55 Cafe

About 55 Cafe

55 Café is a modern café, restaurant and bar in the heart of Albany on Auckland's North Shore, set inside the region's only 5 Green Star building at 55 Corinthian Drive. Built around a '5 + 5' philosophy — five minutes to fuel, five minutes to connect — it was created for business professionals, team meetings and social catch-ups that deserve honest food made with fresh, quality ingredients.

The menu bridges European and Asian cooking. All-day breakfasts run from a Benedict on homemade potato rosti and corn fritters with whipped sour cream to a full Big Breakfast, while the lunch side reaches from a salmon poke bowl and gochujang chicken burger to mapo tofu spaghetti, braised mushroom udon, seafood chowder and a slow-cooked wagyu short rib. Eightthirty organic coffee anchors the drinks list alongside smoothies, iced drinks, cocktails, wine and beer, with a kids menu and vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-friendly options marked throughout.

The team is led by hospitality veteran Scott Ruddock, with Chef Mike — trained in France and with a five-star resort background — heading the kitchen and barista Ata running the beverage programme. Beyond weekday café service, 55 Café offers tailored corporate catering and a stylish, versatile venue for functions, from executive dinners and business meetings to birthdays, anniversaries and wedding receptions, plus Grab & Go online ordering for busy mornings.

Open Monday to Friday with free covered parking and free Wi-Fi, 55 Café is a weekday base for focus and momentum — weekends and evenings are reserved for private function and event bookings.

55 Café Albany: Asian-European Café, Coffee & Functions in North Shore Auckland

Albany moves quickly — business lunches squeezed between meetings, espresso in one hand, phone in the other. 55 Café, on the ground floor of 55 Corinthian Drive, was built for exactly this rhythm. Set inside North Shore's only 5 Green Star building, it is a modern café, restaurant and bar where business professionals, teams and friends come to refuel without slowing down.

The 5 + 5 philosophy

The café's ethos comes from a simple idea: five minutes to fuel, five minutes to connect. Rather than forcing a choice between a proper meal and a busy schedule, 55 Café designs its whole experience around the mid-day recharge — quick, quality food, warm hospitality and a relaxed, modern space where even a short pause feels worthwhile. That's why you'll find solo professionals over laptops, colleagues hashing out ideas over lunch, and friends catching up across shared tables.

The kitchen is led by Chef Mike, who trained in France and brings a background in five-star resorts. Working with hospitality veteran Scott Ruddock, the team bridges European and Asian cooking — a menu that roams from a classic Benedict to miso-maple cured NZ king salmon. Behind the bar, barista Ata leads the beverage programme, pouring Eightthirty organic coffee by day and mixing cocktails like the espresso martini and salted grapefruit margarita from the 55 cocktails list.

What to order

Breakfast runs all day and covers the classics with a few twists: poached eggs on homemade potato rosti in the Benedict, golden corn fritters with whipped sour cream, ponzu-seasoned avocado on toasted focaccia, and a Big Breakfast built for serious appetites. From 11am the lunch side takes over, and this is where the Asian-European fusion shines — a salmon poke bowl with soy-and-sake marinated salmon, gochujang-glazed crispy chicken burgers, mapo tofu spaghetti, braised mushroom udon, and seafood chowder finished with bonito. For a longer sit-down, the slow-cooked 500g NZ wagyu short rib and grilled scotch fillet are the menu's centrepieces, alongside the miso-glazed king salmon.

Smoothie fans are covered too, with Mango-A-Go-Go, Strawberry Fields and Peanut Blues blended alongside fresh juices and a full iced-drinks line-up. There's a dedicated kids menu — mini breakfast, popcorn chicken, burgers, mac n cheese and waffles — and dietary needs are well marked, with vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-friendly dishes flagged across the menu. The team simply asks you to mention any specific requirements when ordering. For shared occasions, a signature platters menu can be ordered ahead.

Functions, catering and Grab & Go

55 Café is more than a weekday café. Outside regular hours, the stylish, versatile space opens for functions and events by booking — corporate functions, executive dinners, business meetings, birthdays, anniversaries, wedding receptions and family gatherings. Tailored catering brings the same fresh, flavourful food to your own venue or office. In a hurry on a weekday? The Grab & Go service lets you order online for quick pickup, built for fast mornings and lunch breaks that can't wait.

Planning your visit

The café is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 3pm, with weekends and evenings reserved for function bookings — so plan your long lunch or brunch for a weekday. Free covered parking makes the Albany visit painless, and free Wi-Fi (network 'Welcome to 55 Cafe') turns a table into a temporary office between meetings. Sustainability is part of the deal too: as part of the 5 Green Star building, the team prioritises local and organic sourcing, composting, recycling and energy-efficient appliances.

