Saturdays are for fun and relaxation. That’s one of the reasons why Eddy Yu named his first café in New Brighton, Christchurch, after the first day of the weekend.
“After COVID-19, people want to have fun but they can’t really leave the country for holidays,” Eddy says. “We want to create a destination for people, so they can come out to the beachfront and we can provide the food and service while they relax and have a little holiday.”
Saturdays holds a special place in the history of New Brighton, which in the 1960s became the first place in Christchurch allowed to trade on the weekend. Eddy says the areas has not been the same since the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, but that Saturdays is one of several businesses looking to rejuvenate the town.
“We want to bring people back to the area so it can be what it used to be. Saturdays are important to the community of Christchurch,” he says.
Opening in May, Eddy says the café has had a good start he hopes will continue thanks to its high standard and quality. The decked-out coffee bar features a La Marzocco KB90 espresso machine and Mythos Two, Mahlkönig e65 grinders, and an EK43S.
“Customers have been really keen to come back again,” he says. “We want to have the best technology on hand, so we can make coffee consistently, no matter which barista is behind the machine.”
Saturdays serves coffee from Grey Roasting Co, the roastery of two-time New Zealand Barista Champion – and Eddy’s brother in law – Dove Chen. The “balanced, sweet, and creamy” Daily Blend is used for milk-based coffee, which Eddy says is “very customer friendly”.
At time of writing, for single original coffees, Saturdays was serving a Pink Bourbon from Colombia, a Washed and Natural processed Kocheres from Ethiopia.
“This is my first café, so we’re really starting from scratch. I’m learning a lot and really appreciate that I have a strong team behind me to help me through it,” he says.
“There are also a lot of passionate people in this industry, and most that I meet are happy to help because I’m quite new. There is a strong connection across the people in coffee and small business.”
Saturdays
195 Marine Parade, New Brighton, Christchurch, 8083, New Zealand
Open seven days 8am to 4pm
+64 3-382 0266
