Purple Weka Cafe brings a playful name and an easygoing sense of humour to the eastern edge of central Christchurch. It operates as both a cafe and a licensed bar, with coffee, meals and drinks served in a comfortable setting seven days a week. Weekdays begin early enough for breakfast before work, while weekends start at a more leisurely hour. The kitchen finishes in the afternoon, but a broad cabinet selection remains available afterwards, so the cafe still accommodates a late coffee, snack or casual catchup.
Breakfast covers familiar cafe ground with enough variety for different appetites. Corn fritters come with bacon, greens, sour cream and corn relish, while creamy mushrooms and eggs Benedict offer richer choices. There are hot cakes with fruit or bacon combinations, muesli with fruit, yoghurt and berry compote, and a full breakfast built from bacon, sausages, hash browns, mushrooms, tomato and eggs. Traditional savoury mince topped with a poached egg and served on grain toast gives the morning menu a particularly homely New Zealand note.
Lunch shifts towards substantial sandwiches, salads and cafe mains. Honey-mustard chicken is served over mixed leaves, and an Angus minute steak sandwich adds onions, Swiss cheese, greens and fries. The Angus beef burger brings bacon and the same cheese-and-onion combination, while a BLT and an open chicken sandwich keep the bread-based choices broad. Battered fish with salad, fries and tartare sauce completes the more traditional end of the selection, making the menu workable for anything from a quick lunch to a fuller midday meal.
The cafe's role extends beyond everyday service. Its Fitzgerald Avenue space can be hired for private gatherings, with the room adjusted for evening celebrations, work events or family occasions. Catering is also available for office shouts, business lunches, birthdays and team gatherings, ranging from simple muffins to grazing selections and more polished finger food. That combination of early opening, all-day staples, cabinet food and event options lets Purple Weka serve as both a neighbourhood cafe and a practical host for groups.
Address: 48 Fitzgerald Avenue, Christchurch Central, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand
Been to Purple Weka Cafe? Be one of the first to rate it.
+ Log your visit
