45 Cafe is a small, welcoming coffee shop at 45 Forest Drive in Methven, a village that swells each ski season with visitors who — going by the reviews — tend to come back the next day, and the day after that. The cafe pours Underground coffee, a roast with a devoted following, alongside a strong tea selection and a cabinet of freshly baked goods: espresso chip muffins, date scones and a ginger treat regulars describe as 'to die for'.
The kitchen is equally well regarded. Breakfast is a particular strength, with the eggs Benny and a bagel with smoked salmon named among the standout plates, and the chips known for arriving in generous portions. Lunch, quick bites and dessert round out the day.
Inside, the space is light, bright and cosy with a casual, unhurried feel — especially lovely in the morning light. Staff handle everything from solo diners to a party of nine with ease. Groups, tourists and families with kids are all welcome. Takeout and dine-in are offered (no delivery), wheelchair access covers the entrance, parking and seating, and free parking is available on-site and on the street. Cards and mobile payments are accepted; reservations are not taken — just walk in. One practical note from visitors: hours are not posted on the door, so check ahead before a return trip.
Tucked at 45 Forest Drive, 45 Cafe is the kind of coffee shop that turns first-time visitors into repeat pilgrims. A visitor from the UK returned after four years away and found the cafe still amazing, planning to come back the very next day for more cake and coffee. Another couple spent a month in Methven for the ski season and kept returning so often it became their default. That is the sort of loyalty most cafes only dream about.
The headline act is the coffee itself. 45 Cafe pours Underground coffee, a roast with a devoted following of its own, and reviewers who take their flat whites seriously single the cafe out for serving it well. The care extends to how the room is run: when a party of nine arrived unannounced, the team handled the coffees and a scattering of kitchen orders with no stress — a small feat that says a lot about the service.
Tea drinkers are not an afterthought either. A great tea selection sits alongside the coffee among the cafe's most-praised highlights, so the non-caffeinated members of any group are covered.
Like any good New Zealand cafe, 45 Cafe's counter cabinet deserves a long look. The espresso chip muffin has its own fans, the date scones hit the spot for at least one visitor, and the ginger treat comes recommended in the strongest possible terms — 'to die for', in the words of one happy customer. Cakes and pastries round out the offering; they are good enough that a returning traveller planned their next day around them.
If the cabinet tempts, the kitchen converts. 45 Cafe has built a reputation for outstanding breakfasts — the kind that had one visiting couple returning throughout an entire ski season. Standouts named by reviewers include the eggs Benny, built on perfectly cooked eggs, and a bagel with smoked salmon that many call the best-looking plate on the menu. Even the sides are taken seriously; the chips are noted for arriving in notably generous portions.
Lunch, quick bites and small plates fill out the rest of the day, with dessert keeping the menu useful from morning through the afternoon.
The room itself is part of the appeal. Reviewers describe a light and bright space that is especially beautiful in the morning, with a cute, cosy, casual feel that encourages lingering. Solo diners settle in comfortably, and groups are welcome — the smooth handling of that party of nine is proof. It is also good for kids, wheelchair accessible from entrance to seating, and easy to reach thanks to a free parking lot and free street parking.
Payments are straightforward: credit cards, debit cards and NFC mobile payments are accepted, and reservations are not taken — you simply turn up. Takeaway and dine-in are both available, though there is no delivery.
A note from the reviews: opening hours are not posted on the door, and more than one visitor has arrived to find the cafe closed on a return trip. If you are planning a second visit, it is worth checking ahead. Better still, make your first stop a morning one — the light is at its best, the cabinet is freshly stocked, and there is time for a second ginger treat.
Whether you come for the Underground coffee, a scone from the counter or a proper breakfast before a day outdoors, 45 Cafe delivers the rare thing a village cafe promises and does not always provide: consistency worth travelling back for.