Niche Coffee + Eatery

Niche Coffee + Eatery, the latest addition to the hospitality scene of Sumner in Christchurch, fits like a glove to the seaside village.

The minimal fit-out with a nod to a beachy boho style is fresh, light and timelessly stylish. Just about everything at Niche is impressively designed and built (with a helping hand from a few mates) by owner-operators Ben and Jo Holmes who run the café together. While the pair is passionate about creating a space that is inviting, it’s providing the local community with something to call their own and visitors to enjoy that drives them.

Ben has been in the coffee game for a long time, previously working at Allpress Espresso, hence the decision to use the premium beans here as well. Unsurprisingly, coffee is at the heart of it all at Niche and it’s created to perfection every time. Discerning coffee drinkers head this way.

No corners are cut on the food side of things either. Only high-quality product gets the seal of approval at Niche. Everything you find here – from the cabinet brimming with all things delicious to a menu filled with crowd favourites with a twist – is made from scratch in the kitchen and designed by Head Chef Felicity Georgeson. Keeping in tune with the seasons and supporting local producers is key to the way things are done here too – meat is sourced from nearby Redcliffs Butchery and bread from Le Panier Boulangerie in Merivale. 

To top it all off, customer service at Niche is always genuinely friendly – the team here takes pride in what they do and love sharing their passion with each person that walks through the door. There’s a bunch of toys, colouring-in pages and pens to keep the kids entertained, and your furry friend is welcome out front too.