Waiau Street Café

64 Waiau Street, Pearl Harbour, Manapouri 9679, New Zealand
+64 3 249 6934
$$$ Cafe
(33 Reviews)
Price Range $10–20

Welcome to Waiau Street Café, a hidden gem located at 64 Waiau Street, Manapouri, New Zealand. Nestled just below the RealNZ departure point, this charming café offers a delightful escape for travelers and locals alike, making it the perfect stop before embarking on adventures around the stunning Lake Manapouri and Doubtful Sound.

As you step inside, you are immediately enveloped by a peaceful atmosphere, harmonizing wonderfully with its picturesque waterfront location. With both indoor and outdoor seating, you can savor your treats while soaking in the serene views of the water. The café's welcoming staff promptly greet you, instantly making you feel at home.

At Waiau Street Café, coffee isn't just a beverage; it’s a carefully curated experience. Customers rave about the café’s excellent coffee, especially praising the range of alternative milk options including unique choices like macadamia. The menu is complemented by a variety of delectable baked goods, with their cheese scones and sweet pastries often capturing the hearts (and taste buds) of visitors. Picture yourself indulging in a cheesey, warm scone while sipping on a perfectly brewed long black. For those with a penchant for sweets, the moist raspberry muffin and the caramel pastry promise to elevate your coffee break to heavenly heights.

Real customer experiences bring the charm of this café to life. One satisfied visitor, Ali, appreciated the wonderful coffee but suggested improvements for the scone they sampled. On the other hand, S H shared a glowing review, highlighting the friendly service and the scrumptious treats they enjoyed before and after their cruise. The excitement of savoring a delicious carrot cake and freshly baked treats before exploring the wonders of the natural surroundings paints a picture of blissful anticipation.

As you unwind here, take a moment to soak in the calming ambiance and let the humble yet high-quality offerings satisfy both your hunger and thirst. The café’s setting may be a bit tricky to find, tucked below an information shop, but the journey down the stairs reveals an oasis that’s well worth the discovery. Whether you're grabbing a quick bite or enjoying a leisurely coffee break, Waiau Street Café is not just a stop; it’s an experience that adds a sprinkle of local flavor to your adventures in Manapouri.

So, whether you're gearing up for your excursions or simply looking to relish the best of local café culture, make your way to Waiau Street Café—a delightful treasure waiting to be explored.

Service options
Takeaway
Dine-in
Delivery
Highlights
Great coffee
Great dessert
Great tea selection
Popular for
Breakfast
Lunch
Solo dining
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Offerings
Coffee
Quick bite
Dining options
Breakfast
Lunch
Dessert
Seating
Amenities
Toilet
Atmosphere
Casual
Cosy
Crowd
Tourists
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Credit cards
NFC mobile payments
Children
Good for kids
Parking
Free of charge street parking
Openings Hours
Checking

Monday

07:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Tuesday

07:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Wednesday

07:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Thursday

07:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Friday

07:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Saturday

07:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Sunday

07:30 AM - 12:30 PM

33 Reviews
Ali

27 Sep 2025

Great coffee and good selection of alternative milk options including macadamia, had a scone that everyone keeps raving about, mine was a little dry and crumbled and had a little too much spice for me that took the cheese flavor away. Maybe warmed it may taste different but that option wasn't offered. A little hard to see what was in the chilled food cabinet as the glass was covered in condensation. The view is lovely the staff friendly and cafe is clean, i will go back for coffee and maybe try another food item.

Gal Samuel

25 Sep 2025

A quiet and picturesque location on the waterfront, with a very calming atmosphere and excellent produce. We enjoyed a coffee, cheese scones and caramel pastry that were all well made.

S H

16 Sep 2025

Grabbed coffee and treats before and after my cruise, thankfully they were open over Christmas! Great coffee and delicious scones, carrot cake and the raspberry muffin was so moist. The team were lovely and it’s a great spot by the water with indoor and outdoor seating. It’s a little hard to find as it is below the check in/information shop so go down the stairs and oasis awaits!

Dennis Rollings

31 Aug 2025

Awesome young guy on the counter who organized our 2 boxes of survival rations for our day out on lake Manapouri and Doubtful Sounds and our cuppas whilst waiting to board and served all the other customers on our trip...amazing young fella...keep him on board

Lewis Pope

15 Aug 2025

Friendly staff prepared lovely food for us in a gem of a café underneath the RealNZ departure point. We hadn't had breakfast so it was great to find the café open and serving tasty food before our journey. The cheese scone, hot chocolate and long black were delicious. We didn't have anything else but the sandwiches and pies looked really good too.

Schröder Julia

04 Aug 2025

Nice little coffee,m. Most of the hot drinks are 6.5$ ; allow 15-20’ waiting time for your order. They do not provide to go cups, but you can bring your own.

Campbell Forlong

29 Jun 2025

So happy to find this little cafe open and serving a great flatwhite when we arrived at 7am for the RealNZ Doubtful Sounds trip

Lester Quek

25 Jun 2025

Wonderful food, especially the muffins and the sandwich. They are very heartwarming people, and probably why the food and coffee taste really really good!

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