Bute & Co

Head down into Dominions Arcade off Queen Street and you've found yourself in the sort of place locals keep quiet about. It's the kind of cafe that doesn't need Instagram aesthetics to pull people in—the coffee does that job on its own. You're looking at a stripped-back operation where they've clearly thought hard about what goes in the cup, not what goes on the walls. The arcade location means it's got that slightly underground feel, away from the main drag but somehow easier to find once you know it's there. Grab a seat and settle in; this is proper neighbourhood coffee without the pretension.