From neighbourhood locals to city hotspots, Auckland’s vibrant café scene offers so much more than a quick caffeine fix — with many of our city’s coffee shops run by those whose passion lies in bringing together communities. In fact, among the bustling array of cafés, a new wave of coffee shop owners is making its mark. These visionaries bring a distinctive purpose, having left behind careers in other fields — from architecture to finance, or other facets of the restaurant world, to embrace their love for the art of coffee and connection. Their journeys are varied, but they all share a common thread: a love for bringing people together and elevating everyday rituals into something more meaningful.
This new breed of coffee shop owner embodies the spirit of reinvention, pouring years of experience into their unique spaces. Whether it’s a design-led aesthetic drawing on global travels, a focus on premium local roasts inspired by their community, or menu innovations that merge collected skill with artistry, these venues are redefining what it means to grab a cup of coffee.
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Here, we chat to six local coffee shop owners who’ve traded corporate ladders or life behind the pass to pursue their passion.
Everyday Coffee
Everyday Coffee is a welcoming haven in Morningside, blending exceptional coffee with heartfelt community spirit. This cosy, intimate space was crafted by Sarah and Janusz Choromanski to feel like home, featuring thoughtful design with recycled materials and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Coffee takes center stage, with expertly brewed blends and seasonal filters complemented by Daily Bread pastries and hearty deli-style bagels. Proudly Māori and Pasifika-owned, Everyday Coffee embodies inclusivity and quality, creating a space where everyone feels connected and cared for. Here, we talk to Everyday co-owner, Janusz Choromanski, about the reason behind the couple’s career pivot.
Tell me about your own background. What were you doing previously? My background is in architecture — I’ve been in the industry for now 20 years, spending 13 years working in Melbourne, where I started my own practice, NATIVE Design Workshop. Whilst living in Melbourne, my wife Sarah and I opened a small coffee shop alongside our design studio which was fun, but the call to come home and raise our children in Aotearoa was strong, so we came back to Auckland after signing a lease and got moving on our new shop, Everyday Coffee.
Why the pivot into hospitality? What inspired you to make the switch? Sarah and I have always loved people, community and keeping things simple — making coffee and looking after people allowed us to do this. We dreamt of running our own coffee shop many years ago and when we finally took the plunge, we really enjoyed the fact that it took us out of the corporate environment and enabled us to engage with our local community. Coffee allowed us to get to know people, make a small impact with our local communities, and create a space where they can meet and hang.
What is your favourite thing about what you do? What makes you so passionate about it? Whilst we love coffee through and through, for us it’s all about the people. We love seeing people from all walks of life in our space. From our amazing customers to our brilliant collaborators, such as Oatly and Allpress, our enjoyment in the hospitality industry always has and always will be driven by the people we meet.
What have you carried over from your previous career that gives you a unique point of difference? It’s all about the details — design really teaches you that, nothing is too small to be considered, and we really try and bring that work ethic into our space and foster it among our team. We have made very deliberate choices when it came to design, namely, not doing what everyone else is doing ‘no white, minimalist interior here’ — we pushed to make a warm, inviting space. A space that sort of feels like ‘home’ and hope that our customers feel this when they come through. We play our combined family record collection and encourage our customers to make requests if they want to play a vinyl — so yeah, don’t be shy!
Pilar
Pilar, nestled in the heart of Ponsonby, offers a relaxed reprieve from Auckland’s fast-paced energy. With Rocket Coffee at its core and a menu blending Asian-fusion flair with European brunch classics, Pilar invites diners to savour every moment. Founded by chef Siyuan Sheng, the café champions relaxation and connection, creating a ‘home away from home’ for the local community. Signature dishes promise a unique yet comforting dining experience, making Pilar a must-visit spot for food and coffee enthusiasts alike. Here, we talk to Pilar owner, Siyuan Sheng, about the reason behind her career pivot.
Tell me about your own background. What were you doing previously? I used to be a chef in a small café. It was there that I really began to realise the passion I have for the hospitality industry, but being back of house just wasn’t quite enough for me.
Why the pivot into café ownership? What inspired you to make the switch? I wanted a new challenge, and I felt that when I was in the kitchen, I didn’t have the opportunity to communicate directly with customers and engage with them. I wanted the opportunity to move to the front of house and speak to customers every day, learn their stories, and feel part of the wider community.
