Coffee is an absolute delight as a beverage. It's a feeling, a celebration of all that is good in life. Coffee enthusiasts will nod in agreement. Sipping a cup of freshly brewed coffee in a stylish cafe setting while listening to soothing jazz music sounds like the perfect me-time that every coffee connoisseur craves.
Coffee is a staple of the Kiwi diet and the foundation of the 9-to-5 workday. As a result, Kiwis are experts on their preferred black beverage.
Wellington, New Zealand's capital, is a coffee-obsessed city with the highest concentration of cafes in the country. Kiwis have plenty of options for getting their coffee fix, from quiet artisan cafes to coffee-on-wheels and more.
With that said here are some of New Zealand's best cafes/bistros to relax and enjoy a steaming hot cup:
Havana Coffee
The Havana Coffee Works HQ is housed in a 1959 Art deco building in Wellington. Its avocado green exterior houses a frenetic, fantastic, lunatic, and lovely interior run by an awesome crew. They are affectionately known as the coffee of the people and they enjoy working for customers who share that belief. At Havana, they believe in sourcing beautiful rebel and organic coffees that are ethically traded. The cups used are e-coware and wherever possible they always use hand-stamped compostable brown paper bags like the first day they did a roast in 1990. The makers say there is no mystery - but there is a cool mystique about Havana.
Evil Twins
The Evil Twins, Stephanie, and Natalie Chin are lovers of the art of coffee and have always wanted to work in a cafe, but without a certificate or license, how do you begin? It was when their brother-in-law, Victor leased a creative space that the perfect opportunity came up. The front of his studio had a kitchen and take out a window that opened up onto Vivian Street, Wellington. This is when the idea for Evil Twins sparked. After months of research, renovating the space, getting a food certificate, locking down a name and brand, and practicing the barista skills they were finally ready to open up a shop this March. These 21-year-old identical twins are known to have some of the best coffee in Wellington. Spoilt with choices, one can choose from an array of quirky drinks such as a triple shot latte, matcha love, double trouble choc, or cheeky peachy iced tea jars.
Sentinel Cafe
Sentinel Cafe makes trekking to work in Hamilton's CBD a little bit better. Offering an expertly crafted menu, calming decor, and even executive meeting rooms for hire, it's the ideal place for a catch-up with colleagues. From bright open spaces complementing the warm timber accent to lush greenery and rattan chairs, the interior styling is sure to hype and energize you to take on those heavy work weekday emails. When speaking of coffee, they have some of the best brews in the locality. Pair it up with their ever-popular cinnamon role for a drool-worthy combination.
Bow & Tie, Auckland
Bow & Tie Auckland is a boutique micro-roastery, who have a geek-like obsession with coffee. They provide artisan, finely tailored coffee flavors, which are roasted daily in small batches to have the freshest product possible. Their goal is to consistently roast and blend exceptional coffee, which can be enjoyed as fresh and flavorsome as can be. Besides being passionate about coffee, they are also passionate about the environment. Bow & Tie does its best to help our deteriorating planet and reduce our waste, wherever it can.
With New Zealand's borders reopening in August, visit New Zealand to experience these wonderful cafes. (AA/IANS)