Unknown Chapter Coffee Roasters is a modern coffee roastery, cafe and wholesaler in Central Christchurch, roasting on site to bring what it describes as world-class coffee to the heart of the city. Coffee offerings change through the year depending on harvest times from different coffee-producing origins, with each new coffee experimented with to highlight its own characteristics — all of it specialty graded and traceable back to the farmer.
Beyond roasting, the team brews and serves using the latest equipment, world-leading practices and, in their words, passionate baristas aiming for consistently excellent coffee. The kitchen bakes fresh on site using old family recipes, with a brunch-style menu built around free-range produce and creative takes on classics that changes with the seasons.
Unknown Chapter also operates as a wholesaler and offers gift vouchers, with the cafe menu available seven days a week from 6:30am.
Unknown Chapter Coffee Roasters sits in the heart of Christchurch Central as a coffee roastery, cafe and wholesaler all in one. Coffee is roasted on site, with the goal of bringing what the team describes as world-class coffee to the city — a promise built on sourcing that changes with the seasons.
Rather than sticking to a fixed house blend, Unknown Chapter's offerings shift throughout the year depending on the harvest times of different coffee-producing origins. Each new coffee that comes through the roastery is experimented with to try to highlight its own particular characteristics, and every bean used is specialty graded and traceable back to the farmer who grew it. On the brewing side, the cafe uses the latest equipment and what it calls world-leading practices, paired with baristas the team describes as passionate about producing consistently excellent coffee.
Food plays just as central a role as the coffee. The kitchen bakes fresh on site using old family recipes, and the brunch-style menu leans on free-range produce with creative takes on classics that change with the seasons. The full menu spans hearty cooked plates and lighter options alike. The Classic brings together free range bacon, pork and apple sausage, poached eggs, field mushrooms, roast tomatoes, potato rosti and toasted sourdough, while the Veggie swaps in grilled halloumi and wilted spinach. For a plant-based option, the Scrambled Tofu combines turmeric tofu with smashed avocado, beetroot hummus, roast mushrooms and mixed seeds.
Classic brunch dishes are well represented too — a Benedict with free range poached eggs and lemon hollandaise on sourdough, which can be topped with bacon, field mushrooms or hot smoked Akaroa salmon, and a Brioche French Toast finished with blueberry compote, banana, strawberries, vanilla mascarpone and maple. Lighter choices include a house-made nut and seed Granola with seasonal fruit and Greek yogurt, an Oat & Chia Porridge with a choice of toppings, and simple Eggs on Toast served on country sourdough.
For something more substantial, the Quesadilla folds grilled chorizo, crispy bacon, refried beans and cheddar into a tortilla, topped with scrambled eggs, pineapple salsa, smashed avocado and jalapeños. The Avocado Toast layers smashed avocado, crumbly feta, cherry tomatoes, basil pesto, salad greens, a poached egg and dukkah on grain and seed toast, while the Salad Bowl brings together grilled halloumi, avocado, quinoa and organic red rice, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, toasted almonds and roasted pumpkin hummus with a citrus dressing. Sourdough toast and bagels are also available with a range of toppings, from cream cheese and jam to Pic's peanut butter, Vegemite, or pesto and cream cheese, and a range of sides — from hot smoked Akaroa salmon to crispy bacon, halloumi, chorizo, avocado, spinach and extra eggs — let customers build out their plate further.
The cafe is open seven days a week, with the food menu running from 6:30am until 2:30pm and the cafe itself open until 4pm. Bookings are only taken Monday to Friday, and only for groups of more than eight people — Unknown Chapter doesn't take bookings on weekends or public holidays, relying instead on a fast table turnover to seat walk-in customers on the day. Alongside the cafe, Unknown Chapter operates a wholesale arm for its coffee and sells gift vouchers, so regulars can bring the roastery's coffee home or share it with others.