What is your favourite thing about what you do? What makes you so passionate about it?Honestly its being front of house — I just love everything about it. I love the small talk with customers and staff, remembering regular customer’s orders, and building a community. I feel so happy seeing customers happy — it brings me such joy when they enjoy our space at Pilar.
What have you carried over from your previous career that gives you a unique point of difference? My time as a chef has really enabled me to create an interesting menu that pairs well with our coffee and drinks offering. All in all, it adds up to a great experience for the customer.
D.O.S.E on High
D.O.S.E on High, owned by Reinaldo Tanudjaja and Connie Chung, is a sleek, 30-square-meter café inspired by Japanese cocktail bars. This intimate space offers a creative twist on coffee culture, blending bar-style techniques with specialty brews and signature infusions crafted from fresh, seasonal produce. Pooling their diverse skill sets and drawing upon the dynamism of their collective heritage, the duo brings a unique perspective, focusing on innovation and connection — with D.O.S.E standing out as a stylish, experimental café redefining the way Aucklanders experience coffee. Here, we talk to D.O.S.E on High co-owner, Reinaldo Tanudjaja, about the reason behind his and Connie’s career pivot.
Tell me about your own background. What were you doing previously? We are an interesting pair! My partner Connie is from Tahiti and previously worked in finance, whilst I have been in the hospitality scene in Auckland for years but for the last couple, had been focussed working in bars — which is how we saw the opportunity in the market to create our concept of cocktail coffee.
Why the pivot into café ownership? What inspired you to make the switch? My partner Connie grew up in Tahiti where her parents ran a restaurant, and when she moved to New Zealand, she ended up pursuing a career in finance — but her love for the nature of the hospitality world brought her back to the industry. My move from the bar to the coffee scene was a bit of an accident. I actually trained as a barista, but had ended up in the bar scene because it was an opportunity to learn new skills. When Connie and I decided to open our own place, I wanted to combine all those skills together.
What is your favourite thing about what you do? What makes you so passionate about it? The connection with our customers is so important to us. We also have such freedom in our creativity and that really feels incredibly exciting too.
What have you carried over from your previous career that gives you a unique point of difference? The bar influence is so huge for us, from the menu down to our approach to our drinks. The way we use fresh seasonal produce and craft everything in-house, even going to the extent of making our own syrups, sets us apart.
Stone Oven
Stone Oven, in the heart of Devonport, is a cherished café blending heritage with quality. Housed in a stunning art deco building, this community hub offers freshly baked breads, pastries, and an extensive menu crafted by in-house chefs. Owners Brendan and Dani Kyle bring a passion for coffee and hospitality, partnering with the likes of Eighthirty Coffee Roasters and Oatly to deliver perfection in every cup. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming — quintessential to Devonport. Here, we talk to Stone Oven co-owner, Brendan, about the reason behind the duo’s career pivot.
Tell me about your own background. What were you doing previously? Dani and I first met when I was working for Nick Honeyman at The Commons in Takapuna. Dani was managing a pizza restaurant next door, which was owned by the same hospitality group. Not long after we got together, Dani joined me on my OE and we ended up spending a winter in Val d’Isère in the French Alps, running a chalet, skiing every day, and enjoying cheap French wine every night. When summer came, we moved to London, where we both landed jobs at The River Café — a renowned Italian restaurant famous for launching the careers of Jamie Oliver and many others. After a year there, we helped open a north London pub for Camden Town Brewery before deciding to return to New Zealand.
Why the pivot into café ownership? What inspired you to make the switch? When we came back home, we did a brief stint at The Engine Room before Dani began working with Nick Honeyman again at Paris Butter, and I joined Cazador as sous chef, quickly becoming Head Chef. I stayed there for five years, focusing on wild game cooking. During the pandemic, we started a family and decided to create something more flexible for ourselves. That’s when we launched Crate Kitchen, a food truck inspired by my years at Cazador, which I ran while Dani worked behind the scenes and raised our daughters. After three years of running the truck, we felt it was time to settle down and create something more consistent and permanent. When we discovered the lease for Stone Oven — a Devonport icon we were already familiar with — was up for grabs, we jumped at the opportunity.
What is your favourite thing about what you do? What makes you so passionate about it? My favourite thing is meeting and getting to know our customers. As a chef traditionally I have been chained to the stove, so it’s great now to see the other end of hospitality and experience the front of house. I know my partner Dani has also been loving helping our young team learn and develop as well.
What have you carried over from your previous career that gives you a unique point of difference? I would say coming from the restaurant world has meant that at Stone Oven we have very a different approach to hospitality standards, and this informs everything from our staff training to our menu offering.
