Auckland with no jet lag

My first stop on the coffee tour of New Zealand was Auckland. The list consisted of 13 places but as it happens with lists it changed along the way. Below is my run down of the places I did manage to visit.

1. I love running as a way of getting to know a new city. I got up early the first morning and went for a jog down Ponsonby Road, which the day before, in a zombie-like-post-24-hour-flight state I did not fully appreciate. It was a stunning sunny day, the unique way only places in the Southern Hemisphere can be. My first New Zealand coffee was a flat white from Allpress and it was perfect: drunk mid-run, whilst sitting outside in a blazing sunshine. I had the place all to myself almost the whole time I was there (perks of getting there just after the morning rush and before the lunchtime one) and I could have a coffee chat with Ben, their barista. Apart from expressing a mutual hatred for the chain coffee giants and sharing a hope that we will see more of them closing down in the near future, we exchanged our top coffee spots in Auckland (mine from a list of suggestions) and I just had to add another one to the list. That is the joy of a coffee community- the mutual love for coffee is stronger than the need for competition. That's what it's all about- we all want to see as many independent coffee shops around as possible!

2. The second coffee of the day came from the Coffee Supreme outlet in Britomart: Seafarers (@supreme_seafarers) and it had the most impressive latte art I've seen in a while. I really enjoyed the coffee as well as the place, which is located just by Britomart and near the port. The decor is rather ascetic with focal points of a counter to the right from the door and a display of their merchandise on the left. Their cold brew looked very tempting but in the end I opted for their special: Monte Cristo from Nicaragua and didn't regret it.

                     

3. The third shop to visit was Eighthirty. This coffee from the stall in Ponsonby Central made me very happy. It was probably the best coffee I've had this year (and I've had some amazing cups in the last 2.5 months!): a perfectly creamy flat white, very smooth with sweet notes and no bitter aftertaste. I have also ventured to their main roastery on K'road which was buzzing with people waiting for their pre-work cup of goodness. I love the simplicity of their branding: red letters on a white background and minimalist decor, which is designed to keep the coffee in the center of attention. It certainly was for me-it kept me happy for the rest of the day. I'm bringing some of their house blend beans back to the UK to keep this joyfull state going.

4. No. 4 was Miller's. This roastery has been mentioned to me by the guys from Allpress and as it is one of the most established coffee roasters and only a short walk from where I was staying in Ponsonby it felt silly to give it a miss just because it wasn't on my list. The place is very industrial, gives an impression that these guys mean business - tables and chairs are only an addition to the main enterprise- coffee roasting. The smell is absolutely overpowering, after sitting there for about half an hour I could still smell coffee for a while after I left. Their coffee is serious-very strong and dark, it tastes the way coffee does in its purest. I'm not sure even I could handle a cup from there every morning without risking a chronic sleep deprivation.

                   

5. The Good One (@good_one_csl) is a Coffee Supreme roastery located in a great bright big space filled with magazines and coffee making equipment. Their beautiful latte art (you might have noticed by now-I have a slight obsession with latte art - I think it's because I can't do it) remained intact even halfway through! I don't even prefer coffee with milk-it's because of baristas like these I bother with flat white- I just want to see what else can they do! The coffee itself was, unsurprisingly, amazing as well.

6. Kokako (@kokakoorganic) was another recommendation from a friend as well as Twitter world. I went there for breakfast before heading to the Pasifika Festival. The cafe is very quirky and busy, I loved the colours, flowers, checked floor and the general cosy feel to it. My coffee was pretty special: roasted by Kokako, it was a single origin Ethiopian Sidamo prepared in a Chemex. Lighter roast, with a more syrupy texture than an espresso, it had some very delicate flavours and was a perfect accompaniment to a lazy Saturday morning- the kind where you can read the whole newspaper without having to ask for another cup. My breakfast was rather satisfying too - after a couple of days of raw food I was craving eggs and boy were they worth the wait! Accompanied by seeded organic bread, parsley pesto and roasted vine tomatoes they filled me up so much that none of the Pacific island treats at the festival seemed attractive enough!

      

     

7. Bambina Cafe: I believe that a weekend breakfast must consist of eggs. It might be because that is the only time of the week when I have the time for a leisurely indulgence first thing in the morning. After having the scrambled sort the day before, I opted for poached eggs this time, served on a grainy bread with a side of avocado. So simple and yet so delicious, the standard of the dish really relies on the quality of the ingredients. Bambina's were faultless and paired with an Allpress coffee. The little cafe has got a lovely big communal table in the middle overflowing with current newspapers and magazines as well as smaller tables around the room and outside so everyone can find what they are after-solitary/outdoorsy or social meal. I really enjoyed the Sunday morning buzz and service with a smile. My last morning in Auckland...I am sad to leave and will have to come back soon!

    

I must say: Auckland is a writers' paradise - over the last 4 days I've sat in cafes or even restaurants ordering no more than a glass of water/cup of tea or even nothing (!) and the staff were perfectly happy to leave me to it without making me feel like I'm holding their precious table at busy dinner time. Very helpful in creativity and people watching. I will think of Auckland with nostalgia as it was a great start to this trip and quite an inspiration for a few changes to implement into my London life.