Catch 22 Cafe & Bar

About Catch 22 Cafe & Bar

Catch 22 Cafe & Bar is a sister-owned café and bar at 31 Beach Road in Tāhunanui, Nelson, built around great coffee, easy food, afternoon drinks and a relaxed place to settle into. The philosophy is simple — coffee first, cocktails next — with the day starting with coffee and cabinet food, moving into brunch, and easing into afternoon drinks, including a cheeky Espresso Martini with a Catch 22 twist.

The menu runs from cabinet favourites and easy breakfasts to toasties, bagels, fries and full brunch plates, alongside burgers, pizza, salads and shared snack plates for the afternoon and evening crowd. There's a dedicated kids menu too, and gluten free pizza bases are available on request.

The space also hosts private gatherings — birthdays, work drinks, book clubs, girls' nights and family celebrations — with relaxed food, cold drinks and a sunny garden deck when the weather cooperates, plus complimentary venue hire when a minimum spend applies. The owners have noted that family is currently taking priority while one of the sisters navigates a treatment journey, so opening hours have been temporarily adjusted.

Catch 22 Cafe & Bar: Coffee, Brunch and Cocktails in Tāhunanui

Catch 22 Cafe & Bar sits at 31 Beach Road in Tāhunanui, Nelson, a sister-owned café and bar built around the idea of coffee first, cocktails next. It's a place designed for settling in — start with a coffee and something from the cabinet, stay for brunch, or come back later to ease into the afternoon with a drink.

Breakfast and Brunch

Mornings at Catch 22 lean hearty and easy-going. The Big Breakkie brings together bacon, sausage, eggs your way, hash browns, mushrooms and buttered ciabatta, while Eggs Bene sits poached eggs on rosti with spinach, hollandaise and a choice of bacon or smoked salmon. Waffles come loaded with bacon, banana, mascarpone, maple syrup and chocolate drizzle, and there's a bagel selection too, from a classic Breaky Bagel to Salmon & Cream Cheese with red onion and lemon juice.

Snacks, Shares and Salads

For grazing and sharing, the menu runs from simple fries and garlic bread through to bigger shared plates like By The Beach, a seafood spread of garlic prawn skewers, crab sticks, calamari rings and battered fish bites, and The Bar, a mixed platter of samosas, spring rolls, chicken tenders, onion rings and meatballs. On the lighter side, the Crispy Chicken Salad and Pumpkin & Feta Salad both make an appearance, alongside heartier options like a Steak Sandwich and Creamy Pesto Pasta.

Burgers and Pizza

The Classics section covers Catch 22's burger range, headlined by the Catch 22 Burger itself — a toasted bun with melted cheese, a meat patty, onion rings and burger sauce. The pizza menu keeps things familiar, running from a Classic Cheese and Hawaiian through to a Meat Lovers with manuka smoked BBQ sauce, a Chicken Deluxe with camembert and plum sauce, and a Salmon option, with a gluten free base available.

Coffee First, Cocktails Next

True to its name, Catch 22 treats the coffee-to-cocktail transition as part of the experience, with the option to blend the two in a cheeky Espresso Martini carrying the cafe's own twist. It's this rhythm — coffee in the morning easing into afternoon drinks — that shapes the whole day at Catch 22.

A Space for Gatherings

Beyond the daily menu, Catch 22's space is available for private gatherings — birthdays, work drinks, book clubs, girls' nights, team catch-ups and family celebrations — with relaxed food, cold drinks, friendly service and a sunny garden deck when the weather plays along. Complimentary venue hire is available when a minimum spend applies, and the cafe also sells digital gift vouchers from $25 for anyone wanting to share a Catch 22 moment with someone else.

A Little Change in Rhythm

The cafe's own team have shared that family is currently taking priority while one of the co-owners navigates a treatment journey, so opening hours have been adjusted for a while. Currently, Catch 22 is open Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm, and on weekends from 7am to 5pm, with the team encouraging visitors to follow along on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates, specials and events.

Signature items

• The Catch 22 Burger
• By The Beach
• Big Breakkie
• Eggs Bene
• Waffles
• Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagel

Menu

Pizza

• Classic Cheese — Tomato base and cheese
• Hawaiian — Ham and pineapple
• Meat Lovers — Salami, ham, bacon and chorizo with manuka smoked BBQ sauce and garlic aioli
• Chicken Deluxe — Crispy chicken, bacon, baby spinach and camembert slices with plum sauce
• Salmon

Bagels

• Cream Cheese & Hot Honey — Cream cheese, bacon and hot honey
• Breaky Bagel — Bacon, hash brown, cheese, egg and tomato relish
• Salmon & Cream Cheese — Smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion and lemon juice

