The much celebrated River Kitchen Cafe in Hamilton was running out of room and approached us to design a new, larger space that challenged the notion of your typical kiwi “cafe”. With no food cabinet, the vision for fresh, local fare made just-in-time set the standard for table service and a space that could flex from breakfast through to fine dining in the evenings. A stripping back of the existing site exposed a rich heritage of brick, native flooring and preserved ceiling decoration – with these elements forming the foundation for the interior. The strong arch of teal tiles and lighting elements draw patrons down to the showcase – the lovely owner Maria, who can be found crafting exquisite pastries and cakes for the “jewelry boxes” that sit behind the shared table.