Editorial: Cafe culture worth embracing

Mark Dyhrberg makes coffee at Jolt cafe, in the Bridge Block of Victoria Ave.

Aside from Rocket Lab I have been known to Mmmm about coffee (thanks Moccona for making that one stick).

So time to talk about our cafes - creators of a to-be-envied coffee culture that helps make Whanganui so vibrant and enjoyable.

Remember, perhaps it is a year or two back now, when Sunday afternoon along Victoria Ave was dead? Tumble weeds dead.

But then something grand happened.

Cafes began to open on weekends. The hot-plate instant and ex-railways cups were replaced with upstart things with ridiculous names like latte and flat white.

At first it was the curious and lost who came, but then others, and some even worked visits into their weekend routine and became regulars.

Inevitably they went from buying coffee and maybe slice, to full on English Brekkies, or maybe a return visit one evening to try the late menu.

So it became viable, after much early hard graft and slow takings, more cafes opened, then a few retailers.

It's not by any means a full on shopping day – and frankly would we want that – but Whanganui on a sunny summer Sunday afternoon is spoiled for choice if good relaxing vibes appeal.

A possible council-led city centre rejuvenation project is in the offing and would seem to build upon this treasure of ours, with a mall-like eatery type block, and other such enhancements. Smart idea.

Drive to Palmie on a Sunday afternoon and see what choice you get. One pretty cool café that's always over-flowing with people and where you most likely must wait for a table, or settle for mall slop.

We have something special here. Embrace it.