The Batch

Locals Donna Hamilton, Gareth Hamilton and Kate French opened The Batch nine years ago on the ground floor of a new office building. However, upon entering you’ll completely forget this café is in an office building at all. Donna and Kate used their passion and eye for design to create a cosy space which hums with an energy only found when great coffee, food, people and place come together.

Everything served at this café is fresh and homemade. As Donna says, “If we’re going to serve it we’re going to make it ourselves”. Even the jams, relishes and hollandaise sauce are made in house. Gareth grows all the herbs and flowers used at The Batch and the cabinet is bursting with colour as a result.

The menu includes items like the ‘Small Fry’ which comes with potato rosti, smoked tomato batch jam, avocado, bacon and tomato. Avocado toast comes on sourdough and topped with beetroot and mint hummus, free range egg and dukkah.

Intimate two seaters, long communal tables, high top seating, arm chairs and couches offer space to chat, dine, sip and enjoy big group meals or solo moments. House plants offer cheery green vibes even on the rainiest of Invercargill days and the wide windows and light fixtures offer the right amount of natural and lamp light. Local art work adorns the walls and images of natives birds, fish and scenery give a nod to the iconic landscape that surrounds this community hub.

The Batch team has watched their customers and staff grow up, get married, have kids and more, all while coming back for coffee, scones and good times over the years.