Coffee Culture thrives on flavour
When Chris Houston first opened Coffee Culture in Sumner, he couldn’t have imagined that 22 years later there would be coffee shops all over Christchurch offering his unique premium house blend and the same great service.
It’s obvious he is as committed as ever to bringing fresh flavours and coffee inspiration to guests.
‘‘I’ve just come back from a trip to the US where a bunch of global coffee CEOs discussed the latest trends and innovation in brewing techniques.
‘‘It’s really encouraging that here at Coffee Culture we’re already experimenting with new coffees and new taste sensations that are right on track with the international coffee scene,’’ he says.
This summer sees the introduction of single origin cold brew which is steeped over 16 hours, allowing the natural sweetness and flavour of the beans to fully develop. Served with ice or over vanilla bean ice cream as an affogato, it’s proving extremely popular, Chris says.
Single origin coffees from around the world also provide guests of Coffee Culture with unique flavours specific to the growing region and individual plantations they come from. The most recent coffees from Guatemala and Ethiopia, for example, have very different tastes.
Amanda Robinson, who is in charge of food at Coffee Culture, describes the new summer menu as packed full of goodness.
‘‘Our summer salads are full of antioxidants, veges and are perfect for lunch or a light lateafternoon snack.
‘‘We’ve also refreshed our bagel menu, adding old favourites like chicken and cranberry, and made sure that we have plenty of vegan options across our menu, too.’’
Balancing the needs of increasingly complex preferences is a challenge Amanda thrives on. ‘‘More and more guests are looking for healthy options that reduce allergy risk, and so I love putting together combinations that are egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, meat-free but still taste delicious,’’ she says.
Smoothies have also been updated and there are no artificial ingredients – just nature’s bounty in a glass.
The Energizer is a great booster with peanut butter, almond milk, banana, cinnamon and espresso coffee. Yum!
All Coffee Culture stores are owned by locals who love coffee and giving great service to people in need of that all important pick-me-up.
For a list of locations, visit coffeeculture.co.nz.