If you’ve walked along the Sydenham end of Colombo Street in Christchurch once or twice, you’ve bound to have stumbled upon Native Café.

A tall outdoor table sits in a sunny spot right beside black framed sliding windows, through which you can make your order and sip your coffee street-side. Alternatively, wander in and find a nook within one of the comfy leather couches, or along the communal table that stands pride of place in the middle of the space. 

The culinary offerings of this fine wee café are all made fresh on-site each day. There are daily changing salads topped with toasted nuts and seeds for that extra punch of protein, hearty sammies made with Grizzly Baked Goods bread, deluxe scones with a bit of a twist created with ingredients such as cumin seed or swiss cheese, muffins, slices, cookies and the like; all catering to a variety of dietary needs from gluten-free, to vegetarian, vegan, not forgetting omnivorous eaters. During the colder months, you can expect to find some warm lunch options such as soups, stews and curries. 

On the drinks side of things, coffee is of course at the heart of it all and at Native Café, it’s brewed to perfection with locally roasted Embassy beans. Cold drinks come from Karma Cola co. and Greenroots Juicery.

There’s something for everyone at Native Café and the small, friendly team works passionately towards providing the best for all its customers. Next time you find yourself Sydenham side of Christchurch town, you’ll know where to stop for a cup of top-notch coffee and an honest bite to eat.