No. 186 Cafe

About No. 186 Cafe

186 Café is a family-owned café on Yaldhurst Road in Sockburn, Christchurch, where great coffee, fresh food and warm hospitality come together. The team set out to create a relaxed space where every guest can enjoy quality meals and handcrafted drinks — whether it's the morning coffee, brunch with friends or a quick lunch stop.

The all-day menu runs from hearty breakfasts — the full 186 Breakfast, eggs Benedict on house-made potato rosti, oaty pancake stacks, avocado smash and omelettes with your choice of fillings — to lunches like Caesar salad, beer-battered fish and chips, house-crumbed chicken schnitzel, soft-shell tacos, loaded wedges and the popular secret-spice fried chicken burger. A dedicated keto menu offers low-carb, high-flavour versions of the classics, and vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are clearly marked throughout.

Coffee is barista-made from premium beans, with everything from flat whites and cappuccinos to mochaccinos and turmeric lattes, plus teas by the pot, fresh juices, iced drinks, smoothies, thick milkshakes and loaded shakes. Desserts and rotating chef's specials round things out.

Seating is cozy indoors with bright open-air spots outside, and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. Walk in anytime or reserve a table by phone or through the online form — group bookings and family get-togethers are welcome.

186 Café: Family-Owned Brunch, Barista Coffee and Keto Favourites in Sockburn, Christchurch

Finding a café where the coffee is taken seriously and nobody in the group is stuck without something to eat is rarer than it should be. 186 Café, a family-owned spot on Yaldhurst Road in Sockburn, Christchurch, has built its name on exactly that combination: barista-made coffee from premium beans, an all-day breakfast and lunch menu, and a genuinely dedicated keto menu.

Breakfast runs all day here. The 186 Breakfast is the full spread — two poached eggs, rosti, streaky bacon, sausage, mushroom, spinach, roast tomato, ciabatta and hollandaise. Egg Benedict comes on house-made potato rosti with a choice of bacon, ham, smoked salmon, mushroom or halloumi. There are oaty pancakes with berry compote and ginger mascarpone, avocado smash on toasted ciabatta, and omelettes with any three fillings. Lunch keeps pace with a Caesar salad, beer-battered fish and chips, house-crumbed chicken schnitzel, soft-shell tacos, loaded wedges, a lamb burger with avocado smash and the famous fried chicken burger.

A Keto Menu That Isn't an Afterthought

Plenty of cafés will swap toast for spinach if you ask. 186 Café went further and built a dedicated keto menu of low-carb, high-flavour dishes. The Keto 186 Breakfast pairs eggs with bacon, sausage, mushroom, spinach, tomato and keto bread; the Keto Big Veggie Breakfast brings halloumi, avocado and tomato relish. Keto Eggs Benedict lands poached eggs and hollandaise on keto bread, and the Keto Chaffles — a cheesy waffle filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, spinach and hollandaise — have become a talking point of their own.

What Regulars Keep Ordering

The bestseller board reads like a tour of the menu. The fried chicken burger stacks 186's secret-spice chicken with chipotle mayo, double bacon and melted cheese, served with aioli and crispy fries. The fried chicken plate adds onion pickles, chipotle maple syrup, jalapeño sour cream and greens. Creamy mushrooms — sautéed in a white wine sauce with poached egg, greens and dukkah — cover the vegetarian corner, while the green smoothie and iced chocolate handle the drink side. Mochaccinos move steadily all day.

Coffee and Everything Cold

Coffee is brewed to order in three sizes: a regular with two shots, a larger cup with the same double shot, and the bowl — an extra-large cup with three shots. Beyond the classics like flat white, cappuccino, latte, macchiato and long black, there's a turmeric latte, spiced or vanilla chai, hot chocolate and lemon honey ginger. Teas come by the pot, and the cold list runs from iced coffee and iced mocha to smoothies, thick milkshakes and loaded shakes in Oreo, choc, banana and peanut butter. Desserts and rotating chef's specials finish things off.

The Experience

The space is set up for lingering, with cozy indoor seating and bright open-air spots outside. The atmosphere is deliberately relaxed and family-friendly — the kind of room that works just as well for brunch meetings and weekend catch-ups as it does for a solo coffee.

Dietary needs are clearly marked across the whole menu: V for vegetarian, VG for vegan, GF for gluten free, GFA and VGA where dishes can be made gluten free or vegan, and VA where a vegetarian version is available on request. Plant-based milks — soy, almond, coconut and oat — are on hand, and an extra shot or a decaf is no trouble.

