Set right along the banks of the Maitai River with sunny outdoor terrace seating and cosy indoor tables, this Nelson cafe and restaurant serves a full à la carte breakfast and lunch all year round. The morning kitchen turns out freshly baked scones, muffins, and hot oat porridge served with Oaklands milk, alongside savoury staples like their potato rosti with spinach, poached eggs, and hot-smoked salmon (\$32 as at 2026). Later in the day, the menu moves to hearty plates such as buttermilk fried chicken burgers on brioche buns, ribeye steak sandwiches with onion jam on rye sourdough, beer-battered fish of the day, and sweet counter treats paired with locally roasted coffee, craft beers, and New Zealand wines.
Being right beside the water gives diners a quiet pocket away from the main town centre traffic, making riverside outdoor tables particularly popular when the Nelson sun is out. You will find them at 81 Trafalgar Street, Nelson. Our pick in central Nelson for an unhurried brunch out on the riverbank terrace.