The best cafes in Timaru pour serious espresso and back it with all day brunch, house baking and cabinet food prepared on site each morning. Cafes in Timaru cover a quick flat white on the way to work, a slow weekend breakfast, and catering for a corporate morning tea. Arthur St Kitchen just off State Highway 1 and Sopheze Coffee Lounge on Stafford Street are two of the places doing it.
1Arthur St Kitchen
Arthur St Kitchen serves breakfast and lunch from a site on Arthur Street, a short turn off State Highway 1, with seating across three spacious rooms and a sunny courtyard. The breakfast menu is built on eggs benedict, bagels and pancakes, while the lunch menu changes with the seasons to follow fresh produce. Freshly prepared cabinet items and salads cater for vegetarian and gluten free diets, and the coffee is Krank, roasted by C4.
Services
- Breakfast served weekday mornings and Saturdays, with eggs benedict, bagels and pancakes
- Seasonal lunch menu that changes with the availability of fresh produce
- Freshly prepared cabinet food, healthy salads and biscuits and slices baked on site
- Krank espresso coffee, roasted in small batches by C4
- Basket delivery orders and a shelf of local delicatessen products, including Krank beans and ground coffee to take home
Highlights
- Live music gigs held in the cafe every month
- An art exhibition from a local artist displayed in the cafe every month
- Two sunny outdoor seating areas alongside three indoor rooms
- Gluten free options available every day
- Free WiFi, a selection of magazines and the local daily paper, and baby changing facilities
Location & Contact
Name: Arthur St Kitchen
Address: 8 Arthur St, Timaru 7910
Phone: 03 688 9449
Website: arthurstkitchen.co.nz
2Sopheze Coffee Lounge & Catering
Sopheze Coffee Lounge sits at 190 Stafford Street in central Timaru and was established in 2004 by the mother and daughter team of Juelaine and Vanessa Keen. The cafe is set up for fast service, with ready to go cabinet food alongside breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea menus, and Vivace Espresso coffee. A catering arm runs from the same kitchens and from the company’s Caroline Bay tearoom venue.
Services
- Breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea menus, eaten in or taken away
- Ready to go cabinet food and a build your own salad option
- All day menu of toasted sandwiches, bacon butties, nachos, burgers, cheese rolls, spring rolls and samosas
- Children’s menu of chicken nuggets, mini sausages, fish and hot dog with fries
- Event and function catering, from finger food and cheese platters to buffets and set menus
Highlights
- Established in 2004 by mother and daughter Juelaine and Vanessa Keen
- Vivace Espresso coffee, brewed from freshly roasted beans
- Online ordering from the Stafford Street cafe menu, with free parking on Stafford Street
- Catering made on site and served at the historic Caroline Bay tearoom venue, which seats up to 300 guests
Location & Contact
Name: Sopheze Coffee Lounge & Catering
Address: 190 Stafford Street, Timaru
Phone: 03 684 9999
Website: sopheze.co.nz
3Mrs M’s Cafe
Mrs M’s Cafe is at 209 Stafford Street in Timaru Central, serving Supreme coffee with freshly made meals and cabinet food. The all day menu runs from eggs benny and a big breakfast through to burgers, bagel stacks, omelettes and whitebait. Alongside the counter trade, the kitchen caters small to medium sized events and corporate morning teas.
Services
- All day breakfast, including eggs benny with homemade hollandaise and Mrs M’s Big Breakfast
- Lunch plates such as burgers, bagel stacks, omelettes, chicken schnitzel and an open steak sandwich
- Freshly made cabinet food
- Supreme coffee, milkshakes, smoothies and a loose leaf tea range
- Catering for small to medium sized events, corporate morning teas, celebrations and memorials
Highlights
- Catering delivery across Timaru and out to Pleasant Point
- Local streaky bacon and homemade hollandaise on the breakfast plates
- Whitebait sandwiches and whitebait meals on the all day menu
Location & Contact
Name: Mrs M’s Cafe
Address: 209 Stafford Street, Timaru Central
Phone: 027 677 3667
Website: mrsmscafe.nz
4Coffee Culture Timaru
Coffee Culture Timaru trades from 306 Stafford Street in the central city and is owner operated by Ambar and Matt Watts. The store opens seven days and stays open until 9pm, which covers an after dinner coffee as readily as a morning flat white. Food centres on made to order bagels and all day plates, with dietary codes marked against every item on the menu.
Services
- Made to order bagels, from the Salmon Deluxe to a bacon and egg breakfast bagel
- All day plates including scrambled eggs on sourdough, Turkish fried eggs, miso mushrooms and loaded fudge waffles
- Full espresso menu, from ristretto and piccolo latte through to affogato and cafe Vienna
- Chai latte, matcha, Belgian hot chocolate, smoothies and Tea Total teas
- Kids’ fluffies
Highlights
- Owner operated by Ambar and Matt Watts
- Ambar Watts named Coffee Culture Leader of the Year, 2023
- Open until 9pm every day, from 7am on weekdays and 8am at weekends
- Textpresso txt ordering and free WiFi in store
- Gluten free, dairy free, vegan, egg free and low carb options coded on the menu
Location & Contact
Name: Coffee Culture Timaru
Address: 306 Stafford St, Timaru
Phone: 03 684 8990
Website: coffeeculture.co.nz/stores/timaru
5Columbus Coffee Timaru
Columbus Coffee Timaru is at 50 Theodosia Street in Timaru Central, part of a network of locally owned cafes that started in Auckland in 1995. The house blend is small batch roasted at the company’s own craft roastery and delivered fresh to each cafe, and the kitchen menu is prepared in store by the local chef. Doors open at 7am on weekdays and 8am at weekends.
