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.

10 Trails in the Hutt Valley and Where to Treat Yourself After

People biking on a trail in native bush.
Nestled within the lush, rolling landscapes that make up the lower North Island, the Hutt Valley offers an expansive network of interesting walks appealing to both seasoned hikers and casual strollers alike. Whether you’re after a leisurely meander or a more challenging multi-hour ‘slog’, the Hutt Valley trails offer a variety of native bush landscapes and panoramic vistas, meaning there really is something for everyone. Fortunately, the adventure doesn’t have to end with the last step of the walk; the Hutt Valley also offers a yummy selection of culinary spots to reward the tired explorer. Our guide below unveils ten of the best walks in the Hutt Valley and our suggestion of the perfect places to treat yourself afterwards.

Bellbird Eatery

Scrambled egg and mushrooms on toast.
Place Hutt Valley
Cafes key icon.

Museum and art gallery cafes have really upped their game in recent years, evolving from simple refreshment pit stops to become attractions in their own right.

House of Good Fortune

Exterior of mint-green character house in Petone Wellington
Place Hutt Valley Lower Hutt
Cafes key icon.

Petone’s myriad side streets hold plenty of delightful surprises, and if you’re lucky enough, you might just stumble upon the House of Good Fortune.

Tricky's Sandwich Co

Chicken sandwich being placed on the table at Tricky's Sandwich Co
Place Hutt Valley Upper Hutt
Cafes key icon.

It’s hard to beat a good sandwich – and Tricky’s Sandwich Co is a family-run sandwich joint that have made it their business to be unbeatable.

Tartines French Cafe

Fresh tuna salad and aperol spritz on an outdoor French style table
Place Hutt Valley Lower Hutt
Cafes key icon.

Tartines offers a small slice of French culinary delight, with handmade tarts, pastries, fresh bread and classic dishes that will have you mistaking Lower Hutt for Lyon.

Twenty Eight

Someone holding a plate of pancakes with strawberries at cafe
Place Hutt Valley Lower Hutt
Cafes key icon.

Named for their address on Cornwall Street, Twenty Eight is a modern, well lit and welcoming Lower Hutt cafe serving up interesting cabinet food, a thoughtfully crafted...

Cake & Kitchen

A fake living wall inside a brightly lit cafe.
Place Hutt Valley Upper Hutt
Cafes key icon.

Cake & Kitchen is a cafe in Upper Hutt, bringing people together over delicious food and coffee.

Seashore Cabaret

View from inside the first floor Seashore Cabaret cafe out to their deck area where people are dining with a view across the harbour to Wellington city beyond.
Place Hutt Valley
Cafes key icon.

This café definitely takes out the title for best view of the city.

Miss Fortune's

Coffee machine and bags of coffee on a colourful counter in Miss Fortune's cafe
Place Hutt Valley Lower Hutt
Cafes key icon.

Lower Hutt’s industrial precinct isn’t exactly where you’d think to head for a slice of quintessential Wellington hospitality, but at Miss Fortune’s, you’ll find one of the region’s most charismatic little brunch spots.

How to Spend a Day in Petone, Lower Hutt

Old buildings lined up in a row on a street.

Nestled along the picturesque shores of Wellington Harbour, Pito-one, or Petone, is a suburb of Lower Hutt offering a well-blended happy mix of old-world charm and modern-day sophistication. Its seaside location adds to its natural allure and its historic main street exudes a charm that is often hard to come by in small towns — or in this case, suburbs.

Small Batch, Ripe Coffee Roasters

Waiter putting coffee and muffin down on cafe table
Place Hutt Valley Lower Hutt
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This small but mighty Petone-based coffee roaster has well and truly established itself as a trusty local for many Hutt goers.

Jean's

The blue and gold outside of Jeans in Upper Hutt.
Place Hutt Valley Upper Hutt
Cafes key icon. Goods key icon.

Upper Hutt’s Fergusson Drive may often feel like a long, monotonous road, but thanks to its little boutique shops like Jeans, you can find plenty of life and character...

Dough Upper Hutt

Bakery interior with royal blue tiles and a cabinet filled with delicious baked goods
Place Hutt Valley Upper Hutt
Cafes key icon.

Come for the art, stay for the coffee and doughnuts at Dough Bakery in Upper Hutt – conveniently located in one of the town's most popular cultural haunts.

Cars Inc.

A black car in front of a large fluorescent 'Cars' sign.
Place Hutt Valley
Cafes key icon. Galleries and museum key icon.

What started out as simply a young boy with a passion has turned into a lifelong project for car enthusiast Paul Boden, and the opening of Cars Inc.

Fig Tree Café

A large cafe space with a green painted wall.
Place Hutt Valley
Cafes key icon.

Nestled in the leafy green suburb of Heretaunga, the Fig Tree Cafe has made its home in a converted church.

Hive Café

A close up of berries on waffles on a plate.
Place Hutt Valley
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Established in 2016, Hive is intended as a cafe for everyone.

Comes & Goes

Coffee brewing equipment on the counter at Comes & Goes café in Petone.
Place Hutt Valley
Cafes key icon.

Comes & Goes is a brilliant addition to the Wellington café scene, bringing an explosion of edible flowers and culinary masterpieces that Wellingtonians are welcoming with open arms.