Whether it's a protein-packed breakfast before work, a quality lunch between meetings, or a catered celebration, 55 Café keeps its promise simple — honest food crafted with care, served with quality, and shared with connection.

Signature items

• Salmon Poke Bowl
• Wagyu Short Rib
• Miso-Glazed King Salmon
• Gochujang Chicken Burger
• Big Breakfast
• Benedict

Menu

Wine

• Te Hana Sparkling Reserve Cuvée — New Zealand sparkling
• Esk Valley Sauvignon Blanc — Marlborough white
• Vidal Reserve Chardonnay — Hawke's Bay white
• Pa Road Pinot Gris — Marlborough white
• La Belle Angele Rosé — French rosé
• Lake Chalice Pinot Noir — Marlborough red
• Babydoll Shiraz — Australian red
• Oyster Bay Merlot — Hawke's Bay red

Cocktails

• Espresso Martini — From the 55 cocktails list
• Whisky Sour — From the 55 cocktails list
• Salted Grapefruit Margarita — From the 55 cocktails list
• Strawberry & Rhubarb Gin Sour — From the 55 cocktails list
• Aperol Spritz — From the 55 cocktails list

Kids Menu

• Mini Breakfast — Toasted focaccia, scrambled eggs, sausage, baked beans and hash brown
• Chicken Popcorn — Fried free-range chicken thigh with sweet chilli sauce
• Beef Burger — Beef patty, smoked cheese, lettuce, ketchup and fries
• Chicken Burger — Fried free-range chicken thigh with mayo, slaw and fries
• Mac n Cheese — Elbow macaroni in creamy mozzarella sauce with butter-toasted breadcrumbs
• Kids Waffle — Toasted waffle

Iced Drinks

• Iced Americano — Chilled black coffee over ice
• Iced Latte — Espresso and cold milk over ice
• Iced Mocha — Coffee and chocolate over ice
• Iced Matcha Latte — Matcha and milk over ice
• Iced Chocolate — Chocolate and milk over ice
• 55 Signature Iced Coffee / Iced Chocolate — The house signature take on iced coffee or chocolate

Beer & Cider

• Corona — Bottled beer
• Asahi Super Dry — Bottled lager
• Tsingtao — Bottled lager
• Speight's Summit Ultra Low Carb Lager — Low-carb lager
• Monteith's Crushed Apple Cider — Apple cider
• Steinlager Light 2.5% — Lower-alcohol lager
• Heineken 0% — Zero-alcohol beer

Mains & Lunch

• Salmon Bagel — Toasted bagel with smashed avocado, cream cheese and smoked salmon, confit tomatoes and bocconcini
• Salmon Poke Bowl (DF/GFI) — Soy & sake marinated salmon over quinoa multigrain rice with edamame, greens, crispy tofu and poached egg
• Rice Bowl (GFI) — Wagyu beef patty with smoked cheese and fried egg over quinoa multigrain rice, finished with mushroom sauce
• Crispy Chicken & Fennel Bowl — Crispy chicken thigh with shaved fennel, cucumber, caramelised onion, confit tomatoes and sambal chilli mayo
• Wagyu Short Rib (GFI) — Slow-cooked 500g NZ wagyu short rib with roasted baby potatoes, grilled seasonal veg and red wine jus
• Scotch Steak (GFI) — Grilled scotch fillet with roasted baby potatoes, broccolini, pumpkin purée and red wine jus
• Miso-Glazed King Salmon (GFI/DF) — Miso-maple cured NZ king salmon with soba, fennel salad and ginger gel
• Gochujang Chicken Burger — Crispy free-range chicken glazed in gochujang with Asian slaw and sambal aioli
• Wagyu Beef Burger — Wagyu patty, smoked cheese, streaky bacon, black garlic aioli and house pickles
• Spaghetti Bolognese — Slow-simmered beef ragu with al dente spaghetti and aged parmesan
• Mapo Tofu Spaghetti (DF) — Spaghetti in Sichuan mapo sauce with minced beef, firm tofu and toasted seeds
• Seafood Napolitana Linguine — Napolitana linguine with calamari, king prawns and baby octopus, preserved lemon zest and parmesan
• Braised Mushroom Udon (Veg) — Udon noodles with slow-braised portobello mushrooms in a rich soy glaze, sesame and coriander
• Seafood Chowder — Creamy chowder with prawns, mussels, clams and squid, finished with bonito and served with focaccia
• Mince on Toast — Slow-braised beef in Napolitana sauce with sweet corn and edamame, topped with a poached egg
• Salad of the Day — Seasonal market salad — ask the team for today's selection

