Shortblack Cafe is a cafe at 45 Thames Street, Oamaru, Waitaki, rated 4.4 from 258 reviews.
A cafe named after a specific coffee style tends to attract customers who know exactly what they want, so it is worth asking what beans and roast style are used if trying to judge a cafe's coffee credentials properly. Regulars know that a well-made short black, strong, small and without milk, is often the fairest way to judge a barista's skill, since there is nowhere for a poor extraction to hide behind milk or sugar. A cafe confident enough to lean into a specific coffee identity, rather than a broad, generic menu, tends to signal genuine focus on getting the coffee right. Ordering a simple coffee before trying a more elaborate drink gives a good first impression of the standard to expect.
In Oamaru, Waitaki, Shortblack Cafe is a local option for coffee.