Kahwah Cafe, at 8/50 Buckingham Street in Arrowtown, serves a Middle-Eastern inspired breakfast and brunch menu, known for dishes like Shakshuka, Merguez and mezze-style plates. The menu is built to change with the seasons, drawing on organic, locally sourced ingredients to reflect the flavours of the moment, from spring freshness through to winter warmth.
The all-day menu leans into Middle-Eastern flavours throughout — Shakshuka with bell peppers, tomato and saffron; Turkish Eggs with buffalo labneh and za'atar; and Royalburn Lamb Shawarmas with harissa lamb, buffalo yoghurt and dukkah — alongside the hearty Arrowtown Breakfast built around housemade lamb merguez sausage. There are lighter and dairy-free options too, including an Acai Bowl and a pair of dairy-free smoothies.
Drinks run to a full hot and cold list built around locally roasted Wolf Coffee, plus a tea selection and a range of fresh juices, iced coffees and soft drinks. Kahwah also takes table reservations and hosts functions and events, with a gallery on its site showcasing the cafe's food and space.
Kahwah Cafe sits at 8/50 Buckingham Street in the heart of Arrowtown, offering a Middle-Eastern inspired breakfast and brunch menu built around seasonal, organic and locally sourced ingredients. The cafe describes its approach as a culinary journey that shifts with the seasons, from the crisp freshness of spring to the cosy warmth of winter.
The all-day menu is where Kahwah's Middle-Eastern influence comes through most clearly. Shakshuka — bell peppers, tomato and saffron with eggs, green beans and Clevedon buffalo feta — sits alongside Turkish Eggs finished with buffalo labneh, chilli butter and za'atar, and the Royalburn Lamb Shawarmas, built on harissa lamb with a cucumber and coriander salad, buffalo yoghurt, pickled onion and dukkah. For something heartier, the Arrowtown Breakfast brings together housemade lamb merguez sausage, bacon, beans and poached eggs with a potato rosti and ciabatta.
Beyond the Middle-Eastern-leaning dishes, Kahwah covers plenty of other brunch ground — a Kedgeree with house smoked fish and curried rice, a Halloumi 'Toast' with smashed avocado and charred tomato salsa, House Made Crumpets with whipped vanilla butter and Royalburn honey, and a straightforward Eggs Your Way for those who prefer it simple. An Acai Bowl and two dairy-free smoothies, Mango Passion and Berry Bliss, round out the lighter options, and a dedicated kids menu keeps younger guests covered too.
Kahwah proudly serves locally roasted Wolf Coffee across its full hot drinks range, from espresso and long black through to matcha and chai latte, alongside a Noble & Sunday tea selection covering English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Peppermint, Jade Sencha Green and Strawberry Plum. The cold drinks list adds a Cold Pressed Green Juice, iced coffee and matcha options, and soft drinks including Karma Cola, lemonade and Gingerella.
Kahwah asks guests to flag any dietary requirements or allergies in advance, noting that while the kitchen does its best to accommodate these, it can't guarantee against cross-contamination. Gluten free bread is available as an add-on, and the smoothies are dairy free. A surcharge of 1.8% applies to credit card and PayWave transactions, with a 15% surcharge on public holidays.
Kahwah also hosts functions and events, and takes table reservations by phone or through its website — useful given the cafe's popularity in a busy tourist town like Arrowtown. Its gallery highlights both the food and the cafe's setting, described on the site as a serene space built around organic, locally sourced ingredients and thoughtful cooking.
According to the cafe's own menu, Kahwah opens Monday to Friday from 7am and Saturday to Sunday from 8am, with the kitchen itself opening from 8am daily.