Eighthirty coffee

Barring calamity, it seems this beloved K Rd cafe will hold its spot on this list as long as it’s trading out of that leafy, picturesque end of St Kevins Arcade. It speaks well of Bestie that it tends to keep its staff for long periods, giving
a sense of comforting continuity which other long-running establishments don’t have. While some may bemoan the lack of new ideas in the menu and cabinet sandwich offerings, Bestie is almost certainly Auckland’s ‘buzziest’ cafe, and on any given morning you’ll see local celebrities and various K Rd characters going through their morning routines here — illuminated by the light streaming through the large, beautiful windows overlooking Myers Park and being taken care of by the friendly staff who seem to be able to deal calmly with the large number of tables no matter how full the place gets ... and it gets pretty full.