Cafe Ditto

About Cafe Ditto

Ditto serves bold, vibrant South-meets-East Asian street food with a Kiwi twist. The menu draws on Japanese, Filipino and broader Asian influences, from katsu and sushi bowls to bao buns and loaded fries, alongside a full bar list of wine, beer, cider, sake and coffee.

The format is casual and walk-in: order and pay at the counter, get handed a quirky table paddle, and the food comes to you. Most of the menu is also available for takeaway, either ordered in person or online. The kitchen works with fresh New Zealand ingredients, sourcing seasonal produce, fair trade products and building community connections where possible.

Ditto caters well to dietary requirements, with vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options clearly marked throughout the menu, and staff happy to guide diners with allergies. It's a family-friendly spot with plenty of space for groups, and dogs are welcome on the courtyard.

Ditto: South-Meets-East Asian Street Food

Ditto brings bold, vibrant South-meets-East Asian street food together under one roof, blending Japanese, Filipino and broader Asian influences into a menu that's fresh, fun and packed with flavour.

A Menu Built Around Bold Flavours

The food menu covers a lot of ground. There's the Katsu Chicken Meal, a Japanese crispy cutlet served with Japanese slaw, basmati rice, okonomiyaki sauce, aioli and pickled ginger. The Beef Lomi brings a Filipino-inspired noodle broth with rice noodles, mung beans, coriander and egg. And the bao buns — soft, fluffy steamed buns originating from Northern China — come in six varieties, from the Porky (slow cooked pork belly and crackle) to the Bambi, made with Fiordland wild venison, beetroot relish and peanuts.

Sushi bowls, also known as chirashi sushi, are a highlight too, served scattered-style with options like Chashu Don Pork, Karaage Chicken, Spicy Tuna and Crispy Tofu. For something lighter, the Japanese Slaw salad can be topped with karaage, tuna or tofu, and the loaded fries — Vietnamese, Poutine or Kim Grass — make for solid comfort food shares.

Full Bar and Coffee Menu

Beyond food, Ditto runs a genuinely comprehensive drinks list. There's a curated selection of New Zealand and international red, white and sparkling wines, a bottled and canned beer range including Sawmill and Panhead, ciders, sake, kombucha and Karma soft drinks. The coffee menu covers the full espresso range plus matcha, chai and iced options, with a loose leaf tea selection for something different.

The Experience

Ditto runs a simple, casual system: order and pay at the counter, then take one of the quirky table paddles back to your seat while the food is brought out to you. Most of the menu is also available for takeaway, ordered in person or online.

The kitchen works with fresh New Zealand ingredients, sourcing seasonal produce and fair trade products where possible, and takes dietary requirements seriously — vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options are clearly marked throughout the menu, and the team is happy to help navigate around allergies.

Good to Know

Ditto is a walk-in kind of place — no bookings, first in first served, and it's worth arriving early in busy periods. It's family-friendly with plenty of space for groups, and dogs are welcome out on the courtyard. Gift vouchers are available in-store for anyone wanting to share the Ditto experience.

Signature items

• Porky Bao Bun
• Spicy Tuna Sushi Bowl
• Katsu Chicken Meal
• Beef Lomi
• Vietnamese Loaded Fries
• Bambi Bao Bun

Menu

Beer

• Bottled & Canned Beer — Sawmill Hazy IPA, Pale Ale and Pilsner, b.effect lagers, Panhead APA and Oat Stout, Asahi, Tiger and Corona.

Wine

• Red, White & Sparkling Wine — NZ and international wines including Central Otago Pinot Noir, Hawkes Bay Syrah, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Prosecco.

Fries

• Bowl of Fries — House seasoning (df) (gf) (v).
• Tofu Chips — Garlic and sriracha (df) (gf) (v).

Juice

• Fresh Juice — Orange, pineapple, apple, cranberry or tomato.

Katsu

• Katsu Chicken Meal — Japanese crispy cutlet with Japanese slaw, basmati rice, okonomiyaki sauce, aioli and pickled ginger.

Salad

• Japanese Slaw — Red and white cabbage, carrot, edamame, spring onion, seaweed salad and sesame dressing (df) (gf) (v). Add karaage, tuna or tofu.

Extras

• Prawn Crackers — (df) (gf) (v).
• Pork Crackle — (df) (gf).
• Edamame — (df) (gf) (v).

