Columns

Rating: 3.5/5

When marching across the museum lawn early in the morning trying to focus your foggy brain on not getting lost in the Archway lecture block, the Museum Café may go unnoticed. However, taking up the majority of the Otago Museum foyer, it is a delightful coffee shop.

The Museum Café is a popular place to study for those who want a little bit of background noise but don’t want to deal with the overcrowded, sticky desks in the Link or overhear international students Skype each other. However, if you are a young male with a pedo-stache like M, sitting in a café while small children run around your legs is enough to make you feel like Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones.”

The baristas have the unique skill of taking the dark roasted Allpress beans and making triple shot coffees that don’t taste like Vegemite. This is ideal for those days when a double shot only brings you back up to normal levels of consciousness.

Sometimes an enormous brick of caramel slice is just a bit overwhelming. M and G like the way the Museum Café sells “petite” slices that are actually an appropriate serving size and priced accordingly.

The staff here manage to chop through the customers pretty damn fast – if you’re getting a quick takeaway while in Central you never have to wait an obscene amount of time. This, however, is at the detriment of the sit-in customers; you could easily be waiting up to 20 minutes for a cheeky cheese roll that really just needed to be heated up. Otago Museum Café also has pretty choice hours – they open every day except Christmas. You can grab a cup of joe and pop upstairs for a spin in Animal Attic.

If you’re in Central and want a strong coffee, but can’t stomach the OTT chat from Lex, then the Museum Café is for you. It’s the best option for those around the Castle/Central area, but don’t stay for long unless you’re trying to meet your navigationally challenged Mum for afternoon tea.