Our story begins in Vulcan Lane at the site originally known as Kerouac Deli Cafe which was owned by industry pioneer Chris Priestly.

Kerouac was one of the first cafes in Auckland to have an espresso machine imported from Italy. It was also one of the first cafes in New Zealand to apply to have outdoor seating. The council’s reply was ‘Why would anyone want to sit outside and eat on a smelly street full of car fumes?’

In 1995 Cafe Melba opened in that same Vulcan Lane location instantly becoming a favourite for locals and visitors alike. It was only a matter of time before our successful recipe moved beyond the CBD and ventured out into the wider Auckland area. The rest as they say is history.