Bao Buns

• Feathered — Buttermilk fried chicken, cucumber, carrot, pickled red onion, aioli and okonomiyaki sauce.
• Porky — Slow cooked pork belly, cucumber, carrot, crackle, aioli, okonomiyaki sauce and coriander.
• Ocean — Market fish, carrot, cucumber, aioli, okonomiyaki sauce and capers.
• Bambi — Fiordland wild venison, silver beet, mung beans, beetroot relish, aioli, okonomiyaki sauce and peanuts.
• Toufie — Crispy tofu, shiitake, mung beans, carrot, cucumber, red onion, beetroot relish, sriracha and aioli (v).
• Breaky — Bacon, hash brown, egg, smokey BBQ, aioli and crispy onion.

Sushi Bowls

• Chashu Don Pork — Slow cooked pork belly, carrot, mung beans, lettuce, kimchi, edamame, braising reduction, aioli and tempura nori (df) (gf).
• Karaage Chicken — Carrot, mung beans, cucumber, lettuce, edamame, chilli sauce, aioli and tempura nori (df) (gf).
• Spicy Tuna — Raw tuna, carrot, cucumber, seaweed salad, wakame, avocado, kimchi, pickled ginger, aioli, sesame and chilli sauce (df) (gf).
• Crispy Tofu — Mung beans, carrot, cucumber, avocado, edamame, shiitake, pickled ginger, miso and chilli (df) (gf) (v).

Cider & Sake

• Cider, Ginger Beer & Sake — Crimson Badger Ginger Beer, Morningcider varieties, and Awa Sparkling Sake with Apple & Pear.

Loaded Fries

• Vietnamese — Carrot, coriander, mung beans, okonomiyaki sauce, garlic aioli, chilli sauce and roasted peanuts (df) (gf) (v).
• Poutine — House gravy and cottage cheese (gf) (v).
• Kim Grass — Kimchi, seaweed salad, aioli and bonito flakes (df) (gf).

Spring Rolls

• Lumpiang Shanghai — Filipino crispy pork spring rolls with carrot, onion, garlic and a tangy garlic and chilli dipping sauce.

Tea & Coffee

• Loose Leaf Tea — NZ breakfast, Earl Grey blue flower, peppermint, jasmine, strawberry kiwi, zen garden, lemongrass and ginger.
• Coffee — Full espresso range plus chai, matcha, hot chocolate and iced options, with alternate milks available.

Filipino Lomi

• Beef Lomi — Filipino-inspired noodle broth with beef, spices, rice noodles, mung beans, coriander, onions and egg (df) (gf).

Low & Non-Alcoholic

• Low & Non-Alcoholic Options — Sawmill Bare Beer, b.effect Wanaka Light and Morningcider crisp apple.

Kombucha & Karma Drinks

• Kombucha & Karma Drinks — b.alive Jasmine and Earl Grey kombucha, Karma sparkling drinks, juice and sparkling water.

Frequently asked questions

Do you take bookings?

No, it's a walk-in kind of place — first in, first served. In summer it gets busy, so it's best to come early.

Do you cater to dietary requirements?

Yes, there are options for vegetarians, vegans, and dairy-free and gluten-free diners. Let the team know your needs.

Do you have gift vouchers?

Yes, vouchers are available in-store.

Are you family friendly?

Yes, with plenty of space for groups, including dogs welcome on the courtyard.

What kind of food do you serve?

Bold, vibrant South-meets-East Asian street food with a Kiwi twist — think bao buns, sushi bowls, katsu and loaded fries.

Do you offer takeaway?

Yes, everything on the menu can be ordered to go, either at the counter or online.

How does ordering work?

Place your order and pay at the counter, then you'll be given a table paddle and the food is brought to you.

Tips

• {"body":"No bookings taken — it's walk-in only and gets busy in peak season.","title":"Come early in summer"}
• {"body":"Six varieties available, including the venison Bambi bun.","title":"Try the bao buns"}
• {"body":"Most of the menu is available to go, ordered in person or online.","title":"Order online for takeaway"}
• {"body":"Weekly specials are available beyond the regular menu.","title":"Ask about the specials board"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Family friendly with plenty of space for groups; dogs welcome on the courtyard.","dietary":"Vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options clearly marked; let staff know of any allergies."}