Leafe Café in Newmarket aimed to provide an oasis for customers in the new Westfield Shopping Centre where it opened in November 2019.
“We wanted to create a place where people could come and relax. It’s serene, with lots of greenery and big open windows. People can come in, take a step back from business or shopping, and have some really good food,” says Marketing Manager Mary Tapsell.
“We offer more than just your typical cabinet food for those who want to takeaway and have a really outstanding menu. There’s a variety of tastes on offer, from Asian fusion to good, Kiwi, European-style breakfasts with a twist. The interesting flavours push people’s tastebuds and give them something they may not have had before.”
Leafe sources its coffee from Atomic Coffee Roasters, chosen for its “in-depth and delicious” flavour.
“We also love the fact that they are Fairtrade and have been around for a long time. I feel like they are a traditional Auckland coffee roaster,” Mary says. “They also have a great ethos, image, and a fantastic vibe, something it shares with Leafe Café.”
While the café has only recently opened its doors, Mary says the community has responded well to the offering and atmosphere.
“When planning the café, we aimed to be a bit different. We wanted it to be something that really catches the eye, to create a destination place,” she says. “It’s not just somewhere only people walking past will stop by. We want people to actively seek us out.”
Leafe’s design plays a big role in helping the café stand out. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide plenty of natural lighting, complemented by soft pendant lighting indoors, a white colour scheme, and plant life spread throughout the venue.
“Being called Leafe, the greenery works really well. We’ve combined it with the existing design of the building and shopping mall to create a great-looking eatery,” Mary says.
The menu and aesthetic have attracted a more mature clientele, mainly shoppers and workers in their 20s and older.
“Newmarket is quite a traditional part of Auckland and has been around for a long time. But with this huge new Westfield opening, it brought in these specific designer stores and made it quite fashionable,” Mary says. “It’s definitely an artsy, quirky, and cool place to be.”
Leafe Café
S276, Level 1, 277 cnr Morrow Street & Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
Open Monday to Wednesday and Saturday 9am to 7pm, Thursday and Friday 9am to 9pm, Sunday 10am to 7pm
