Cafe Lacus

About Cafe Lacus

Cafe Lacus is a Lake Taupo eatery on Lake Terrace in Wharewaka, Taupō, built around a simple vision: a place to enjoy for all the ages. Open every day from 8am to 3pm, it serves an all-day à la carte menu of brunch classics and more adventurous plates, a cabinet full of sweet treats and savoury bites, and one of the more ambitious drinks lists in town — with dine-in, takeaway and a catering service all on offer.

The kitchen covers the staples — eggs on toast, a Big Breakfast with homemade potato rosti, Eggs Benedict, a loaded breakfast burger — alongside house signatures like the Thai Eggs Benedict with panang coconut curry sauce, oven-baked French toast, German sweet waffles, a fried chicken burger and a best-selling seafood chowder. There are vegan and vegetarian plates, and gluten-free bread or keto muffin swaps for most dishes.

Coffee is by Kokako's Mahana Blend, the hot chocolate has been awarded Best in Taupo, and a frothy nitro cold brew runs on tap in four flavours. Beyond coffee there are T Leaf teas, milkshakes, smoothies, cold-pressed juices, tap beer, cocktails and a wine list — plus a kids menu, modern fresh decor, outdoor dining and easy parking, minutes from Taupō's lakefront activities.

Cafe Lacus: Taupō's Lakefront All-Day Brunch Spot with Nitro Coffee on Tap

Cafe Lacus sits at 650 Lake Terrace in Wharewaka, right on the Taupō lakefront, and describes itself simply as a Lake Taupo eatery. The idea behind it is deliberately broad: a place to enjoy for all the ages, whether that means a leisurely all-day brunch, a coffee and croissant grabbed for the road, a family lunch or catering for a bigger occasion. Open every day from 8am to 3pm, it has quickly found an audience — early reviewers have called it the new spot Taupō "needed," and several already treat it as their regular.

An all-day menu with signatures

The kitchen runs an à la carte menu from open to close, backed by a cabinet of sweet treats and savoury bites — the savoury scones, croissants and muffins have earned specific praise from regulars. The classics are all covered: eggs on toast with free range eggs any style, a stacked Big Breakfast with homemade potato rosti, Eggs Benedict on an English muffin, and a breakfast burger loaded with bacon, sausage patty, cheese, avocado and beetroot relish on brioche.

Then the menu gets interesting. The house signature is the Lacus Thai Eggs Benedict — soft poached eggs on brioche with sautéed spinach and mushrooms under a panang coconut curry sauce, finished with coriander, peanuts and poppadum. There's citrus-scented oven-baked French toast with rhubarb mascarpone, German sweet waffles with salted caramel ice cream, crispy fried chicken served with waffles or on a burger with mild jalapeno chutney, a mince on toast topped with black truffle salsa verde and a poached egg, and an open steak sandwich with chimichurri and onion rings. The seafood chowder, cooked in a mild white wine curry sauce with toasted bread soldiers, is one of the best sellers. Plant-based diners are looked after with the Vegan Feast and a Mediterranean quinoa bowl, and gluten-free bread or a keto muffin can be swapped into most plates. Smaller plates — buffalo chicken nibbles, honey soy pork belly bites, salt and pepper squid, loaded fries — carry the kitchen through the afternoon.

Coffee first, but the bar isn't far behind

Coffee comes from Kokako's Mahana Blend, poured across the full espresso range from flat whites to mochaccinos. The hot chocolate has been awarded Best in Taupo, and younger visitors get their own kids hot chocolate or a classic fluffy. The headline act, though, is the nitro cold brew on tap — a frothy, nitrogen-infused chilled coffee poured four ways: vanilla cream, salted caramel, elderflower, or the house pour with honey and almond milk.

Beyond the coffee machine, the list stretches well past a typical café: T Leaf teas, thick milkshakes like the Jelly Tip Oreo shake, smoothies, fresh cold-pressed juices, tap beer and Lakeman brews, Rekorderlig cider, cocktails from a mimosa to a margarita, a wine list pouring varietals by the glass or bottle, and a spirits shelf running from house pours to premium. That makes Cafe Lacus as easy a pick for a late-morning mimosa as it is for a flat white.

The Lacus experience

Reviewers return to the same three notes: the modern, fresh decor; warm, attentive service (staff member Anshika is singled out by name); and food presented so beautifully that whole tables photograph it before eating. The outdoor dining space gets special mention, and the Lake Terrace location puts swimming, boating and the rest of Taupō's lakefront activities within easy reach for afterwards. There's plenty of parking, and the kitchen also offers takeaway and a catering service.

Families are part of the design rather than an afterthought — there's a dedicated kids menu alongside the all-ages vision the owners set out with. Whether you're fuelling up before a day on the lake, settling into a long brunch with bubbles, or hunting down the best savoury scone in town, Cafe Lacus fits the brief — just remember the doors close at 3pm, seven days a week.

