5 Cafés In Christchurch To Try This Winter

Rascal is a café by day and an experimental cocktail and wine bar by night. You won’t have to brave the outdoors to get the best of both worlds; just stick around for the sun to set. The food menu is small and simple with a modern flair, and the ingredients are fresh and locally sourced. Every option is indulgent, and we are more than ready to put on winter weight if it means we get to eat one of everything. 

A few options include the buttermilk fried chicken French toast, a slow-cooked beef croissant and tiramisu French toast. The latter is heavenly with coffee mascarpone, blueberry jam, chocolate crumbs and vanilla ice cream. The flavours work together to create an irresistible masterpiece!

For tasty brunch classics and a bright and airy eatery, visit Terra Viva Café. Round up the family, get a group of friends together or take a solo trip and treat yourself to something delicious. Our go-to brunch option is the Nutella and jam Hong Kong-style French toast with maple syrup, bananas and mascarpone. 

Terra Viva Café can cook and serve eggs in a million different ways, each better than the last; there are eggs on toast, eggs benedict, eggs terra viva with grilled halloumi, Turkish eggs and more. For those who miss the fruity taste of summer, we recommend the acai berry and banana smoothie bowl with terra viva muesli, fruit and toasted coconut.

With winter upon us, we like to visit cafés that transport us to warmer shores; Maison de Crepe is a one-way trip to a boutique Parisian café. Every crepe is made fresh to order, a new batch of batter is made daily, the lemons are hand-squeezed, and all fillings are fresh and locally sourced. 

Maison de Crepe specialises in all things crepes, from sweet to savoury, healthy or decadent, a light snack or filling meal. A few wild and wonderful crepes on the menu include the eggs benedict crepe, the cranberry chicken and brie crepe and the Banoffee crepe. Wash your crepe down with a French-style coffee; it is not to be missed, with a mellow taste and no bitterness; you can taste hints of berries and chocolate.

Black Betty Café is a popular and cosy eatery in the heart of Christchurch; the black skull and bones décor provides a quirky and rustic space to relax. 

Black Betty’s brunch menu is generous and delicious with irresistible options like the Manuka smoked bacon eggs benedict, berry and nut butter porridge and our personal favourite, Stacey’s stack. The latter is enough food to put us into early hibernation. Pairing poached eggs with Manuka smoked bacon, potato layer cake, pork, herb sausages, roasted tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, seasonal sauteed greens, house-made hollandaise, basil pesto and wholewheat sourdough.

Whatever the weather, Miro has us covered; it has a sun-soaked deck for summertime and a roaring fire indoors for winter. The sleek and sophisticated eatery is a great spot for lazy over-indulgent Sundays and mid-week catch-ups. 

Share a breakfast board with the table and enjoy the likes of coconut and vanilla porridge, poached pears, glazed nuts and Eliza’s honey, olive oil potato gratin, house-smoked bacon, poached eggs and citrus hollandaise sauce. Other brunch options include smoked brisket, eggs benedict and hot smoked Moki sourdough. Coffee and cocktail lovers alike will find something to pique their interest on the menu; for the best of both worlds, join them in an espresso martini.