This That Cafe, Auckland's Hip Café And Gallery

Natsha
Contributing Writer
Updated
| 3 min read
This That Cafe, Auckland's Hip Café And Gallery

In downtown Auckland, it is not always easy to find a café that is not too noisy or offers you enough space and the right atmosphere where you could sit and enjoy a good cup of coffee. Luckily there is one café that offers a hip and stylish environment to relax. Located opposite the Auckland Library on Lorne Street, This That Cafe is a great addition to the street that has been rather empty, helping to add to its transformation.

Unlike a large number of cafés in Auckland, where most are part of a franchise, This That Café is a refreshing alternative. Started by two design students from nearby Auckland University of Technology, This That Café offers a fresh view on the Auckland café scene. There is an air of cosiness, a café that you can spend hours inside whether you are hanging out with friends or looking for a place to bring your laptop along to do some work (and there are plenty of power outlets too) or to search for your next itinerary spot. It is usually relatively calm and the staffs are extremely friendly. Apart from being frequented by university students, its customers include locals and tourists alike.

Why Trust Trip101?


Over 50,000 articles reviewed and published by our experienced team

Over 50 years of combined experience researching, writing and reviewing travel articles

Over 40,000 hours spent on research and fact-checking from credible sources (last year’s data)

Optimizing content from data-driven insights collected directly from users on our platform

Focus on authentic and up-to-date information by collaborating with local guides, global travelers and other industry experts

Long-standing partnerships with credible brands like Airbnb, Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia, GetYourGuide, Viator, RVShare and more

Full disclosure on any partnerships or sponsored content

Trip101’s team of writers, editors, and content managers oversees the publication of all travel content, including destination guides, accommodation recommendations, and travel tips. They have extensive experience in the travel industry and no content, written or visual, gets published without a review. Many of our team’s work has also been featured in Travel+Leisure, National Today, The Indian Express, The Telegraph (India), Robb Report, The Adventure Handbook, Tripoto, Korea Tourism Organization, and Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Some of them are also members of professional organizations like the Society of American Travel Writers and the International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance.

Each member of the team follows Trip101's methodology and strict editorial guidelines to ensure accuracy, authenticity, and relevance.

The menu

this that cafe, auckland's hip café and gallery | the menu

Whether you are looking for breakfast, warm lunch, a quick eat or delicious desserts, This That has it all. The café has a big selection on its menu to cater to its visitors. If you are looking for a light meal, the café offers salads, cooked meals and sandwiches. One of the popular dishes include the chicken pesto filo, a sort of rolled puff pastry filled with chicken, cheese and pesto. The dish is served with sweet chilly sauce and a light portion of salad and dressing.

Of course, a café is never complete without a tasty array of drinks menu. The café boasts a wide range of delicious tea from the popular T2 brand and a great selection of coffee. Their moccachino has a perfect blend of chocolate taste and aromatic coffee and it gets even better with a slice of the café’s salty caramel chocolate cake. The generous portion of the dense but soft chocolate cake makes for a perfect dessert. The café also offers a variety of cold drinks and smoothies.

The interior

this that cafe, auckland's hip café and gallery | the interior

A lot of work and detail has been put into the café’s interior from the walls and lightings to smaller decorative items. The café is divided into two rooms with stylish bathrooms at the back. The main café area opens up to the coffee counter and food cabinet. The brick walls give off a warm atmosphere to the café, enhanced by the network of copper pipes on the ceiling from where the light bulbs are hanging from. Adding some contrasts to the warm feeling, a splash of green leaves is painted onto one of the wall with the café’s logo. Along with the small plant decorations in the café, there is also a sense of the place being somewhat organic. There is also a student’s favorite study spot or for those who wish for a little privacy; a small corner in the room has a table and its own private little window with a view of the street outside. As for those who come in a bigger group, there is a larger table with a couple of pillows but the selling point of this particular table is probably for the various animal illustrations on the wall, making it a popular photo spot.

The adjoint area of the café has a somewhat different feel to it. There is a sofa area with various magazines and a long row of seating. The best thing about this part of the café is that this is where the café’s exhibition space is located.

The exhibition space

this that cafe, auckland's hip café and gallery | the exhibition space

The exhibition space is one of This That Cafe’s highlight point. Art students and emerging artists and designers have the chance to showcase their works in the café while café goers can enjoy browsing through the exhibition during their time at the café. With the exhibitions changing through time, regular visitors are guaranteed new and interesting artworks. The brick walls are painted white in the exhibition space while art works are either hung on the wall or displayed in whichever way the artists want to portray their works. The exhibitions change every six to eight weeks.

In this clever way, the café is guaranteed a new touch to the interior and café goers are able to experience the café differently each time a new exhibition is being hosted.

Café & gallery, the perfect hangout place

If you are looking for a place to hang out in Auckland with good coffee, This That is a great choice. It’s the kind of café that you can hang out for hours, whether you are looking for a place to relax, hang out with friends or just stopping by. With a great selection of food and beverages, This That Cafe is a great stop when you are exploring downtown Auckland.

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

A bit of a globetrotter, Natsha has spent many years living in a number of different countries. Her love for travelling and photography grew over those years. After finishing a BA in Iceland,...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Register Here
0 Comments
Explore Auckland
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Get Adventurous: Top 18 Things To Do In New Zealand

Get Adventurous: Top 22 Things To Do In New Zealand