The Best Cafés in Auckland

Just off Albert Street, Atomic Coffee Roasters’ inner-city espresso bar is a peaceful break from the CBD noise. There’s an extensive coffee range, including options on tap, and it pairs perfectly with its sunlit sibling café nearby on Graham Street.

The Wynyard Quarter outpost of mouthwatering artisan bakery MIBO (with sister spots in Mount Eden and Milford) is known for traditional pastries layered with flavours from across Asia. Think black sesame croissants, specialty coffee and brunch classics.

Part roastery, part café and part gallery, Allpress Roastery in Freemans Bay is where the Allpress story began. Expect excellent coffee, fresh pastries, light lunches and a steady hum of local regulars beside the working roastery floor, terrace, courtyard and studio space.

Right on the corner connecting Ponsonby and Karangahape Road, Pilar Café & Eatery is a bustling, sun-drenched spot made for people watching. Grab a coffee and something fresh from the cabinet, or settle in for a classic brunch with an Asian-fusion twist.

Small Mercies in Grafton is a colourful café serving Korean kkwabaegi: twisted donuts made with brioche and glutinous rice flour. They’re light, fluffy and chewy, served sweet or savoury, and pair perfectly with a matcha or single-origin coffee.

A lovely neighbourhood bakery in Westmere, Beabea’s elevates time-honoured New Zealand and European favourites with modern French technique. From classic baguettes and canelé to nostalgic treats with a twist, there’s plenty to indulge in alongside your coffee.

For coffee and matcha lovers, Slow Koi is a quiet escape from the pace of the inner city. Every detail has been intentionally curated, from the drinks themselves and the art on the walls right down to the shape of the cups.

At Outdoors Society on Mount Eden Road, fashion really does meet function. An evolution of hemp clothing brand Goodlids, this conceptual outdoors store sits somewhere between retail shop, café and community hub, with vinyl spinning and regulars perched out front with an Allpress coffee in hand.

New Plymouth-born roasters Ozone Coffee have a vibrant Grey Lynn hub where coffee, community and sustainability collide. Grab a flat white to go, settle in for brunch or pick up beans to brew at home.

Tucked among the Grey Lynn shops, Florets is a cosy neighbourhood bakery focused on sustainable, nutritious sourdough. It uses whole-grain, organic flour grown and stone-milled in Canterbury, so your morning toast and coffee come with a little extra goodness.

More Auckland: the best brunch in Auckland, the best restaurants in Auckland, the best bars in Auckland and all our Auckland cafés.