Sopheze Coffee Lounge & Catering sits at 190 Stafford Street in central Timaru, a family-run cafe established in 2004 by mother and daughter Juelaine and Vanessa Keen. What began as a Stafford Street coffee lounge grew three years later with the addition of Sopheze on the Bay, the event venue at Caroline Bay's historic tea rooms — but the Stafford Street cafe remains the everyday heartbeat of the business, serving locals from the morning coffee run through to lunch.
The cafe is built around fast, dependable service: grab ready-to-go food from the cabinet, create your own salad, or order from the breakfast, brunch, lunch or afternoon tea menus. Take it away or stay, with cafe-style service inside or a seat on the outside terrace. Coffee is a genuine point of pride, with Sopheze proudly pouring artisan Vivace Espresso brewed from fresh, quality roasted beans.
Beyond the cafe, the same team runs Sopheze on the Bay — the historic Caroline Bay tearooms, which evolved from 1905 origins into a 1930s-era building now upgraded to a premium venue seating up to 300 guests. Catering for every occasion, from work shouts and morning teas to weddings and conferences, is made on site between the Stafford St cafe and the bay-side kitchen, with dietary restrictions and preferences accommodated on request. Their promise, in their own words: delicious, consistent, reliable.
Since 2004, Sopheze Coffee Lounge & Catering has been part of the rhythm of daily life in Timaru. The business was established by mother and daughter Juelaine and Vanessa Keen, who opened the Sopheze Coffee Lounge on Stafford Street first and, three years later, added Sopheze on the Bay — the event venue at Caroline Bay's historic tea rooms. Two decades on, the family still leads the operation, guided by the promise repeated across everything they do: delicious, consistent, reliable.
The Stafford Street cafe is designed for people with places to be. The team aims for fast service, so whether you're a worker on a break, a shopper passing through or catching up with friends, you can be in and out quickly — or settle in if you have the time. Ready-to-go cabinet food covers the quickest visits, while the breakfast, brunch and lunch menus cover proper sit-down meals. There's also a create-your-own salad option and an afternoon tea menu for slower afternoons.
Seating is flexible too: take your order away, enjoy cafe-style service inside, or head to the outside terrace when the weather allows.
Sopheze is upfront about its passion for coffee. The cafe proudly serves artisan Vivace Espresso, brewed from fresh, quality roasted beans — the kind of pour that has kept regulars coming back since the doors first opened.
Catering is the other half of the Sopheze story, and everything is made on site between the Stafford Street cafe and the Caroline Bay venue. The team caters for an unusually wide range of occasions: business meetings, birthdays, holiday parties, work shouts, morning teas, lunches, breakfasts and bereavements, along with cheese platters and more. The offering runs from an extensive range of tasty finger foods to buffets and set menus, with full catering for weddings, private functions, community and corporate events and conferences.
Dietary needs are part of the deal — Sopheze can accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences, and simply asks that you mention your needs when placing your order. Catering enquiries go through Jules or Vanessa on 03 684 9999.
Sopheze on the Bay is worth knowing about even if you never plan a wedding. The venue occupies the Caroline Bay tea rooms, a site with origins in 1905 that evolved into the historic 1930s-era building standing today, now upgraded into a premium event space. Inside, the tearooms set the atmosphere and seat up to 300 guests. Outside, there's a terrace, gazebo, lawn and garden bordered by phoenix palms — described by the team as an ideal setting for a wedding.
The practical details are well covered: the team can help host, cater from the on-site kitchen, and serve from a licensed bar. Timaru's famous and photogenic Caroline Bay is just a step outside, and guests have plenty of accommodation options within a five-minute walk. The venue is open by appointment, so anyone considering it for a wedding or function should get in touch to arrange a look.
The Sopheze Coffee Lounge is at 190 Stafford Street, Timaru, opening Monday to Friday from 6:30 am and Saturday from 7:30 am; it is closed on Sundays. For catering orders, venue bookings or anything else, call 03 684 9999 or email manager@sopheze.co.nz — you'll likely reach Jules or Vanessa themselves, which tells you most of what you need to know about the place.