Walk-ins are welcome any time, though the team recommends booking during peak hours; reservations, group bookings and family get-togethers can be arranged by phone or through the form on the website. Whether it's a quick flat white on the way through Sockburn or a long weekend brunch that stretches into the afternoon, the idea is the same: every sip and bite matters.

Signature items

• Fried Chicken Burger
• 186 Fried Chicken
• Creamy Mushrooms
• Keto Chaffles
• 186 Breakfast
• Mochaccino

Menu

Tea

• English Breakfast — Classic full-bodied black tea, by the pot.
• Earl Grey — Citrus-scented black tea, by the pot.
• Peppermint — Refreshing herbal infusion, by the pot.
• Sencha Green Tea — Light, clean green tea, by the pot.
• Berrylicious — Fruity berry infusion, by the pot.
• Tokyo Lime — Zesty lime-inspired tea, by the pot.
• Camomile — Gentle, calming herbal tea, by the pot.
• Lovely Lemon — Bright, soothing lemon infusion, by the pot.

Keto

• Keto 186 Breakfast — Eggs, bacon, sausage, mushroom, spinach, tomato, hollandaise and keto bread. (GF, VA)
• Keto Big Veggie Breakfast — Eggs your way with halloumi, mushroom, avocado, spinach, tomato relish and keto bread. (V, GF)
• Keto Eggs Benedict — Poached eggs, spinach and hollandaise on keto bread; bacon, salmon, mushroom or halloumi. (GF)
• Keto Chaffles — Cheesy waffle filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, spinach and hollandaise. (GF)
• Keto Avocado Toast — Avo smash on toasted keto bread with feta and poached eggs. (GF, V, VGA)
• Keto Omelette — Three fillings of your choice served with keto bread. (GF, V)
• Keto Chicken Salad — Baby spinach, cucumber, capsicum, aioli, feta, grilled chicken, bacon and boiled egg. (GF)
• Keto Creamy Mushroom — Creamy mushrooms with keto bread, poached egg, greens and dukkha; add bacon. (GF, V, VGA)

Juice

• Orange — Fresh chilled orange juice.
• Apple — Fresh chilled apple juice.
• Pineapple — Fresh chilled pineapple juice.
• Cranberry — Fresh chilled cranberry juice.

Lunch

• 186 Caesar Salad — Bacon, parmesan, garlic croutons, cos lettuce, free-range egg and Caesar dressing; add chicken. (GFA)
• Fried Chicken Burger — Secret-spice fried chicken with chipotle mayo, greens, bacon, tomato, cheese and fries.
• Chicken Schnitzel — House-crumbed chicken breast with salad, gravy and fries. (GF)
• Loaded Wedges — Wedges topped with bacon, cheese, sour cream and sweet chilli.
• Tacos — Two soft-shell tacos with salsa and jalapeño sour cream; fried chicken, halloumi or fish. (V)
• Fish and Chips — Beer-battered fish with lemon, tartare, salad and fries.
• Lamb Burger — Lamb burger with avocado smash, greens, tomato, chipotle mayo, onion and fries.
• Fried Chicken — Crispy secret-spice fried chicken served with fries and sauces. (GF)
• Fries / Wedges — Fries with aioli or tomato sauce; wedges with sour cream or sweet chilli. (V, GF)

Shakes

• Oreo — Loaded shake blended with Oreo cookies.
• Choc — Loaded rich chocolate shake.
• Banana — Loaded banana shake with extra fun.
• Peanut Butter — Loaded peanut butter shake.

Breakfast

• Egg on Toast with Bacon — Poached, scrambled or fried eggs with ciabatta and streaky bacon. (V, GFA)
• Omelette — Any three fillings — mushroom, tomato, spinach, onion, feta, bacon or cheese — with ciabatta and greens. (V, GFA)
• Creamy Mushroom — Sautéed mushrooms in creamy white wine sauce with ciabatta, poached egg, greens and dukkha. (V, VGA, GFA)
• 186 Pancake Stack — Oaty pancakes with berry compote, ginger mascarpone and maple, or grilled banana and bacon. (V, VGA)
• Egg Benedict — Poached eggs on house-made rosti with spinach and hollandaise; bacon, ham, salmon, mushroom or halloumi. (V, GFA)
• Avocado Toast — Avo smash with lemon salsa on toasted ciabatta, topped with feta and poached eggs. (V, VGA, GFA)
• 186 Breakfast — Poached eggs, rosti, streaky bacon, sausage, mushroom, spinach, roast tomato, ciabatta and hollandaise. (VA, GFA)

Smoothies

• Banana Berry — Banana blended with mixed berries.
• Mango & Passion — Tropical mango and passionfruit blend.
• Mixed Berry — A berry-packed blended favourite.
• Green (VG) — Leafy greens and fruit, rich in nutrients and vitamins.

