The Caffeine Laboratory

The Caffeine Laboratory provides a laidback spot in the central city for great coffee and excellent brunch. The New Regent Street headquarters, which occupies the ground floor of the old Little India building, is the biggest venture yet from James Bagrie. James originally opened the first Caffeine Laboratory in Shands Arcade and, post-earthquake, was one of the first to offer inner-city folk a good cup of coffee at his Montreal Street pop up.

The café’s compact interior is fitted out in raw timber, giving a fresh and clean look. Service is friendly and personable, and the baristas sure know how to brew a good cup of coffee. The unquestionable pedigree of Lyttelton Coffee Company beans definitely gets the nod from us.

Caffeine Laboratory HQ offers excellent burgers, some of the biggest, baddest chips in town, as well as tapas-style plates. Also worth a mention are the Christchurch famous doughnuts which are continually new flavours and usually find themselves heading out the door very quickly. The relaxed daytime vibe makes it the perfect spot for some pre-theatre fodder or as a stop off for New Regent Street wanderers.