Coffee and ocean views: Barista Binks
by Metropol | May 27, 2026 8:33 am
Superb coffee, a warm welcome and stunning ocean views make this Mt Pleasant community café a place you’ll love coming back to.
In September 2024, Barista Binks opened its doors in the community centre of Mount Pleasant. It was the realisation of a long-held dream for owner Talen Hignett and in those first few months, he was a one-man band.
Now, 18 months later, Barista Binks has several staff and earned its place as a hub for both the local community as well as a gorgeous destination for Cantabrians looking for great service, quality coffee and food, set against an ocean backdrop that soothes the soul.
“Ever since I got into hospitality, it’s been my dream to have a café that helps bring community,” Talen says. “I grew up in Fairlie, which was very community-oriented, especially the local café. It’s where people gathered, and I wanted to bring that vibe to Christchurch. Mount Pleasant was the perfect place. I want to create a space where people feel connected, like they belong, somewhere to hang out and just feel comfortable. The kind of place where I see you walking your dogs nearby, and I start making your coffee.”
Being a small, local indie business, Talen likes to support other small businesses. “We focus on local producers, our coffee is from the Fairlie Good Coffee company, I knew them from my childhood and teen years so it’s cool to be able to work with them.”
Drop in to see Talen and the team at Barista Binks in the Mount Pleasant Community Centre, 3 McCormacks Bay Road. Open 9am to 4pm weekdays and 9am to 3pm weekends. Call 021 272 4657.
Source URL: https://metropol.co.nz/coffee-and-ocean-views-barista-binks/