Craft Coffee Waitara is a charming coffee haven at 19 McLean Street in the heart of Waitara, Taranaki. More than a caffeine stop, it has become a genuine community hub - a warm, inviting room where friendly smiles greet you, laughter blends with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, and you're likely to bump into someone you haven't seen in years. Regulars call it the local meeting place, and the cozy, homely-but-inviting feel is the thing guests mention most.
The coffee itself earns serious praise. Reviewers describe the mocha as one of the best they've had, with the taste of roasted beans shining through, and more than one guest ranks it among the finest coffees sampled anywhere in New Zealand. Alongside the espresso menu, the cabinet is a draw in its own right: a good range of cabinet food and sweets, from delicious donuts and beautiful caramel slices to freshly prepared pastries that come out still warm.
There's more to browse than food, too. The shop carries a unique selection of trinkets to look at and buy - pottery, earrings and kids' clothes among them - so it's easy to walk in for a coffee and leave with a gift. Families are well looked after, with a little play area where babies and small children can entertain themselves while caregivers finish their cup.
Practical touches round it out: takeaway and delivery are available, free street parking sits outside, the entrance and car park are wheelchair-accessible, and card and NFC mobile payments are accepted. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, Craft Coffee Waitara is a rewarding stop whether you live nearby or are passing through - rated 4.7 out of 5 across 26 guest reviews.
Craft Coffee Waitara sits at 19 McLean Street in the heart of Waitara, and by the sound of its reviews, it has quietly become one of those cafes people plan their mornings around. Rated 4.7 out of 5 across 26 guest reviews, this quaint wee coffee store has built its reputation on two things above all: seriously good coffee and an atmosphere that makes you want to stay a while.
Reviewer Julie Gray tells the story well. Heading north from New Plymouth early one morning with her accommodation not yet serving coffee, she searched her options, spotted Craft Coffee's high score, and diverted into Waitara. "Was a good move," she wrote, praising both the coffee and the pastries that were just being put out, still warm. She was only passing through - but says she'll stop by again on her next trip.
Regular Max Brooking calls it exactly what it is: "the local meeting place for some." The easygoing atmosphere, he notes, means you're very likely to bump into someone you haven't seen for a while, making it a great spot for a catch up with friends. Amy Yeates simply calls it "such a cozy coffee shop," and Linda Waru describes it as "nice and welcoming. Very homely but inviting."
That sense of warmth is the point. Craft Coffee Waitara sets out to be more than a caffeine fix - a comfortable environment where friends reconnect, laughter mixes with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, and every visit promises a familiar face.
None of that would matter if the coffee weren't excellent - and reviewers insist it is. Linda Waru's mocha, she writes, is "one of the best Mocha I have had," with the taste of roasted beans shining through, a sign of the quality and care that goes into each cup. Another guest goes further, calling the coffee "sensational - one of the best I've had throughout NZ" and "definitely worth the stop in."
The cabinet deserves as much attention as the machine. Linda Waru paired her mocha with a delicious donut and a caramel slice - "both beautiful," in her words. Julie Gray found the freshly prepared pastries "also very good" as they came out warm. Aleisha Towler highlights the good range of cabinet food and sweets, meaning there's usually something new to try alongside your usual order.
What sets Craft Coffee apart from an ordinary coffee store is what else is on sale. Jordan Smith notes "lots of neat things to buy here too," and Aleisha Towler elaborates: wee trinkets to look at and purchase, from kids' clothes to pottery and earrings. It's the kind of place where you can walk in for a coffee and walk out with a gift.
Families are well looked after too. The cafe is explicitly kid-friendly, with a little area where babies and small children can play while mum, dad or a caregiver enjoys their coffee in peace.
Craft Coffee Waitara is open Tuesday through Saturday, 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, and closed on Mondays and Sundays - worth remembering if you're passing through on a weekend. Takeaway and delivery are both available, and the listing notes it suits a quick visit, helped by free street parking and a wheelchair-accessible car park and entrance. Paying is easy, with credit cards, debit cards and NFC mobile payments all accepted.
Whether you're a Waitara local yet to wander in or a traveller weighing a small detour off the highway, the reviews make a consistent case: a cozy room, sensational coffee, warm pastries, friendly faces and a shelf of trinkets waiting to be discovered. As one regular puts it, this is a place where every visit is bound to become part of your routine.