Photos: Yuki @7.30_y & Eugene In

Grey Lynn has never been short on good coffee spots, but few new openings arrive with the kind of easy confidence that makes a place feel settled from the outset, as though it has always belonged there. La Buvette, the new café and future wine bar from the team behind Bare Wine, has now opened at 104 Richmond Road, bringing with it the same thoughtful approach that turned the original Ponsonby venture into a favourite among those who prefer their hospitality relaxed, personal and quietly considered.

Bare Wine began as a small online wine business between friends Bertrand and Romain before evolving into a wine shop and bar on Brown Street in Ponsonby, where over the past four years it built a loyal following around natural and biodynamic wines, good conversation and an atmosphere that never felt overly formal. That chapter will officially come to an end in mid-July, with La Buvette set to become the new home for Bare Wine once its on-licence is approved, although the foundations of the space already feel closely aligned with what made the original so appealing in the first place.

Named after the French term for a small neighbourhood spot where people gather for a drink, something to eat and a sense of community, La Buvette has been designed with exactly that spirit in mind. The space currently operates as a café from Wednesday through Saturday, serving single-origin coffee from Eighthirty alongside fresh French pastries from Copain, with the offering intentionally simple while the concept settles into the rhythm of the neighbourhood.

There is a warmth to the space that feels genuine rather than overly styled, reflecting the personalities behind it as much as the hospitality itself. The Bare team, which has grown considerably since the business first began, speaks openly about wanting the café to feel like an extension of their own living rooms, somewhere locals can drop in for a quick morning coffee, linger over a pastry, or eventually return for a glass of wine once the licence comes through. Outside work, the team spends much of their time surfing, climbing, mountain biking and running, and that sense of ease carries naturally into the atmosphere they are creating here.

Once La Buvette begins pouring wine, the focus will shift towards the same growers and producers Bare Wine has championed over the years, with a fun and thoughtful selection of natural and biodynamic bottles expected to sit alongside the daytime café offering. For now, though, there is something refreshing about the fact that the space has opened in a more understated form, allowing it to evolve gradually and organically rather than arriving overdesigned or overcomplicated from day one.

At its core, La Buvette feels less concerned with being the city’s next big opening and more interested in becoming a genuine local fixture, the kind of place people return to out of habit as much as intention. In a neighbourhood like Grey Lynn, that approach tends to matter most.

Opening hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 7 am – 2:30 pm

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