The Bestie place on Karangahape Road
Reflections on my favourite cafe
I think there were a lot of places I could of started with for this project, but I wanted to do somewhere that I’ve found quite special during my time living in the Big Aucks. Especially during the last couple of years. It might just be a cafe sitting in a corner of St Kevs’ on K’ Road but to me its a place where I have had countless lunches, brunches, quick bites to eat, tired mornings after a night out, dates, and important meetings. Sometimes I even just go and get some really nice food (their pickled veges are sublime) and reflect on my life. It’s a place that’s chock full of memories, and somewhere I know I can go to see a happy smile from the staff and just chill.
I feel like we all have places like this, the ones that feel comfortable and welcoming. Kind of like a second home in a way, but different, where you can just go and just feel content, regardless of what is happening in your life. For me it’s this cafe, but for you it could be literally anywhere!
And so without further ado I present an afternoon at my favourite cafe on K’ Road - Bestie.
It's a windy summer Saturday afternoon in early February, the trees rustle in Myers Park, and while the sun hides behind the clouds there is a perfect clear view through the window to the Sky Tower. The urban grey, green of nature, and orange & cream of old buildings give you all the feeling of what Auckland is! I sit nestled in a corner looking around after chowing down a stack of delicious hotcakes (would 100% recommend). The hum drum of a busy space surrounds me full of social meetings interspaced with those like myself, soloists playing a tune in their own head. Some of the other soloists read, some work on their laptops doing who knows what, one even knits. Myself? I’m partway through catching up on my journal after a previous month busy like no other before it (being a common occurrence for me nowadays). The clientele are an eclectic mix of K’ Road folks, old, young, in-between, wearing bright flashing colours!, or more subdued. Even a bit more formal (on a Saturday like come on!). Yet for all their outward differences it always feels like none are out of place. That’s the beauty of a place like K' Road, to belong you merely have to be yourself.
Bestie itself, sits at the back corner of St. Kevins Arcade. One spot in the variety of shops and establishments as diverse as the people that visit. St Kev’s is old, and you can see that in the architecture, even feel it when you enter, but splashes of neon and modern renovations ensure that the place never feels tired. Add some old looking iron fixtures and even though I can see paint cracking on the wall and peeling from the ceiling it doesn’t feel shabby and instead adds to the charm! Somewhere modern like Commercial Bay certainly couldn’t get away with that!
As I sit mulling over the weight of history that all storied historical places tend to impress (I seriously need to write on St. Kev’) a little sparrow lands on the end of the table. The birds here are so used to people, it has no fear hopping up to the plate of wolfed down hotcakes I had put to my side so I could write and begins to nibble at the crumbs. It pops looks at me every now and then, ever alert. Are maple syrup drenched hotcake crumbs good for sparrows? I’d bet my life on no, yet part of me thinks the audacity of a bird to waltz right up to a big scary human to chow down on some sugar filled food deserves to be rewarded. A back and forth started to occur, with the cheeky thief only darting away when someone would walk passed, only to return a few flaps later to continue its feast. Right up ‘til a waitstaff came by, waving them off and opening the windows. Another sparrow flitted off with it, unbeforeseen (the mastermind behind the heist?). It did make for a humorous conversation starter though! (Seriously the staff as super wonderful!)
Bestie itself is homely, rad, and eccentric (is it an oxymoron to put those adjectives together?), with happy yellow & peachy peach paint, mixed with bricks and concrete forming a welcoming place! Plants are everywhere in Bestie, from inside to the common eating area in St Kev’, to even framed pictures on the wall, which in my opinion is décor that will improve any location! All this interspaced with shelves galore filled with an diverse mix of books, mugs (that you can totally buy), food/ingredients & coffee (also for sale) that I’m positive they themselves use but I never have asked, and a collection of photos (from those photobooth/insta photo cameras) showing how happy people are there (Honestly I should have taken more photos of the actual place when I was there for this, but I was too busy taking a picture of bird(s)). Why I have I talked about birds so much? One of the dates I had here worked with birds! So now that’s memory has attached itself of this place. I think that’s common with places we find special, our experiences and memory form those bonds, connecting us whether we are there or we are not!
Given its a cafe we shouldn’t forget the cabinet food! Great to grab and go if you want to eat in the park, or at home (perks of living just around the corner!) I love the sandwiches they have, but the Snickers Slice always takes the cake! Besties menu itself is cute and handwritten, full of something for everyone (but get the hotcakes its the only correct choice). I’ve even heard the coffees good (Shock. Horror. I don’t like coffee, figured I would get that fact out early. Hot chocs are great though!). Maybe it seems odd I don’t have a lot of focus on food compared to the rest of Bestie, but to me plenty of places have great food, its the atmosphere and feeling they express that elevates them. And that’s the thing about Bestie, it doesn’t matter if you are there to be alone to write and think, meet some friends, meet someone important, or go on a date, it all fits!
As I glance around some time after chatting to the server, I notice a new bird in town. A pigeon skirts around under the tables muscling in on the territory, yet when I take a pic (I don’t know why I thought it would look good!) and I tap out my notes on my phone (silly me forgot a specific notebook for this), a flitter of movement shows me that the airspace is not vacant. The partners in crime have returned now that the heat is gone (one lovely waitstaff). The cheeky thief (one ordinary sparrow) collecting the sugary nuggets, the mastermind (also an ordinary sparrow) a watchful eye above. See that’s the thing about the birds here. Bold & proud. Much as Bestie is boldy & proudly unequivocally itself, with all its homely nature and eccentric feel. The birds fit in just as Bestie perfectly fits on K’ Road, to welcome everyone and anyone no matter who they are. Even someone who decided to overanalyse birds!
This is just the first step in what I hope will be a great many more. I really want to show how special this city can be, and the feelings that can evoke from places. There are so many experiences to have and places to see. Lots of things we can change as well! If there are any places you love, or evoke strong feelings, I would be excited to hear about them! You would think after living somewhere for over 7 years you would know it all but nope! And as with all things in life, you just have to take the next step to find out what is around the corner!