NOKI

On the corner of Papanui Road and Bealey Ave, NOKI harnesses the deliciousness of Korean ingredients to make brunch interesting again. Husband and wife Adora Hwang and Seungik Moon opened the cafe at the end of 2023, sending shock waves of pure delight across Ōtautahi.

We love when a menu calls for a few Google searches, and we certainly walked away from NOKI with a few more nuggets of food wisdom. Paying tribute to their homeland, Hwang and Moon take a range of weekend classics (as well as some lesser-known dishes from around the globe) and infuse them with a touch of South Korea, resulting in some spellbinding creations. There’s Filipino-inspired sisig elevated with the addition of a gochujang marinade; Lebanese pita bread filled with Korean beef and house-made kimchi salsa; and traditional eggs benny reimagined with Chadolbaegi (soy and garlic marinated beef brisket), tom yum hollandaise and a sprinkling of kimchi furikake. There’s also a generously stocked cabinet with a variety of savoury and sweet goods to keep you well-fed on the go.

While the café’s fitout is minimal and restrained, there’s just the right amount of soft textures, wooden furnishings, serene shades of green, and colour-popping art (if we could take the fried egg print home we would) to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. The Hanji-style wall paintings are a special addition, forming a link back to the owners’ home with this traditional handmade paper that has been produced in Korea since the 1st century BCE.

NOKI brings the peacefulness of a neighbourhood cafe to one of Christchurch’s most bustling streets. It’s the place to be for a perfectly crafted coffee (or a maple matcha) and creative eats that will win you over in an instant.