Milkshakes

• Chocolate — Thick, creamy chocolate milkshake.
• Banana — Thick, creamy banana milkshake.
• Strawberry — Thick, creamy strawberry milkshake.
• Vanilla — Thick, creamy vanilla milkshake.

Iced Drinks

• Iced Chocolate — Chilled chocolate over ice with milk.
• Iced Mocha — Coffee and chocolate served cold over ice.
• Iced Coffee — Chilled coffee with milk over ice.
• Iced Chai (Spiced / Vanilla) — Cold spiced or vanilla chai over ice.

Soft Drinks

• Coke — Ice-cold classic cola.
• Coke Zero — Ice-cold zero-sugar cola.
• Fanta — Ice-cold orange-flavoured fizzy.
• Sprite — Ice-cold lemon-lime fizzy.
• Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitters — Brewed soft drink, served ice-cold.
• Bundaberg Ginger Beer — Brewed ginger beer, served ice-cold.

Sides & Add-Ons

• Bacon — Add streaky bacon to any dish.
• Two Eggs — Add two eggs, cooked your way.
• Hollandaise — Extra hollandaise on the side.
• Smoked Salmon — Add smoked salmon.
• Halloumi — Add halloumi to any dish.
• Sausage — Add a sausage to any dish.
• Mushroom — Add sautéed mushrooms.
• Side Salad — Fresh side salad.
• Potato Rosti — House-made rosti, one or two pieces.

Coffee & Hot Drinks

• Short Black — Bold espresso served black.
• Long Black — Espresso lengthened with hot water.
• Americano — Smooth espresso with added hot water.
• Flat White — Velvety steamed milk over a double shot.
• Cappuccino — Espresso with steamed milk and foam.
• Macchiato — Espresso marked with a dash of milk.
• Vienna — Rich espresso served Viennese-style.
• Latte — Milder and milkier, with silky steamed milk.
• Mochaccino — Espresso meets chocolate in a smooth combo.
• Turmeric Latte — Golden, warming spiced latte.
• Black Currant — Sweet-tart blackcurrant served hot.
• Lemon Honey Ginger — Soothing hot lemon, honey and ginger.
• Fluffy — A light, frothy milk cup — a little treat.
• Hot Chocolate — Rich, creamy chocolate with steamed milk.
• Chai Latte (Spiced / Vanilla) — Spiced or vanilla chai with steamed milk.
• Soy / Almond / Coconut / Oat Milk — Plant-based milk alternatives for any drink.
• Extra Shot / Decaf — Add an extra shot or switch to decaf.

Frequently asked questions

Do you offer vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?

Yes — there's a wide range of vegetarian (V), vegan (VG) and gluten-free (GF/GFA) options across breakfast, lunch and the keto menu, and the team is happy to help you choose based on your needs.

Can I walk in or should I make a reservation?

Walk-ins are welcome any time, but reservations are recommended during peak hours to avoid waiting. You can book by phone or through the form on the website.

Do you have keto or low-carb meal options?

Yes, there's a dedicated keto menu with low-carb, high-flavour meals — including keto eggs Benedict, Keto Chaffles and keto versions of the big breakfasts.

How do I book a table or a group booking?

Call +64 3 342 4283, email [email protected], or fill in the reservation form on the website. Group bookings and family get-togethers are welcome.

What do the letters on the menu mean?

V = vegetarian, VG = vegan, GF = gluten free, GFA = gluten free available, VGA = vegan available, and VA = vegetarian available on request.

What milk alternatives are available for coffee?

Soy, almond, coconut and oat milk are all available, plus extra shots or decaf.

Where is 186 Café located?

At 186 Yaldhurst Rd, Sockburn, Christchurch — with cozy indoor seating and bright open-air outdoor spaces.

Tips

• {"body":"Walk-ins are fine any time, but the team recommends reserving during peak hours — call or use the online form to skip the wait.","title":"Book the brunch rush"}
• {"body":"Don't scan the main menu — there's a dedicated keto section with keto eggs Benedict, chaffles, keto avocado toast and more, most marked GF.","title":"Keto? You're covered"}
• {"body":"Regular means two shots, Large is a bigger cup with two shots, and the Bowl is extra large with three shots — go Bowl for a serious caffeine day.","title":"Know your coffee sizes"}
• {"body":"Add-ons make it easy to customise: bacon, halloumi, smoked salmon, extra eggs, hollandaise, mushrooms or a side of house-made potato rosti.","title":"Build your perfect plate"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Family-owned with a relaxed, friendly vibe; group bookings and family get-togethers welcome.","dietary":"Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options marked across the menu; dedicated keto menu."}