Located in the heart of Auckland’s CBD, re.union has redefined the traditional concept of a cafe with a modern twist and creative flair.
DJ Chukkee, one of the creative minds behind re.union, described the cafe as having a warm and friendly vibe with a sense of belonging, lost in time with a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. He said that customers can expect the smell of fresh coffee and light music with a little kick of the bass to show off the quality of the music and sound system.
Re.union is a listening cafe bar that serves hot and cold coffee, matcha, and tea. Open throughout most of the week, its doors don’t shut until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. It was designed to make people of all walks of life comfortable and safe to come and enjoy coffee and music.
“We also wanted to move with the times and create a space for our younger generation of coffee lovers, as I felt that cafes forget that people grow up to enjoy drinking coffee, it’s a moving and living thing, making coffee for an ageing coffee community,” he said.
“It’s all about coffee and beats, but also keeping our music open to all genres and formats.”
DJ Chukkee has over two decades of experience in the hospitality business, DJing nightclubs, bars and restaurants, as well as a passion for food.
“My love for coffee really kicked off when I met my wonderful partner Shamsi, who had an espresso machine at her house, and I just couldn’t stop asking questions about coffee machines, coffee roasting, latte art, etc.,” said DJ Chukkee.
He added that it has been an obsession of his since, and that day felt like it was only yesterday.
From the day DJ Chukkee first agreed to take on a cafe, it was a tight six-week turnaround to have it up and running. The fit-out was completed in three days, with DJ Chukkee lending his hand to the tools. He said a main feature of the fitout is the DJ turntables next to the La Marzocco Linea coffee machine, with the vinyl collection in the backdrop on floating shelves.
“When you walk in, you know a DJ built this.”
He described the menu as an absolute joy to go through, with a great selection of coffee, from traditional espresso to a signature Black Forest mocha. Re.union’s iced drinks are where customers will separate it from a typical cafe.
Re.union serves an assortment of matcha drinks from strawberry, mango, to vanilla, and if customers really need the caffeine rush, then he recommended the cold-brewed coffee that’s brewed for 24 hours and filtered for a clean, black liquid gold result.
“The cafe has a life of its own, and it’s been amazing to bring our community together without alcohol. The future of the cafe is to grow with more cafes around the country, so we can share what we have built in Auckland,” added DJ Chukkee.
“Coffee is the most important thing to a person in the morning. I wanted to be the guy to give them that and make it more enjoyable with my music and the atmosphere I’ve created. It’s serious stuff, but life shouldn’t be serious; it should be fun.”
Subscribe to the Restaurant & Café newsletter for weekly industry updates and event coverage.