Signature items

• Lacus Thai Eggs Benedict
• Nitro Cold Brew On Tap
• Hot Chocolate
• Seafood Chowder
• Big Breakfast
• Lacus Fried Chicken Burger

Menu

Sides

• Bacon — Add-on side for breakfast and brunch plates.
• Salmon — Add-on side of salmon.
• Extra Egg — An additional free range egg.
• Avocado — Add-on side of avocado.
• Breakfast Sausages — Add-on side of breakfast sausages.
• Grilled Tomato — Add-on side of grilled tomato.
• Mushrooms — Add-on side of mushrooms.
• Gluten Free Bread — Bread swap option.
• Keto Muffin — Swap for the English muffin on benedicts.
• Hollandaise — Extra homemade hollandaise sauce.
• Potato Rosti — Homemade potato rosti add-on.

Coffee

• Espresso, Long Black, Piccolo, Vienna, Americano, Macchiato — Classic short and black espresso serves from Kokako's Mahana Blend.
• Flat White — Available regular or large.
• Cappuccino — Available regular or large.
• Latte — Available regular or large.
• Mochaccino — Chocolate and espresso combination.
• Hot Chocolate — Awarded Best in Taupo.
• Kids Hot Chocolate — A smaller hot chocolate for little ones.
• Kids Fluffy — A frothy milk classic for kids.
• Chai Latte — Spiced chai with steamed milk.
• Organic Flavoured Latte — Choose beetroot, turmeric or matcha.

Spirits

• House Spirits 30ml Pour — Finland vodka, Gordon's gin, Midori, Canadian Club, Bacardi or St Remy brandy.
• Premium Spirits 30ml Pour — Bombay Sapphire gin, Grey Goose vodka or single malt whisky.

Cocktails

• Elderflower Gin Sour — Gin, blue curacao, elderflower syrup and lemon.
• Sun Citrus & Bubbles — Limoncello, vodka, vanilla, lemon and bubbles.
• Mimosa — Orange juice and sparkling wine.
• Mojito — The classic mint and lime cocktail.
• Malibu Sunset — Malibu, vodka, pineapple juice, orange juice and strawberry cordial.
• Margarita — Tequila, Cointreau and lime juice.

Cold Brew

• Iced Americano — Iced take on the classic americano.
• Iced Coffee — Served with ice cream.
• Iced Chocolate — Chilled chocolate favourite.
• Iced Latte — Latte served over ice.
• Iced Mochaccino — Chocolate and coffee over ice.
• Iced Matcha — Matcha green tea served over ice.

Smoothies

• Green Power Punch — Green smoothie blend.
• Tropical Sunrise — Tropical fruit smoothie.
• Strawberry Beetroot — Strawberry and beetroot smoothie.
• Mixed Berry Banana — Mixed berry and banana smoothie.

Wine List

• Henkell Brut — Sparkling brut in a 200ml serve.
• Henkell Rose — Sparkling rosé in a 200ml serve.
• Mionetto Prosecco — Prosecco by the bottle.
• Pinot Gris — By 150ml or 250ml glass, or bottle.
• Sav Blanc — By 150ml or 250ml glass, or bottle.
• Chardonnay — By 150ml or 250ml glass, or bottle.
• Pinot Rose — By 150ml or 250ml glass, or bottle.
• Pinot Noir — By 150ml or 250ml glass, or bottle.
• Merlot — By 150ml or 250ml glass, or bottle.

Milkshakes

• Jelly Tip Oreo Shake — Thick shake with Jelly Tip and Oreo flavours.
• Chocolate S'more Shake — Chocolate shake with s'more flavours.
• Chocolate Mint Shake — Chocolate and mint thick shake.
• Banoffee Shake — Banoffee-inspired thick shake.

All Day Menu

• Ocean Smoothie Bowl — Blue spirulina and mixed berry smoothie with coconut yogurt, homemade honey toasted muesli and fresh seasonal fruit.
• Breakfast Burger — Egg, bacon, sausage patty, cheese, avocado, greens and beetroot relish on toasted brioche with hash sticks.
• Eggs on Toast — Free range eggs poached, scrambled or fried on toasted bread; bacon, salmon or mushrooms can be added.
• Big Breakfast — Free range eggs on toasted bread with baked beans, homemade potato rosti, mushroom, grilled tomato, bacon and sausage.
• Avocado & Feta on Rye — Toasted rye with lemon-and-herb avocado, cherry tomato, feta, dukkha spice, a poached egg and homemade tomato relish.
• German Sweet Waffles — Waffle topped with caramel mascarpone, fresh banana, salted caramel ice cream and crispy banana chips.
• Eggs Benedict — Toasted English muffin with spinach, free range poached eggs and homemade hollandaise.
• Lacus Signature Thai Eggs Benedict — Soft poached eggs on brioche with sautéed spinach and mushrooms, panang coconut curry sauce, coriander, peanuts and poppadum.
• French Toast — Oven-baked citrus brioche with rhubarb compote, maple syrup and banana raspberry crumble.
• Mince on Toast — Lacus-style mince on toasted bread with black truffle salsa verde, soft poached egg and grated parmesan.
• Fried Chicken Waffle — Crispy fried chicken tossed in apricot sauce, served with slaw and maple syrup.
• Pulled Pork Slider — Sliders filled with tender slow-cooked pork and Asian slaw.
• Vegan Feast — Mild masala chickpeas, tabbouleh salad, beetroot hummus, coconut tzatziki, tamarind reduction and toasted garlic pita.
• Seafood Chowder — A best seller — seafood and chunky vegetables in a mild white wine curry sauce with toasted bread.
• Lacus Fried Chicken Burger — Chef's special fried chicken on toasted brioche with slaw and mild jalapeno chutney, plus crispy fries and chipotle aioli.
• Mediterranean Bowl — Wholesome quinoa bowl with pickled cabbage, falafel, hummus, coconut tzatziki, olives and pita bread.
• Chicken Mushroom Fettuccine — Fettuccine in creamy white wine sauce with chicken and mushrooms, topped with grated parmesan.
• Open Steak Sandwich — Beef sirloin on toasted ciabatta with greens, smoked cheddar, onion jam, chimichurri and onion rings.

