Enjoy Nelson's Thriving Caf Culture At These Top Coffee Shops

Nelson, a city that’s home to about 50,000 people at the top of the South Island in New Zealand, is known for its history, art and craft culture, and stunning natural scenery. For residents and visitors alike, cafés are a part of everyday life as places to stop between visiting the museum, local art galleries, shopping or walking in one of the parks. Here is a selection of cafés to try that offer something in addition to a regular flat white.

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Choose your roast at Zumo Coffee House

Nelson’s Zumo Coffee House on Rutherford Street is located close to the bus terminus and is a great option for a quick coffee stop. Visitors here can choose their roast from options including mellow and light Colombian and decaf among others.

The Red Art Gallery, Design Store and Café on Bridge Street is a great option if you want to pick up a few unique handmade gifts to take home and enjoy a coffee at the same time. Shop for earrings made from recycled tyres and handmade ceramic teacups while waiting for a cup of coffee.

Take in coffee with a view at the Suter Cafe

The Suter Café on Bridge Street is situated in a glass atrium, surrounded by trees and views of the Queen’s gardens. This café serves Havana coffee and gourmet baked goods and light meals. Try the nectarine and berry frangipane after a walk through the latest exhibition at the Suter Art Gallery.

Savour a taste of northern Europe at the Swedish Bakery and Cafe

Traditional Nordic baking with local ingredients from the Nelson Tasman region is what makes the Swedish Bakery and Café on Bridge Street stand out. Choose from freshly made éclairs, tarts and cakes while also picking up a loaf of freshly baked rye or sourdough bread to take home.

Sip coffee at the museum at Sweet As Cafe

Kiwi coffee culture is celebrated at the aptly named Sweet As Cafe situated next to the Nelson Provincial Museum on Trafalgar Street. Visitors to New Zealand will learn that the common Kiwi expression, ‘sweet as’, is an affirmation of sorts that means ‘no problem’, or ‘well done’. For this café that serves breakfast, lunch and a range of baked goods and milkshakes, the term ‘sweet as’ very definitely does apply.

Admire retro Italian scooter style at Lambretta’s Cafe Bar

Open seven days a week from breakfast until 4pm, at Lambretta’s visitors can order just about anything, from breakfast to pizza, salad, burgers and gelato. This café-bar celebrates everything stylish and elegant about small Italian bikes. Look out for the vintage Italian scooters hanging on the walls.

Buy fairtrade and organic at Kush Coffee

Kush Coffee serves (where possible) fairtrade, organic and shade-grown Arabica coffee beans roasted by the shop in Nelson Port. The coffee shop on Church Street has a relaxed, quirky feel with walls painted turquoise, vintage portraits of women and Buddha statues adorning the walls. Striving for sustainability, Kush Coffee serves takeaway coffee in compostable cups and lids.

Relax at River Kitchen Maitai Nelson

Laze back on a bean bag while drinking a cup of coffee on the grass next to the Maitai River at the River Kitchen. Located on Trafalgar Street, next to the Nelson i-SITE visitor information centre, this café is a great place to sit and plan future travels while watching local birdlife enjoying the river.

Grab a coffee in a historic garden at the Garden Window Cafe

Enjoy a cup of coffee in the historic gardens of Isel House in Stoke, the original home of early settlers James and Mary Marsden. The kiosk at the historic house is only open from October to May, but during the winter months you can visit the café at the nearby Greenmeadows Centre sports complex.

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Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

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