Eighthirty Anzac Ave

Overview

Get ready to be lured into the minimalists' dreamland of pristine showroom-esque bench tops and the aroma of pungent and hearty espresso next time you head up Anzac Ave. Eighthirty has opened the doors to a brand new coffee lounge, and hold us to this one if you like, it will be your new regular. It's already ours.

Upon walking into the lofty 1920s refurbished building you'll notice the sleek LaMarzocco machines perched atop the uber-clean counter, interspersed with beakers and Bunsen burners used to formulate the most quintessential brew. For all the coffee connoisseurs out there, the gadgets include a state-of-the-art Modbar pour-over system (the first ever in New Zealand) which allows water to be poured over coffee at the perfect speed and temperature for Chemex and V60s, automatically. This takes away the barista's laborious task of regularly boiling the kettle when they have a pressing list of orders to complete.

You'll also find on the bench reverse osmosis water filters hooked up to the coffee machines, Acaia coffee scales to accurately measure beans for the perfect brew and that's just what's on display. Peruse in the area where the magic happens and you'll find a digital microroaster which looks like a gaming console and is controlled via a mobile app.

If the gadgets and coffee are not enough to entice you through the door, the humble yet tasty food will leave you with a full stomach or provide a nice to snack to enjoy in Albert Park with a takeaway coffee. Sandwiches are made in-house and include a range in seasonal toppings and delicious cabinet treats are sourced from Ginger Birds on Dominion Road.

Aside from the tasty food and coffee, the decor and overall design has been designed with an incredible attention to detail by architect Dominic Glamuzina with co-owner Glenn Bell, who had a lot of influence in the design process. The old Tasman Building has been refit with a monochrome aesthetic and features furniture by Ponsonby local Ben Glass and Eighthirty co-owner Tim Solomon.

So next time you're in the city pop in and say hi to the lovely crew at Eighthirty and don't forget to take home a bottle of refreshing cold brew coffee. Who knows, we might see you there (we are regulars now after all).