Honey Bones is Grey Lynn's coveted cafe with an entirely Middle Eastern-inspired menu. This corner cafe is well known for its friendly staff, superb service and mouthwatering food and drinks. We met head barista, Harry Parsons, at Honey Bones to find out more about his story, his passion and his creativity.
His adoration for coffee began at 15 at his first job in a small cafe in his hometown of Cambridge.
"I always admired the baristas and how they could elegantly turn the pouring milk into cups, it’s such a beautiful and delicate art form," Parsons said.
"I was always trying to learn at any spare moment. I think it's just another way of expressing one's self, and as a creative, I was instantly drawn to it."
When he's not working at Honey Bones, Parsons is a musician and artist. He moved up to Auckland at 18 to study music at the University of Auckland and pursue a career as an artist. One morning when he was in his final year of study he strolled into a little corner cafe in Grey Lynn to see if they had any jobs going. To his delight they did.
Throughout his time at Honeybones, Parsons picked up the best tips and tricks from the various baristas surrounding him which led him to his role as head barista.
The most rewarding part of being head barista for Parsons is noticing the regulars coming back day after day to get the same coffee just how they like it. Having that familiarity and banter with so many different and interesting people is such a perk.
"You learn so much about everyone!”
Over the lockdowns, when the only possibility for a cafe flat white was takeaway coffee, Parsons and the Honey Bones team took the time to pay extra attention to the taste of the coffee to enhance their takeaway experience.
“How you poured the milk in and the balance of the espresso shots became even more key as all that people could judge the coffee on was the taste.”
As soon as New Zealand went into the traffic light system and 'have here' coffees became available, Honey Bones was back to normal serving up Coffee Supreme.
“There's something about coming into a nice space that has the right vibe, sitting down and enjoying a beautiful looking (and tasting) coffee. That will never get old.”
Parsons' favoured go-to coffee is always changing, some mornings opting for a classic flat white, or switching it up with an oat piccolo. If it's a hot summer's day he said he would reach for an iced americano with a splash of oat.
“I think we go through more oat milk than cow's now, or at least at an equal level.”
Parsons revealed how a perfectly weighted and timed shot is always key, (especially when drinking black coffee) and having the milk smooth and at hot yet drinkable temperature is what truly matters when making the perfect cuppa joe.
“If there's a cool rosetta or heart that's the cherry on top of an already delicious coffee.”
As well as its oh-so-tasty coffee by Coffee Supreme, Honey Bones is renowned for its vibrant menu. We asked Parsons what his most loved items on the menu were.
“I tend to fall in love with the seasonal specials and then they leave me forever. This summer we had the Berber Spiced Ribs which blew my mind. They were so good I couldn't think or speak properly until the plate was clean. However, a staple that I always go back to is the Cilber Eggs. Creamy, buttery, spicey and crunchy all in one.”
When he's not expressing his creativity as a barista Parson's puts his inventive energy into his music. His days off at Honey Bones are filled with music, especially in the last couple of years working on his debut album. If you can’t find him at Honey Bones he will either be in the studio with his producer or working on tracks or in writing sessions for other artists helping make heaps of tunes.
