Mana and Meeples Boardgame Cafe

About Mana and Meeples Boardgame Cafe

Mana & Meeples is Timaru's dedicated board game café, co-located with Hobby Lords on Stafford Street. Founded by passionate hobbyists Nikki and Phil, the venue offers a welcoming, social haven where locals and visitors can unplug, enjoy real conversation, and gather around a shared table.

The shelves feature a curated library of over 250 tabletop games, covering everything from fast-paced 15-minute party games and family classics to cooperative adventures and deep strategy titles. Knowledgeable staff are always on hand to help groups find the right match for their time and mood, even teaching the rules so players can jump straight into the fun.

Alongside the games, Mana & Meeples operates a full kitchen and espresso bar serving handcrafted sourdough pizzas, gourmet toasties, loaded thickshakes, smoothies, and cabinet treats. Guests are welcome to drop in strictly for food, coffee, or to browse the hobby store, with game library passes available for casual or all-day play.

Mana & Meeples: Timaru's Community Hub for Board Games, Sourdough Pizza, and Good Times

When evening arrives on Stafford Street and much of Timaru winds down for the day, the warm lights inside Mana & Meeples are just flicking on for the night. Situated at 278 Stafford Street in the heart of Timaru Central, this welcoming board game café has carved out a unique niche as a vibrant after-hours gathering place. Founded by long-time hobbyists Nikki and Phil, Mana & Meeples was born from years of hosting community game nights and co-organising regional events like WishCon. Their mission is straightforward: to give South Canterbury a comfortable, offline destination where friends and families can sit face-to-face over real tables, great food, and genuine conversation.

Sharing its open space with Hobby Lords Timaru—the local retail specialist for trading card games and tabletop hobbies—Mana & Meeples pairs an extensive entertainment collection with a seriously capable kitchen and espresso bar. Whether you are an experienced tabletop strategist looking for a dedicated game night or a curious family looking for an entertaining weekend outing, the venue provides an easygoing environment where beginners are just as welcome as seasoned players.

Over 250 Games and Rules Made Easy

The beating heart of the café is its library of more than 250 modern board games neatly arranged along the walls. The collection spans every conceivable genre and play style. For those seeking quick laughter and lively interaction, party titles such as Codenames, Just One, and Telestrations deliver fast-moving fun. Families often gravitate towards accessible modern classics like Ticket to Ride, Azul, Splendor, and Kingdomino, which are quick to pick up and enjoyable across generations.

For players craving deeper tactical challenges, the shelves are stocked with renowned strategy staples like Catan, Carcassonne, Wingspan, and 7 Wonders. If cooperation is preferred over competition, cooperative adventures like Pandemic, Horrified, and Forbidden Island allow groups to team up against the board. What sets the café apart is the personal touch: visitors do not have to struggle through lengthy rulebooks alone. The staff actively help guests select the ideal game based on their group size, available time, and mood, and will happily guide you through the setup and rules so you can start playing right away.

Sourdough Pizzas, Gourmet Melts, and Levelled-Up Shakes

Unlike venues where food is an afterthought, the kitchen at Mana & Meeples takes its culinary lineup seriously. The kitchen operates on a simple, table-side ordering system powered by QR codes, allowing guests to order snacks and beverages without interrupting their game turn. Importantly, you do not need to play games or purchase a library pass to eat here—the café welcomes anyone looking for quality lunch, dinner, or a relaxed coffee break.

The food menu centres on freshly baked sourdough, starting with artisan pizzas. House favourites include the meat-heavy Settlers of Catanavor topped with ham, chorizo, bacon, chicken, and a barbecue swirl, alongside creative combinations like the hot honey and haloumi Team Rocket or the veggie-packed Hungry, Hungry Hippies. Those seeking comfort food can turn to gourmet sourdough toasties, headlined by the Meeple Melt—a decadent blend of mozzarella, tasty cheese, brie, sliced apple, and hot honey—as well as the spicy, savoury Game of Toasts.

The drinks menu is equally playful. Classic espresso, loose-leaf teas, and iced coffees sit alongside an imaginative selection of "levelled-up" loaded shakes such as the Biscoff and Conquer and the Nutella-packed Cata'N'ella. Those looking for lighter refreshments can choose from fruit-packed smoothies like the Sun Kissed Serum or Nanab Berry Delight, or top off their visit with a sweet Dessert Pizza Go! loaded with marshmallows, biscuits, and chocolate.

