Commons Eatery

Cafes key icon. Restaurants key icon.
Cafes key icon. Restaurants key icon.

Monday7:30 am – 4:00 pm.

Tuesday7:30 am – 4:00 pm.

Wednesday7:30 am – 9:30 pm.

Thursday7:30 am – 9:30 pm.

Friday7:30 am – 10:00 pm.

Saturday8:30 am – 10:00 pm.

Sunday9:00 am – 4:00 pm.

29 The Octagon, Central Dunedin, Dunedin

03 470 1715

It’s a wonderful thing to meet an eatery you love, even better when that place welcomes you morning, noon, and night. Located along the Octagon right next to the Art Gallery, Commons Eatery opened in December 2024 and has become that delicious refuge for many Dunedin dwellers.

Locals may remember the location as the former home of Nova cafe, a culinary institution that was in operation since the 90s. It’s no easy feat taking the place of a well-loved venue, but Commons Eatery is a worthy replacement that has been warmly received. Open daily, this new destination is the perfect blend of a restaurant, bar and cafe, with something delicious at every moment of the day.

As the day kicks off, Commons Eatery is filled with regulars grabbing their daily coffee and if they know what’s good for them, a freshly baked treat from the counter. Stacks of cheese scones, savoury and sweet scrolls, and seasonal cakes prove challenging to resist. Breakfast and brunch is served until 11.30am, with an extensive line-up of morning favourites to please all. Choose from buttery hot cakes and nourishing chia puddings, timeless egg and soldiers, eggs benny in every form, a full breakfast of grilled staples, and more.

Come midday, the kitchen let their love of European food shine, celebrating fresh ingredients and simple dishes with a few fun and creative twists in the mix. The all-day menu (which extends into dinner on Thursday to Saturday) offers something for every appetite, whether you feel like something light and fresh or a hearty feast. Plates can be shared or enjoyed individually, featuring parma ham with fresh rockmelon, braised beef short rib that slips right off the bone, and prawn toast, an instant fan favourite. If the day calls for dessert, finish off with the daily pie served with ice cream and custard or a nostalgic jam roly-poly.

Coffee or cocktails, leisurely brunch or post-gallery lunch, Commons Eatery does it all and most importantly, does it well.

Words by Maggie Worthington & Photography by Anna Briggs

Information not correct? Report an error

Location

29 The Octagon, Central Dunedin, Dunedin

Nearby Places

Ebb-Kitchen

Exterior of Ebb-Kitchen.
Place Dunedin
Cafes key icon. Restaurants key icon.

A green oasis nestled into Dunedin’s urban streets, Ebb-Kitchen bridges the gap between city and nature, bringing the best parts of each together on the plate.

ADJØ

Customers sitting at low and high tables inside the cafe.
Place Dunedin
Cafes key icon.

Visit ADJØ for comforting Scandinavian dishes, barista coffee, housemade schnapps and NZ wines.

Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co.

Seating area in Vanguard with big monstera plant.
Place Dunedin
Cafes key icon.

A fresh look and take on the independent coffee scene in Dunedin.

Hard to Find Books

A woman reading a book about David Bowie.
Place Dunedin

Specialising in rare and hard-to-find books, the shelves are stocked from floor to ceiling with titles covering every possible subject matter from 18th century trains to Julia Child's recipes.

Similar Places

Esplanade

The building's exterior.
Place Dunedin
Restaurants key icon.

Beachfront and Italian may not be the most common marriage on New Zealand shores, but it’s a marriage that works well at St Clair’s Esplanade.

ADJØ

Customers sitting at low and high tables inside the cafe.
Place Dunedin
Cafes key icon.

Visit ADJØ for comforting Scandinavian dishes, barista coffee, housemade schnapps and NZ wines.

Woof!

A staff member working.
Place Dunedin Editor's Pick
Bars key icon.

A one-stop shop for any and all libations.

Kiki Beware

White tables against a painted-white brick wall.
Place Dunedin
Cafes key icon.

You won’t find anything else quite like Kiki down George Street.