While it’s their first time setting foot in the hospitality landscape, it’s immediately evident that they’re both right at home behind the coffee machine.

Open from 6.30am, Three Peaks captures early risers waking up with the sun, including tradies pulling up on the way to their first job of the morning. Beans are sourced from Grid Coffee, an independent family-owned business based in Dunedin, which – paired with the cafe’s exceptional barista skills – certainly pack a punch. Whether you’re a long black, oat flat white, or discerning fluffy drinker, Three Peaks has your daily cuppa sorted.

Head to the cabinet while you wait for your coffee – and good luck trying to hold back from popping something fresh and flaky into a brown paper bag. The hot pies are supplied by Gloria Bakery (another Dunedin favourite) and bread, buns and bagels come straight from Berry Farm Bakery in Alexandra. As for everything else, though? It’s all Charlotte’s doing. The stars of the show are the heavenly donuts, brioche and double-baked croissants, topped with fun and creative flavours – from chocolate lamington to Biscoff to Whittaker’s Black Forest. For a savoury kick, nostalgic cheesy scrolls and mousetraps can often be found in the cabinet too.

While many swing by for a coffee on the go, there’s a small table in the corner and a bar leaner to prop up at if you have a few minutes to spare. Sip out of a locally made ceramic mug while you read the morning paper and take in the building’s charming characteristics. Originally a butcher's shop, you can still spot the chiller walls and slider doors in the ceiling amongst the sleek new wooden features. The retractable doors also offer uninterrupted views of the mountain range outside – a sight that never gets old.