Young Dandy
Parnell’s newly-opened Young Dandy is a vibrant café helmed by James Prendergast, whose two decades of global hospitality experience shine through in every detail. Inspired by European café culture, James has created a cosy, intimate space with exposed brick and handcrafted furniture, brimming with charm. Here, the focus falls on specialty coffee, featuring a consistent house blend from Ozone Coffee and intriguing single origins for aficionados. The menu offers elevated classics, and the hospitality in this community-driven space is always warm and welcoming. Here, we talk to Young Dandy owner, James, about the reason behind his career pivot.
Tell me about your own background. What were you doing previously? For the past eight years, I worked in different areas of the coffee industry for Ozone Coffee between London and New Zealand. After managing one of their Shoreditch locations, Ozone relocated me to Auckland to set up the Grey Lynn site as Restaurant GM and introduce the brand to the Auckland market. For the past three years I have been in a sales role with Ozone which connected me deeper to the coffee community here in Auckland helping people set up their cafes, staff trainings, etc. During this time, I was also approached to take on the catering for the Aotearoa Art Fairs at The Cloud which took place in 2022 and 2023. Prior to this, I have previously worked stints in New York, Byron Bay, and within the Whistler hospo scene.
Why the pivot into café ownership? What inspired you to make the switch? It was inevitable that I wanted to open my own space — it has been a dream of mine from the very beginning. I have worked all over the world, and felt like this was the right time for me to get it done. I would have regretted not doing it.
What is your favourite thing about what you do? What makes you so passionate about it? A big part of this is how personal it all feels — I was involved in the design and fit-out myself, so the café feels like a real extension of me. For people to come in and enjoy the space with enthusiasm, that’s pretty cool to reflect on.
What have you carried over from your previous career that gives you a unique point of difference? Having worked in lots of different avenues of the hospitality industry, all around the world, I have been fortunate to have learnt from some amazing people over the years. I wanted to create a space to share that knowledge and showcase some good old fashioned hospitality.
Billy’s Espresso
Billy’s Espresso in Queenstown is a rustic, homely café where hospitality meets heart. Owned by a seasoned chef and coffee connoisseur, it’s a joyful space with a relaxed, family-style vibe, soundtracked by eclectic tunes from hip hop to old school rock. The coffee here is a labor of love, crafted with a bespoke blend, delivering elevated comfort in every cup. Here, we talk to Billy’s Espresso owner, Bevan Higginson, about the reason behind his career pivot.
Tell me about your own background. What were you doing previously? My dad purchased a restaurant when I was 18 and said, “Here son, run this”. So, I did. I quickly discovered that I was good at cooking and creating flavours and recipes. I didn’t have a clue how to run a restaurant or manage people, but I quickly learnt.
Why the pivot into café ownership? What inspired you to make the switch? I stopped cheffing after a few hard years in Sydney and worked for Phoenix Drinks, watching the Aussie café and coffee scene grow and boom as I learnt to make coffee myself. My boss’ mantra at the time was ‘once you’ve messed up 200 coffees, then you’re a pro,’ and I think that environment of learning really helped me. So, when I got a chance to buy the café Birichina in Bondi, I grabbed the opportunity with both hands, and I am proud to say Birichina is still trading to this day.
What is your favourite thing about what you do? What makes you so passionate about it? I love meeting new people and talking with them about their life and experience — I also like the vibe of working in a busy café and pumping out coffee with loud music. I’m passionate about coffee and making good coffee, and take it seriously. or example, at Billy’s, we won’t use trim milk as it tastes bad in coffee, but we all drink oat lattes made with our preferred oat milk — Oatly.
What have you carried over from your previous career that gives you a unique point of difference? I look at coffee the same way I look at cooking food. The simpler the better — keep everything clean and fresh. I also think atmosphere is important, and music helps us create this in our space and sets us apart. Billy’s Espresso is a quiet little rustic café that serves up amazing coffee and chai and a few other things thrown in the mix.
Beyond incredible passion for their craft, the things these creative coffee shops all have in common is their partnerships with the original oat milk purveyor — Oatly. Around since the 90s, and always focused solely on oat milk, Oatly is not only the best tasting oat drink on the market, but the best performing in coffee too (and that’s us speaking from personal experience). Creamy, smooth, and perfect for heating or pouring into hot (or cold) drinks, Oatly doesn’t just taste great, but the brand strives to deliver products with maximum nutritional value and minimal environmental impact too.