Breakfast

• Big Breakkie — Bacon, sausage, eggs your way, hash browns, mushrooms and buttered ciabatta
• The Baby Breakkie
• Eggs Your Way — Scrambled, fried or poached on buttered ciabatta
• Waffles — Bacon, banana, mascarpone, maple syrup and chocolate drizzle
• Porridge — Creamy oats with a choice of berry compote, Biscoff drizzle and crushed biscuit, or brown sugar sprinkle
• Eggs Bene — Poached eggs on rosti, spinach and hollandaise with bacon or smoked salmon

Kids Menu

• Junior Catch — Fries and tomato sauce with a choice of 3 chicken nuggets, fish bites, or mini hot dogs; includes a small juice
• Little Grazer — Seasonal fruit, fresh veggies, marshmallows, crackers, cheese and pretzels; includes a small juice

The Classics

• The Catch 22 Burger — Toasted bun with melted cheese, meat patty, lettuce, onion rings, tomato, burger sauce and fries
• Chicken & Bacon Burger — Toasted bun with melted cheese, Louisiana southern crumbed chicken, streaky bacon, lettuce, garlic aioli and fries

Salads & Mains

• Crispy Chicken Salad — Mixed greens with Southern style crumbed chicken, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and garlic aioli
• Pumpkin & Feta Salad — Pumpkin, feta, beetroot, spinach and cashews with balsamic and olive oil drizzle
• Steak Sandwich — Sirloin steak on toasted ciabatta with melted cheese, tomato, egg, caramelised onion and fries
• Creamy Pesto Pasta — Bacon, basil pesto, onion and penne pasta topped with parmesan
• Bangers & Mash — Beef sausages with creamy potato mash and brown onion gravy
• Corn Fritter Stack — Sauteed mushrooms and bacon, sour cream and sweet chilli
• Potato Rosti Stack — Herb and potato rosti with bacon, smashed avocado and fresh spinach
• Chicken Quesadilla — Diced chicken, beans and cheese, served with avocado and sour cream
• Fish & Chips — Panfried or battered snapper with fries, garden salad, lemon and tartare sauce

Breakfast Sides

• Sausages
• Egg
• Mushrooms
• Hashbrown
• Toast & Condiments — Served with jam, butter and peanut butter

Snacks & Shares

• Fries — Lightly salted, served with tomato sauce and garlic aioli
• Curly Fries — Lightly salted, served with tomato sauce and garlic aioli
• Garlic Bread
• Crumbed Camembert — Deep-fried crumbed camembert with a rich red plum dipping sauce
• Salt & Pepper Squid — Served with fries, lemon and tartare sauce
• Bowl of Wedges — Served with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce
• Garlic Prawn Skewers — 3 skewers of garlic prawns, garnished with lemon and tartare sauce
• Spring Rolls & Samosas — A snack-size mix of samosas, spring rolls and fries with a dipping sauce
• Crispy Chicken Tenders — 3 Southern style crumbed chicken tenders with chipotle or garlic aioli
• The Bar — A selection of samosas, spring rolls, chicken tenders, onion rings, jalapeño poppers and meatballs with fries and dipping sauce
• By The Beach — Garlic prawn skewers, crumbed or battered crab sticks, calamari rings and battered fish bites with fries, salad, tartare sauce and lemon
• Bacon Buttie — Freya's grain bread with butter and bacon

Frequently asked questions

What does Catch 22 Cafe & Bar serve?

Coffee, breakfast, brunch, pizza, burgers, shared plates and cocktails, available daily from 7am.

What are the current opening hours?

Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm. Weekends, 7am to 5pm. Hours have been temporarily adjusted while the owners prioritise family.

Is there a gluten free pizza option?

Yes, a gluten free base is available.

Do they cater for kids?

Yes, a kids menu (Junior Catch, Little Grazer) is available, each including a small juice.

Can I host a private event there?

Yes, the space is available for private gatherings, with complimentary venue hire when a minimum spend applies.

Are gift vouchers available?

Yes, digital vouchers are available from $25.

Where is Catch 22 located?

31 Beach Road, Tāhunanui, Nelson.

Tips

• {"body":"Two of the more popular items on the menu.","title":"Try the Catch 22 Burger or By The Beach platter"}
• {"body":"Available on request.","title":"Ask about the gluten free pizza base"}
• {"body":"Venue hire is complimentary when a minimum spend applies.","title":"Book ahead for private gatherings"}
• {"body":"Hours are temporarily reduced — check Facebook, Instagram or TikTok for the latest.","title":"Check current hours before visiting"}

Good to know

• {"family":"A kids menu is available, each meal including a small juice; the space also suits family gatherings and celebrations"}