Wigram cafe riding third wave of coffee
AChristchurch café isn’t just making any old coffee, it’s pouring specialty coffee. Sala Coffee in Wigram, opened by couple Jay and Eduardo Santos, has been serving caffeine hits in Christchurch since 2022, but it’s not your average cup of joe.
“It’s called the third wave of coffee,” Jay said.
Specialty coffee is the highest grade coffee (made from beans rated above 80 points) that can be traced back to the farm where the beans were hand-picked. Compared to not-so-special beans harvested whether they’re ripe or not, specialty beans were sustainably harvested when they’re ripe, ensuring the flavours “really shine through”, Jay said.
It’s due to these flavours that Sala has a focus on filter coffee - the best way to use high quality beans, she said - “because there’s nowhere to hide”.
“In filter, you really get to taste the difference - fruity, floral, natural flavours.”
The Santos’ met in London and proved opposites really do attract - Eduardo, originally from Brazil, is a barista trained by one of the pioneers of specialty coffee, while Jay grew up in Christchurch and doesn’t drink coffee.
“He’s a massive aficionado. I love what coffee brings, I’m just not that grown up yet [to like it],” she laughed.
Despite her aversion to the brew, she had wanted to open a cafe since she was 20, “and I ended up meeting a barista”.
“We both love what coffee is about”, she said, citing its ability to create community and a place of respite for people, as well as good food and beverage.
The pair opened a cafe together in London, also named Sala, before deciding to move their young family to New Zealand at the end of 2021 and bring their specialty coffee knowledge with them.
For the coffee snobs, or those wanting to try something new, Sala offers three filters from specialty beans on rotation every three months, sourced from around the globe.
“People can choose their beans as well.” And for punters who just want a strong, hot brew, Embassy Coffee beans fuel the espresso.
But it’s not all about coffee. Alternative beverages include chai made on site, hot chocolate made with chocolate sourced from the North Island, and Mikaku hand-blended tea from Christchurch.
Aiming to keep it local, much of the cabinet food is also made on site, including the focaccia, while the pastries and doughnuts are from Grizzly Baked Goods.
“It’s a very small but thoughtful menu we put together,” Jay said.
“We pay as much attention to the food as we do the coffee - they need to complement each other.”
Sala Coffee is open weekdays at 1 Treffers Rd in Wigram, Christchurch.