Mensa

Found on the ground floor of the Beca building, all-day eatery, Mensa is the perfect spot to soak up that glorious sunshine, ideally with a coffee and slice of freshly baked sourdough pizza in hand. 

'Mensa' refers to gathering around the table in Latin—and the space gives exactly that. It feels deliciously laid-back with dusty pink tones, sandy textures, industrial fittings, and creamy shades. Ceramics and candles are dotted along a backlit wall and indoor plants are perched on the wraparound terrazzo-meets-brick coffee station, with linen towels hanging off the bench, printed with the artistic scribble of the Mensa logo (from the thoughtful design eye of Trish Cox).

With Williams (R.I.P.) having closed, Mensa fills that daytime eats space effortlessly. And it’s not their first rodeo—with Luke Quartermain at the helm (who all the ex-Williams regulars will recognise with his friendly smile and smooth service), alongside Roger Liu from Woozoo Group (Fields, Percy, Spectra, Little Fields) the Mensa team is no stranger to the art of great coffee and passionate hospitality. 

Their menu starts with classic breakfast offerings done exceptionally well—free-range eggs and overnight-soaked porridge, with all the seeded bread, poached fruit and cultured cream additions. Opt for silky folded eggs with nduja, or have your poached egg on chorizo kūmara croquettes—complete with labneh, zhug, house pickles and a zhuzh of dressed herbs. Level up your toast game with eggplant caponata and burrata to top, or indulge in crispy pork hock.

For vegetarians, Mensa’s green falafel bowl doesn’t hold back—flavoursome falafel sits on a bed of garlicky whipped tahini, nestled between chunks of soft eggplant and ribbons of pickled daikon for that refreshing crunch. The Turkish poached eggs in yoghurt and harissa oil is a standout—topped with crispy pops of fried sage and all the perfectly grilled Swiss brown mushrooms and enoki.

If you’re lucky enough to nab a slice of sourdough from their pizza oven (Wednesdays to Sundays, from 10am-2pm), grab yourself a spicy salami and tomato number and save your blistered crusts for an eggy breakfast dip (because pizza totally counts as breakfast).

Along with Allpress coffee, there’s a range of local Zealong tea for hot drink options, and all the iced drinks of the caffeine, cold-pressed juice and green smoothie variety, including a refreshing jammy strawberry and matcha.

Alongside cabinet offerings of generously-filled sandwiches, vibrant salads and stacks of baked goods—there’s even dessert in breakfast form, with three different caramel slices on offer when I was there, as well as their indulgent French toast—a thick slice loaded with poached pear and crunchy caramel almond crumb, and swimming in caramel and creme anglaise. 

Whatever the day, Mensa is the go-to place for a really good breakfast with the best views in town. They’re opening for evening drinks and bites in the near future, so keep an eye out on their socials for updates. With waterfront views (making it the perfect people-watching and dog-friendly spot), this is sure to be an all-day (and soon day-to-night) favourite in Tāmaki.

Words: Vicki Young | Image credit: Michael White

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