Sides & Extras

• Parmesan Fries — Crispy fries topped with parmesan
• Kumara Fries — Golden sweet potato fries
• Garden Salad — Fresh side salad
• Roasted Vegetables — Seasonal roasted veggie side
• Potato Rosti — House-made crispy rosti
• Bread Selection — Sourdough, focaccia, brioche or multigrain; bagel, croissant or gluten-free available
• Add-Ons — Bacon, sausage, smoked salmon, free-range egg, mushrooms or avocado

Tea & Cold Drinks

• T2 Tea Selection — English breakfast, Earl Grey, peppermint, chamomile, green tea or lemon honey ginger
• Fuze Black Tea — Peach or lemon
• Soft Drinks — Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Fanta, L&P or ginger beer
• Voyage Water — 500ml still or sparkling

Smoothies & Juices

• Mango-A-Go-Go — Mango, banana, yoghurt and orange juice
• Strawberry Fields — Strawberry, banana, pineapple, vanilla, yoghurt and almond milk
• Peanut Blues — Crunchy peanut butter, blueberries, banana and almond milk
• Fresh Juice — Orange, apple, pineapple or cranberry
• The Most Organic Juice — Apple, orange and mango
• Sparkling Apple & Blackcurrant — Fizzy fruit refreshment

Coffee & Hot Drinks

• Espresso / Long Black — Eightthirty organic coffee
• Flat White / Cappuccino — Eightthirty organic espresso with steamed milk
• Latte — Eightthirty organic coffee, hot or iced
• Mochaccino — Coffee and chocolate combined
• Chai Latte — Spiced chai with steamed milk
• Matcha Latte — Green tea matcha with steamed milk
• Hot Chocolate — Classic chocolate comfort

All-Day Breakfast & Brunch

• Toastie — Your choice of bread with ham & cheese, vegan basil pesto & mushroom, or pastrami & gherkins
• Eggs on Toast — Free-range eggs your way on bread of your choice — sourdough, focaccia, brioche or multigrain
• Avo Bagel (V) — Toasted bagel with smashed avocado, crispy tofu, basil pesto, confit cherry tomatoes and bocconcini
• Avo on Toast (V) — Ponzu-seasoned smashed avocado on toasted focaccia with bocconcini, confit tomatoes and a soft poached egg
• Benedict (V) — Poached free-range eggs on homemade potato rosti with sautéed greens, hollandaise and micro greens
• Big Breakfast — Streaky bacon, sausage, potato rosti, roasted vine tomato, wilted greens and mushroom, with eggs your way and artisan bread
• Marsala Mushroom on Toast (V) — Creamy Marsala wine mushrooms on toasted potato sourdough with shaved parmesan
• Corn Fritters — Golden fritters with smashed avocado, crispy bacon, rocket, confit tomatoes, whipped sour cream and a poached egg
• French Toast (V) — Butter brioche with house berry coulis, maple, toasted meringue and seasonal fruit
• Garden Omelette (V) — Soft omelette with mozzarella and sautéed mushroom, confit cherry tomatoes and caramelised onion, served with warm focaccia

Frequently asked questions

What are 55 Café's opening hours?

Monday to Friday, 8:00am–3:00pm. Weekends and evenings are available for function and event bookings.

Where is 55 Café, and is there parking?

55 Corinthian Drive, Albany, North Shore, Auckland — inside North Shore's only 5 Green Star building, with free covered parking.

Can I book 55 Café for functions or catering?

Yes. The venue hosts corporate functions, executive dinners, business meetings, birthdays, anniversaries, wedding receptions and family gatherings, and tailored catering is available — enquire via the website or [email protected].

Does 55 Café cater to dietary requirements?

Vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-friendly dishes are marked on the menu — just let the team know your specific requirements when ordering.

Can I order ahead for pickup?

Yes, the Grab & Go service lets you order online for quick weekday pickup.

Is there a kids menu?

Yes — mini breakfast, popcorn chicken, beef and chicken burgers, mac n cheese and kids waffles.

What coffee does 55 Café use?

Eightthirty organic coffee, with the beverage programme led by barista Ata — alongside smoothies, iced drinks, cocktails, wine and beer.

Tips

• {"body":"The kitchen serves all day, but weekday mornings are busiest with the business crowd — use the Grab & Go online order to skip the queue.","title":"Time your visit"}
• {"body":"Walk-in service is Monday to Friday only; weekends and evenings are open for function and event bookings, so enquire ahead.","title":"Weekends are for events"}
• {"body":"Free covered parking makes a visit to Albany easy, whatever the weather.","title":"Park under cover"}
• {"body":"Free Wi-Fi (network 'Welcome to 55 Cafe'), good coffee and a relaxed modern space make it a solid spot between meetings.","title":"Work-friendly tables"}

Good to know

• {"wifi":"Free Wi-Fi — network 'Welcome to 55 Cafe'","family":"Kids menu available","dietary":"Vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-friendly options marked; tell staff when ordering","parking":"Free covered parking on site"}