Beers & More

• Beer on the Tap — Beer poured on tap.
• Apple Cider — Chilled apple cider.
• Rekorderlig Cider — Rekorderlig fruit cider.
• Heineken, Light, Zero — Heineken, Heineken Light and Heineken Zero.
• Lakeman IPA, Pale Ale, Pilsner — Lakeman IPA, pale ale or pilsner.
• Corona — Corona lager.
• Hawkes Bay Peach Bomb — Peach drop from Hawke's Bay.
• Long White — Long White served chilled.

All Day Snacks

• Buffalo Chicken Nibbles — Chicken nibbles cooked in buffalo sauce with a kick of spice.
• Salt & Pepper Squid — Kiwi fruit marinated squid with wasabi mayo and seaweed salad.
• Pork Belly Bites — Honey soy glazed pork belly bites served with house slaw.
• Wedges — Crispy wedges topped with cheese, sweet chilli and sour cream.
• Fries — Served with roasted garlic aioli.
• Loaded Fries — Fries loaded with crispy fried chicken, cheese and chipotle aioli.

Teas By T Leaf

• English Breakfast — Classic black breakfast tea.
• Chamomile — Caffeine-free herbal chamomile.
• Zen Garden Green Tea (Berry & Papaya) — Green tea with berry and papaya.
• Rose and Fig — Fragrant rose and fig blend.
• French Earl Grey — Earl grey with a French twist.
• Tokyo Lime — Citrus-infused tea blend.
• Peppermint — Cool, caffeine-free peppermint.
• Berrylicious — Fruity berry infusion.

Fresh Cold Press Juice

• The Classic Orange Juice — Freshly pressed orange juice.
• Immunity — Orange, pineapple, carrot, ginger, turmeric and lemon.
• Lean Green — Kiwi, green apple, celery, spinach and spirulina.
• Sweet Beet — Beetroot, apple, carrot and lemon.

Nitro Cold Brew On Tap

• Vanilla Cream Nitro Brew — Nitro brew with vanilla and cream.
• Nitro Cold Brew — House nitro with honey and almond milk.
• Salted Caramel Nitro Brew — Caramel, salt and cream.
• Elderflower Nitro Brew — With chocolate and cream.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Cafe Lacus located?

At 650 Lake Terrace, Wharewaka, Taupō 3378, New Zealand — on the Taupō lakefront.

What are Cafe Lacus's opening hours?

8am to 3:00pm, Monday through Sunday, every day of the week.

Is there parking at Cafe Lacus?

Yes — reviewers regularly note there are loads of parking at the Lake Terrace site.

Does Cafe Lacus offer takeaway or catering?

Yes. Alongside dine-in, the eatery offers takeaway and a catering service.

Are there vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free options?

Yes — the Vegan Feast and Mediterranean Bowl, vegetarian cabinet options, plus gluten-free bread and keto muffin swaps for most plates.

Is Cafe Lacus family friendly?

Very much — there's a kids menu, kids hot chocolates and fluffies, and the eatery was founded to be enjoyed by all ages.

What coffee does Cafe Lacus use?

Coffee by Kokako (Mahana Blend), with a nitro cold brew on tap — and a hot chocolate awarded Best in Taupo.

Tips

• {"body":"Cafe Lacus serves 8am to 3pm only, seven days a week — arrive by early afternoon for a proper sit-down lunch.","title":"Beat the 3pm close"}
• {"body":"The nitrogen-infused cold brew comes four ways: vanilla cream, salted caramel, elderflower, or the house pour with honey and almond milk.","title":"Try the nitro tap"}
• {"body":"Sweet treats and savoury bites sit alongside the menu — regulars rate the savoury scones, croissants, muffins and vegetarian options.","title":"Check the cabinet"}
• {"body":"Outdoor dining, easy parking and Taupō's lakefront activities nearby — reviewers love it before or after a morning by the water.","title":"Make a lake day of it"}
• {"body":"It's a café with a full bar — mimosas, cocktails, tap beer and a wine list are all on the drinks menu.","title":"Brunch with bubbles"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Kids menu, kids hot chocolates and fluffies; an all-ages eatery.","dietary":"Vegan and vegetarian dishes, plus gluten-free bread and keto muffin swaps.","parking":"Reviewers report loads of parking on site."}