Services
- Kitchen menu including the Supreme Omelette, eggs benedict, brioche French toast and an Angus beef burger
- Cabinet range of sweets, savouries, sandwiches, wraps and salads, baked fresh daily
- Columbus Blend espresso, chai latte, matcha and Belgian hot chocolate, plus smoothies, frappes and iced coffees
- Kids’ menu with an eggy breakfast, banana and caramel pancake and chicken nuggets with chips
Highlights
- Specialty blend small batch roasted at the company’s own craft roastery and delivered fresh to the cafe
- Food freshly prepared in store by the local chef rather than finished off site
- A Local Favourites section on the menu sitting alongside the national line up
- Open seven days, with coffee beans and gift cards available in store
Location & Contact
Name: Columbus Coffee Timaru
Address: 50 Theodosia Street, Timaru Central
Phone: 03 683 1994
Website: columbuscoffee.co.nz/find-a-store/columbus-coffee-timaru
Cafes in Timaru at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Arthur St Kitchen | Timaru | Live music gigs held in the cafe every month |
| Sopheze Coffee Lounge & Catering | Timaru | Established in 2004 by mother and daughter Juelaine and Vanessa Keen |
| Mrs M's Cafe | Timaru Central | Catering delivery across Timaru and out to Pleasant Point |
| Coffee Culture Timaru | Timaru | Owner operated by Ambar and Matt Watts |
| Columbus Coffee Timaru | Timaru Central | Specialty blend small batch roasted at the company's own craft roaste... |
How to Choose the Right Cafe in Timaru
- Match the opening hours to your day. Several Timaru cafes close mid afternoon on weekdays and shut entirely at the weekend, so check before you plan a Sunday brunch or an evening coffee.
- Look at who roasts the beans. Some cafes run a named third party roaster, others are supplied by an in house craft roastery, and the difference shows in how the espresso is pulled.
- Check whether food is made on site. A cafe with its own kitchen and a chef can change the menu seasonally and handle special requests that a reheat operation cannot.
- Confirm the dietary coding if it matters to you. Gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan options are common, but coverage varies from a marked menu to a couple of cabinet items.
- Ask about catering early if you need it. Cafes that cater usually want notice, a headcount and a delivery address, and some limit delivery to a defined area around Timaru.
Frequently Asked Questions About Timaru Cafes
What time do cafes in Timaru open?
Most open early. Doors on Stafford Street and Arthur Street tend to swing open between 6:30am and 7:30am on weekdays for the commuter and tradie trade, with a slightly later start of around 8am to 9:30am at the weekend. Weekday closing is generally between 2pm and 4pm, so a late afternoon coffee needs a bit more planning than a morning one.
Which Timaru cafes are near the main shopping strip?
Stafford Street is the spine of the Timaru CBD and carries the highest concentration of cafes, so if you are staying in town or shopping in the centre you will find several within a few minutes’ walk of each other. Theodosia Street runs off the same central block, and Arthur Street is a short turn off State Highway 1 on the northern approach, which makes it convenient if you are driving through rather than parking up in town.
Can I get a coffee in Timaru after 5pm?
Yes, though the options narrow considerably. The bulk of the trade is a daytime one and closes by late afternoon, so an evening coffee usually means one of the cafes that deliberately runs longer hours, or a restaurant or bar serving espresso alongside dinner. Checking the published hours before you set out saves a wasted trip.
Do Timaru cafes cater for gluten free and vegetarian diets?
Widely, yes. Gluten free bread and baps, vegetarian and vegan plates, and dairy free milks are standard across the trade rather than a special request. The level of detail differs: some kitchens code every menu item with allergen symbols, others simply flag a handful of cabinet options each day. If you have a serious allergy rather than a preference, say so at the counter, because shared kitchen equipment is common.
Can a cafe in Timaru cater a work morning tea or a funeral?
Several run a catering arm alongside the counter trade, handling corporate morning teas, birthdays, memorials and larger functions. Offerings typically span finger food, platters, buffets and set menus, and some deliver beyond the city limits to nearby towns such as Pleasant Point. Give as much notice as you can, particularly for anything over about thirty people.
How much does a coffee cost at a cafe in Timaru?
Published cafe menus in Timaru put a regular flat white or latte at roughly five dollars, with larger cup sizes adding a dollar or two and alternative milks or an extra shot usually costing around a dollar more. Breakfast plates commonly sit in the mid to high teens, and a substantial cooked breakfast or a lunch main will typically be in the low twenties.
How do I check that a Timaru cafe meets food safety requirements?
Every food business in New Zealand operates under the Food Act and is verified against a registered food control plan, with day to day registration and verification handled through the local council. Cafes are required to display their registration, and you can ask to see it or contact Timaru District Council if you want to check a specific premises. Guidance on how the system works, what a food control plan covers and how often a business is verified is published by New Zealand Food Safety.
Is there parking near the Stafford Street cafes?
There is on street parking along Stafford Street and in the side streets running off it, plus council parking areas within a short walk of the central block. Time limits apply on the busiest stretches during business hours, so read the signage rather than assuming. Cafes slightly out of the core, on Theodosia Street or Arthur Street, generally have easier parking at peak times.
How We Chose the Best Cafes in Timaru
Every business in this guide was found by searching for cafes in Timaru, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Timaru, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.