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Rating: 4.5/5 Coffee Cups

Smack-bang in the middle of George Street lies Modaks Espresso, a Dunedin student institution. This alty two-roomed café has a seriously nostalgic feel with crochet blankets, retro kitsch decor, and vintage Atari arcade games. Modaks is a little slice of Wellington cool in our midst. Being a fan of Mexican/southern-style food, it is one of G’s favourite places to grab a bite.

M is an enormous fan of Modaks’ long blacks. These lords of the coffee-realm serve their LBs in awesome pastel mugs with a slice of lemon peel inside. The diffusion of lemon oil into the coffee makes for one of the most well-distinguished drinks in the Dunedin coffee scene.

Modaks is always pretty busy and is the perfect place to take your fussy eating friends as they have a wide range of vegan, gluten and dairy-free options.

For G, eating dairy is like downing a packet of Mentos and a bottle of diet coke (YouTube it), so being able to have one of their dairy-free smoothies was glorious. These dietary options are well-advertised with their sharply redesigned menu. The new menu has some pretty “funky” typography that soothes the eye, although M and G couldn’t help but notice that their stag head logo kind of looks like an upside-down veiny scrotum?

The smoothies and milkshakes served in mason jars are in hot demand around town, with flavours including snifter and peanut butter. Modaks is also famous for their Cajun spiced fries, perfect to peck on while you discuss the weekend’s goss over a hungover brunch with the flatties.

When M and G recently visited, G was so hung over she was tempted to butt chug her short macchiato in order to get the caffeine in her system ASAP. The chorizo and Modaks beans were pretty effing good and did wonders curing her hangover.

Modaks is pretty good for slowing down the pace of your afternoon with a coffee and a chat. Their cabinet food is top notch with some amaze brownies and pinwheels, along with their vegetarian pizza slices on tap. The only negative point M and G really have to say about old Modaks is that when waiting in line one of the staff members gave their flatmate L a two-handed push out of the way. At least the whole situation was more alarmingly funny than it was offensive.

Everything about Modaks is a little edgy, a little alty, and a little sloppy. These things combined make it so quintessentially Modaks. The décor and the artwork all pave a trip down nostalgia lane. M and G have always held this place in high esteem and it almost tops their rating scales at 4.5 coffee cups. Make sure to try their godly MF Doom! Brownie with a zesty LB next time you’re passing by.