Tipsy Cafe sits in the centre of Hanmer Springs, a short walk from the hot pools the village is famous for, and it leans into that position with a menu built around generous all-day breakfasts, hearty lunches and a long coffee list. The team describes the space as more than a dining destination — an intimate, luxurious room with plush seating where premium cuisine meets a relaxed cafe rhythm, open every day from 8am to 3pm.
Breakfast runs all day, from the Big Breakfast and the beef-bolognese Hangover Breakfast to Eggs Benedict, Avo Smash, pancakes and cinnamon-spiced brioche French toast, with gluten-free and dairy-free options available across the menu. Lunch covers homemade pitta souvlaki in four fillings, a full burger line-up including a vegetarian patty with a vegan option, beef nachos, chicken carbonara, Caesar salad and a proper steak meal.
Families are well looked after with a dedicated kids menu, and the drinks list stretches from dirty chai and matcha latte to smoothies, milkshakes and iced coffees. Whether you're unwinding after a soak or fuelling a day out in Hanmer Springs, Tipsy Cafe aims to make the stop memorable.
Tipsy Cafe sits in the centre of Hanmer Springs, just a short walk from the hot pools that give the village its fame. The team behind it describe the space as more than a dining destination — an experience, even: an intimate, luxurious room with plush seating where premium cuisine meets a relaxed cafe rhythm, open every day from 8am to 3pm. Whether you're unwinding after a morning soak or settling in for a long brunch, the idea is the same — expertly prepared plates, proper coffee and a team intent on making the moment memorable.
Breakfast is the backbone of the menu, and it's served all day. The Big Breakfast covers the classics — eggs any way on toasted sourdough with sausage, bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomato and hashbrown — while the memorably named Hangover Breakfast swaps in homemade savoury beef bolognese. Eggs Benedict arrives with potato rosti, bacon, spinach and hollandaise, and there's a smoked salmon version for those inclined. The Avo Smash piles smashed avocado on multigrain toast with poached eggs, grilled halloumi, dukkah and feta.
Sweeter options include pancakes and cinnamon-spiced brioche French toast, both served with bacon, grilled banana, maple syrup and whipped cream, alongside a toasted muesli bowl and simple eggs on toast. Gluten-free and dairy-free options are available across the menu, and extras — from a free-range egg to avocado, bacon or a potato herb rosti — can be added to most plates.
Lunch leans generous. The souvlaki is built on homemade pitta bread with tzatziki and hummus, sweet chilli, red onion, tomato and lettuce, with a choice of beef, lamb, chicken or falafel. The burger list runs from the Kiwi Classic — homemade beef pattie, bacon, egg and onion relish — to the Double Decker, the chicken-thigh Hen Burger stacked with onion rings, and the Peri Grill with a jalapeño popper and spicy mayo. The Veggie Wizard pairs a homemade pattie with pineapple and chipotle, and a vegan option is available.
Beyond the burgers there's beef nachos, chicken carbonara, a Caesar salad topped with a soft poached egg, and a steak meal with chips, egg, seasonal salad and garlic butter. The Toasti — a toasted sandwich with any two toppings — covers lighter appetites, while the sides list runs from kumara fries and wedges to onion rings, jalapeño poppers and loaded chips.
Families are clearly part of the plan. The kids menu runs to warm waffles with ice cream and chocolate sauce, pancakes with grilled banana and mixed berries, a mini breakfast of sausage, bacon, hashbrown and scrambled egg, plus chicken nuggets, mini hotdogs and fish bites — all with chips. It's the kind of list that keeps everyone at the table happy, from the smallest guest to the one ordering the Hangover Breakfast.
The coffee list is long: flat whites, lattes, cappuccinos, mochaccinos, Americanos, long blacks, espresso and macchiato in both forms, a Vienna, and chai in several guises — chai latte, matcha latte, vanilla or spiced chai, and a dirty chai. Tea drinkers get English Breakfast, Earl Grey, green and peppermint. On the cold side there are mixed berry, banana and mango smoothies, apple, orange or pineapple juice, milkshakes in strawberry, lime, chocolate, caramel and vanilla, and iced lattes, chais, Americanos, chocolate and matcha. Soft drinks live in the Coke fridge.
Tipsy Cafe operates from 8am to 3pm, which makes it a natural breakfast or lunch stop. You'll find it at 6 Conical Hill Road in the Hanmer Springs town centre, within walking distance of the hot pools. Tables and enquiries can be arranged by phone on 020 4004 7459 or via the email on the contact page, and the cafe keeps a presence on Facebook and Instagram for updates. Whether it's a big breakfast after the pools, a burger and curly fries with the family, or a dirty chai to go, Tipsy aims to send you back out into Hanmer Springs well fed.