We're spoilt for choice with great cafés and coffee bars in New Zealand. Neat Places has visited them all, and this is our pick of the best.

No stranger to a good cup of coffee, New Zealand plays host to a huge variety of coffee houses, tearooms, slick cafés and roasteries, all joint in their effort to bring you the finest cup of caffeine you’ll have that day.

Whether you’re city hopping from North to South, or driving through some of New Zealand’s smaller towns, you’re sure to find coffee at every stop. That’s because our small population has never been an excuse for a non-quality brew, and as more and more spots pop up around the country, Kiwis are simply spoilt for choice when it comes to soaking up a bit of café culture.

Leading the charge in the North is the super city Auckland, where most of New Zealand’s coffee drinkers reside. Slick, modern and confident in their ability to bring you the best, Auckland’s café scene is something not to be missed.

Further down the country Wellington is also known for its love of caffeine, and true to its hip and arty scene, coffee shops here are eclectic, quirky and full of colourful characters behind the counter.

Christchurch is no stranger to the party either, and a growing reputation as a city well worth its weight in coffee bean gold means visitors here will be impressed with both the number and quality of fun and creative coffee stops.

The further South you go, the more pleased you will be to hear a good hot cup of coffee is not hard to come by, and for people of Dunedin who face some of the coolest temperatures in the country, something to warm your hands on that also tastes bloody good is something worth celebrating. Proud of their city, fashion and food scene, Dunedin locals have let their passion for coffee infiltrate the streets, meaning within a stone’s throw of the Octagon are any number of cafés and eateries that are serving up quality cups of the good stuff.

Not to be missed too are the smaller towns dotted around the country, who may be less in population but certainly aren’t less in their love of hospitality. Cosy up at an old school tearoom with a lamington or custard square, or pop into an easy-going café that knows its locals by name – a New Zealand experience in itself, small town and rural sections of the country will perhaps make you feel more welcome than anywhere else.

Dine off the Beaten Path in Hastings & Havelock North

A container cafe nestled into a green grassy knoll.
If you’re craving a destination with a delicious reward, here are eight of our favourite “off the beaten path” spots to explore with an appetite.

The Figgery Cafe & Shop

Entrance to Te Mata Figs Cafe and Shop with waiter carrying coffees out to diners sitting at outdoor tables
Place Hastings
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With a Mediterranean climate at your fingertips, it would be a crime not to cultivate one of the world’s most treasured fruits.

Rosina Eatery

Plate of bright milk toast next to a long black coffee on cafe table
Place Hastings
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After your first visit to Rosina, you’ll be digging up every excuse in the book to return on the daily. That was our experience anyway.

Ya Bon Table

Two women talking together at a table with plates of pastries and baked goods
Place Hastings
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Apart from those living under a giant rock, every soul in Hawke’s Bay is familiar (and likely obsessed) with the irresistible baked goods from modern French bakery, Ya...

Red Bridge Coffee

The three team members behind Red Bridge Coffee sitting outside coffee trailer with their two dogs
Place Hastings
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A special kind of magic takes over when you exit the main town and enter the Hawke’s Bay countryside, with tree-lined roads winding through rolling hills and vineyards.

St Martha

The bright and beautiful counter at St Martha In Havelock North.
Place Hastings
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The Havelock North dining scene continues to trend positively, fuelled by its latest addition, St Martha.

Lot 2

The bright interior of Lot 2 cafe in Havelock North.
Place Hastings
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Havelock North’s Lot 2 is a laid back, unpretentious eatery that starts each day as a café, before transforming into an intimate evening destination.

13th Stag

A large cafe with the sun streaming in through its glass windows.
Place Hastings
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‘Power to perform’ is the mantra that motivates everything at 13th Stag cafe.

Cupple & Ya Bon

A woman standing at the counter inside Cupple cafe Hastings.
Place Hastings Editor's Pick
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A good cup of coffee and the perfect flaky pastry is worth travelling for.

9 International Food Destinations in Hastings & Havelock North

A woman holding chopsticks.
Here are nine of our favourite local eateries that will take you on a delicious trip around the world. No passport required – but remember to pack your appetite.

Workroom

Customers sitting at high black tables inside the cafe.
Place Hastings Editor's Pick
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Hidden down a laneway off Joll Road in Havelock North, you will come across caffeine superstars Workroom.

Hawthorne Coffee Roastery & Espresso Bar

A barista working behind a small hole-in-the-wall window.
Place Hastings
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Morning coffee places don’t get any better than Hawthorne Coffee Roastery & Espresso Bar in Havelock North.

Long Island Delicatessen

The green counter inside Long Island Delicatessen with a backdrop of a flamingo painted on the wall.
Place Hastings
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Need a bite to eat when you’re on the go? Looking to pack a picnic for lunch? Or, searching for somewhere that provides knockout catering? Hastings’ Long Island...

Kindred Road

The interior of Kindred Road in Hastings.
Place Hastings
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Exciting developments are happening in Hastings’ inner city, including Tribune, a heritage revival of what was once office buildings and is now a precinct home to...

Birdwoods Gallery & Café

The eclectic interior of Birdwoods Gallery in Hastings.
Place Hastings
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Birdwoods Gallery & Café is a special place in the heart of rural Havelock North.

Pixie Bowls

A flatly of a breakfast bowl on a white table.
Place Hastings Editor's Pick
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Entering Pixie Bowls in Havelock North feels like being transported to the streets of Bondi Beach or Canggu in Bali.

A Place in the Sun: Best Al Fresco Dining in Hastings and Havelock North

A couple dining outside a black barn on a sunny day.
Commonly referred to as the ‘fruit bowl of New Zealand,’ Hawke’s Bay is something of a paradise for culinary enthusiasts and wine connoisseurs alike. The region’s temperate climate lends itself to many an outside meal, and with an abundance of charming outdoor spaces on offer, al fresco dining is a concept most locals are more than just a little familiar with.

Oh My Goodness Speciality Breads

The beautiful green and wood counter area inside Oh My Goodness in Hastings.
Place Hastings
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Oh My Goodness is one of those places where you walk through the front doors and instantly sense the care and attention that has gone into creating the business.