The Little Brewer Cafe & Roastery is a coffee-focused cafe at Unit 3/97 Sir Tim Wallis Drive in Wanaka, built from humble beginnings as a coffee cart before growing into its current premises. The cafe exclusively uses L'Affare coffee beans, offering the Primo or Gusto blend, and describes itself as a hub for community connection as much as a place to grab a brew.
All food is made daily in-house, using free-range, SPCA-certified eggs and produce from local suppliers, including bread buns made just down the road by Adam & Eves Bakery in Wanaka 3 Parks. The sandwich range covers everything from a classic Bacon Butty to the Italian Job and Hootie Roobie, plus a Gluten Free Bacon Butty and a Vegan Roll, alongside sweet treats like Banana Bread, Lemon Drizzl', Carrot Cake and house-made Snickers Bars.
The Little Brewer offers a few NGA (No Gluten Added) and vegan options, though the kitchen does contain gluten, nuts/seeds and dairy, so customers with allergies are encouraged to ask staff directly. A full Harney & Sons tea selection is also available alongside the coffee menu.
The Little Brewer Cafe & Roastery sits at Unit 3/97 Sir Tim Wallis Drive in Wanaka, having grown from humble beginnings as a coffee cart into its current cafe space. The team describes their cafe as more than just a place to grab a brew — a vibrant hub where neighbours become friends and conversations flow as freely as the coffee.
The Little Brewer uses L'Affare coffee beans exclusively, citing quality as the simple reason why. Customers can choose between the Primo or Gusto blend, and the cafe's own site invites anyone curious about the flavour notes to dig deeper into what makes L'Affare distinctive.
Everything on the food menu is made fresh in-house each day. The cafe uses free-range, SPCA-certified eggs, and sources its produce from local suppliers, including bread buns made just down the road by Adam & Eves Bakery in Wanaka 3 Parks. That local-first approach carries through the whole food menu, from sandwiches to sweet treats.
The sandwich range at The Little Brewer is genuinely varied, running from the classic Bacon Butty through to more distinctive options like the Hootie Roobie, built on pastrami, hoot sauce, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, and the Chicken Little, combining chicken with cranberry cream cheese and spinach. The Italian Job leans into salami and sundried tomato pesto, while the Mozza Mingle keeps things simple with mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto. A Gluten Free Bacon Butty and a Vegan Roll filled with mushrooms and black beans ensure there's something for most dietary needs.
On the sweet side, Banana Bread (served hot or cold) and the Lemon Drizzl' loaf sit alongside a Carrot Cake finished with lemon butter cream icing, rotating-flavour Cookies, and a house-made Snickers Bar that's both dairy free and no gluten added. Bliss Balls in Lemon Haze or Choco Nutty flavours round out the lighter options for anyone after something smaller with their coffee.
While The Little Brewer offers a handful of NGA (No Gluten Added) and vegan options, the cafe is upfront that gluten, nuts/seeds and dairy are all present in the workspace. The team does their best to keep things separate, but encourages anyone with allergies to ask staff directly before ordering.
The Little Brewer's own story traces back to its early days as a coffee cart, and the cafe is quick to thank the loyal customers who've followed that journey through to its current space. That sense of community — supporting local suppliers, local bakeries, and local customers — runs through everything the cafe does.
The Little Brewer Cafe & Roastery can be reached by phone on 022 534 2797, located at Unit 3/97 Sir Tim Wallis Drive, Wanaka.