Signature items

• Settlers of Catanavor
• Meeple Melt
• Biscoff and Conquer
• Dessert Pizza Go!
• Game of Toasts
• Hungry, Hungry Hippies

Menu

Hot Drinks

• Flat White — Espresso coffee prepared with steamed milk
• Latte — Classic espresso with silky steamed milk
• Cappuccino — Espresso topped with foamed milk and dusted chocolate
• Mocha — Espresso blended with rich chocolate and steamed milk
• Espresso — Straight shot of freshly extracted espresso
• Americano — Espresso poured over hot water
• Chai Latte — Spiced chai tea syrup with steamed milk
• Matcha — Traditional powdered green tea steamed with milk
• Hot Choc — Comforting sweet hot chocolate
• Fluffy — Frothed milk treat for kids
• Specialty Teas — Selection of teas including Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Peppermint, Jasmine Green, Zesty Lemon, and Spicy Berry

Iced Drinks

• Iced Latte — Chilled espresso with cold milk over ice
• Iced Americano — Double espresso chilled with cold water and ice
• Iced Coffee — Cold espresso beverage poured over ice
• Iced Chocolate — Chilled chocolate milk served over ice
• Iced Mocha — Cold blend of chocolate, espresso, and milk over ice
• Biscoff Iced Latte — Chilled espresso latte blended with Biscoff

Light Meals

• Fries — Hot potato fries available in small or large
• Sourdough with Spreads — Three slices of sourdough served with two spreads
• Ubake Pies — Warm bakery pies with rotating daily flavours from the warmer
• Chicken Nuggets & Fries — Crispy chicken nuggets served with a side of fries
• Mini Hotdogs & Fries — Gluten-free friendly mini hotdogs served with fries
• Small Combo — Small fries paired with a 600ml Coca-Cola range drink
• Large Combo — Large fries paired with two 600ml Coca-Cola range drinks

Sweet Treats

• Dessert Pizza Go! — Sweet sourdough pizza base with Nutella spread, sourdough cookie chunks, banana, blueberry, marshmallow, and caramel and chocolate swirls
• Cabinet Treats — Rotating selection of loaded cookies, cupcakes, slices, and sweet cabinet baking

Sourdough Pizza

• Team Rocket — Hot honey, haloumi and rocket
• Settlers of Catanavor — Ham, chorizo, bacon, chicken, mozzarella with a bbq swirl
• Hungry, Hungry Hippies — Roasted beetroot, courgette, red peppers, black olives, onion, confit garlic, mushroom, artichoke hearts and a three-cheese blend
• Build Your Own Pizza — Custom pizza built via QR code order, with gluten-free base and dairy-free cheese options

Sourdough Toasties

• Meeple Melt — Mozzarella, tasty cheese, brie, sliced apple and optional hot honey
• Game of Toasts — Ham, bacon, chicken, pickled onion, colby cheese, jalapeño, mustard and aioli
• Shroom for Improvement — Garlic mushrooms, roast courgette, peppers, beetroot, sundried tomato pesto and whipped feta
• Build Your Own Toastie — Custom sourdough toastie built via table QR code, with gluten-free bread and dairy-free cheese options

Levelled-Up Smoothies

• Legends of Matcha — Matcha, strawberry, cinnamon, honey, and milk
• Health Elixir — Banana, raspberry, blackberry, spinach, avocado, honey, and water
• Sun Kissed Serum — Mango, pineapple, banana, and coconut water
• Nanab Berry Delight — Blueberry, banana, strawberry, honey, and water

Shakes & Levelled-Up Shakes

• Classic Milkshake — Available in chocolate, vanilla, caramel, strawberry, lime, banana, spearmint, creaming soda, orange, or raspberry
• Ticket to Chai — Levelled-up thickshake flavoured with your choice of spiced or vanilla chai
• Biscoff and Conquer — Levelled-up thickshake loaded with Biscoff
• Cata'N'ella — Levelled-up thickshake infused with rich Nutella

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to pay to enter the café if I am only buying food or drinks?

No. Walking into the café, browsing Hobby Lords, or dining in for coffee, pizza, and toasties is completely free. You only purchase a pass if you wish to play games from the library.

How much does it cost to use the board game library?

Library passes cost $5 per person for 2 hours of access, or $10 per person for an all-day pass with unlimited games.

Can staff help us choose and learn a game?

Yes. The team will happily recommend a title tailored to your group size, mood, and experience level, and can explain the basic rules to get your session running quickly.

Do you cater to dietary requirements like gluten-free or dairy-free?

Yes. The kitchen provides gluten-free pizza bases, gluten-free bread for toasties, and dairy-free cheese options upon request, as well as alternative milks for hot drinks.

Can I come by myself or with a large group?

Yes. The venue accommodates solo visitors popping in for food or shopping as well as small and large groups, birthday parties, and organised game nights.

How do we order food and drinks while playing?

You can order food, snacks, coffees, and shakes directly from your table at any time using the table QR code system.

Tips

• {"body":"Do not waste time deciphering rulebooks; the staff will help match your group with a game and teach you how to play.","title":"Ask the team for rules help"}
• {"body":"When many Timaru eateries close early, Mana & Meeples stays open until 9pm or 10pm most nights of the week.","title":"Take advantage of late-night hours"}
• {"body":"Take time to wander through the adjacent Hobby Lords store to check out trading card games, miniatures, and hobby supplies during your visit.","title":"Combine lunch with hobby browsing"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Family-friendly setting with quick-to-learn games, kids' fluffy drinks, nuggets, and mini hotdogs.","dietary":"Gluten-free bases and bread available, dairy-free cheese options, and alternative milks for drinks."}