Lux Espresso

Tucked inside the CoCA art gallery building on Gloucester Street, you’ll find the aesthetically pleasing Lux Espresso. A hotspot for central city workers and art lovers alike, their baked goods and mouth-watering salads are typically sold out long before lunchtime.

Bare concrete floors, white-washed walls and steel lighting rigs lend an industrial feel to the space. In contrast, the custom-designed counter of unfinished oak and earthen-toned Japanese tiles is a stunning focal point bringing a warm touch to this Christchurch café. As could be expected for a café inside an art gallery, exhibitions overflow into the café space with many changing pieces adorning Lux’s walls. Combine this with the subtle mood lighting, superior Allpress coffee, and freshly baked goods, and you have the perfect space for post-gallery chats.

If you make it to Lux early enough, you’ll find the countertop laden with moreish sweet treats and a cabinet chock full of lunch options so good you might just start drooling. It’s not hard to guess why they’re normally sold out before midday, the food at Lux is incredible. Forget boring green salads with soggy lettuce, Lux makes salads that are a whole meal and a very satisfying one at that. 

Quality ingredients are sourced as locally as possible, with fresh bread daily from Grizzly Baked Goods. The immensely popular veggie loaves and gluten-free cheese scones (with just a pinch of chilli) are baked on-site every morning, along with every kind of brownie, cookie, muffin, and donut you could possibly imagine.

Friendly and efficient service has made Lux Espresso a prime spot for that early morning caffeine fix on your way to the office. The folks at Lux sure know how to make your workday sweeter - pick up some takeaway lunch with your morning espresso and a sweet treat for the three o’clock munchies. No doubt, you’ll be back tomorrow for more!