The People's Choice - Vote now!

About My Business

Relax at Taupo's eco-friendly cafe, hidden in the back streets of Taupo. Open 7 days a week 353 days a year. Licensed wellness cafe' with unique soul food and a loving bunch of people to match. Our ingredient conscious menu offers something for everyone, including gluten free, vegan & keto options. Meals and treats are crafted in our own kitchen, juices & smoothies are freshly made per order. Passionately we offer a variety of coffee beans and brewing techniques, 27 teas, 5 coffee alternatives, local NZ beer, GF cocktails and wine. Unless you have dietary requirements limiting your food and drink selections it is near impossible to describe how grateful some of our guests are, we're an establishment where they can dine alone or with their friends without being embarrassed to ask for what they need, and we do not surcharge them either. Parents can treat their coeliac children with multiple options to choose from. We understand, we support and we help. We build trust with our dietary limited guests; It is a big deal to gamble your wellbeing when selecting what/where to eat or drink. You don't need to be vegan, raw or gluten free to fall in love with nutritious guilt free indulgence. We have good old-fashioned values and give back to our community through our eco-friendly approach, waste diversion, donations, volunteering & fundraising. We put our love of people and standards before the bottom line. A cafe with heart! Staff is our core, we upskill & tutor, but the greatest gift we give them is life skills, autonomy and respect. Trading in our 6th year, sole owner. 8.5 FTE employees. TAUPŌ BUSINESS AWARDS 2019: Finalist - Emerging Business 2021: Finalist - Environmental Sustainability / Small Business / Social Media. Highly commended - Community Contributions 2023: Finalist - Employer of The Year / Excellence in Community Contributions Highly Commended - Excellence in Sustainability TAUPO STELLA AWARDS 2022: Finalist - Green Gang / Dream Team / Community Angels / Customer Service Maestro, team member 'Jericho Withers' Highly Commended - The Eco Warrior, Chef 'Sasha Jasser' 2022 Platinum Certificate -Taupo District Council Resource Wise Business (a certificate in waste management and diverting rubbish from landfill) Total community donations 2023 $4315 Total community donations 2024 $2416 In the past 3.5 years our staff retention is 92% we gratulated our chef on first time motherhood. Featured in Frommer's guide to New Zealand 2023 published in June 2023

Why We Should Win The Peoples Choice Award

The Cozy Corner is a cafe for the community; In everything we do we support and respect our surroundings, our neighbours, our environment, even our competitors. We are a cafe with heart and proud of it! Our menu is designed to cater for various dietary requirements. We take the embarrassment away from 'dietary requirements' aka asking for gluten free as it is just a part of our ethos to cater to each and every person, with pride! Over the years, we have become the go-to place for some of the loveliest yet fussiest customers in Taupō and beyond. Introducing the everyday New Zealander to the idea that healthy and delicious meals don't need to be fussy, fancy or cost a fortune. That there are tasty alternatives to the otherwise traditional. Operating with heart before the profit line easily allows cozy, friendly and down to earth vibe comes across in our hospitality, food, and generosity to the community. We have a great business structure and we continuously work on the idea that "you are only as strong as your weakest team member." We continue to empower, upskill & develop our team (and work experience kids) and they feel supported, and appreciated. Our staff is our greatest asset, our core: We upskill & tutor, but the greatest gift we give them is life skills, autonomy and respect. Our community contributions range from gift vouchers and donations to fundraising events and volunteering, our 'yes' attitude takes us in many directions. Since 2021 we have been monitoring our rubbish and can proudly say that we continuously divert over 80% of our rubbish from landfill and doing so connects us in further ways with our community.