If you’re on the hunt for a killer caffeine kick with food offerings to match, you’d do well to stop in at RAD café. It’s only been open a mere two weeks, and is already warranting visits from plucky café folk who know their local haunts better than their own kitchens.

Located prominently on Mount Eden Road, RAD is a labour love by Duke Tran, the talented ex-barista from Best Ugly Bagels. Keen to make his own mark on Auckland’s café scene, Duke has set about creating a welcoming space with the help of Toni Brandso and Olivia Harper from Material Creative. Morning sun shines in through the café, with a breakfast bar perfectly placed to lap up the rays. Wooden floors are complimented by exposed brick walls, and a mosaic-style counter serves as a focal point, littered with cold drip apparatus, fresh flowers, baked treats and a colourful army of lego table numbers.

Coffee is of the boutique variety, with Wellington’s Flight Coffee providing the beans, and cold pour overs are available for those who ask. On arrival, customers are greeted with chilled glasses of rose water, a novel, not to mention delicious break from the usual offerings. It’s floral, but only slightly so, quenching the thirst before your order arrives. On the food front, Tran has devised a menu for both breakfast and lunch, with fail safe options such as mushrooms on toast, livened up with a liberal splash of truffle oil, a sprinkling of goat’s curd and four different types of fungi. The omelettes appeal as a nourishing option for cooler mornings, and if you’re just after a nibble, the café’s freshly baked muffins will go down a treat.

Lunch offerings are varied, with nice surprises such as baby back spare ribs slathered in a secret marinade, with a side of creamy slaw and twice cooked hand cut chips. The Vietnamese beef lemon grass dish is also reputed to go down a treat, as are the made-to-order sub sandwiches. Our pick is the ‘Sweet Catch’; fish of the day is sandwiched between a light house-made brioche bread, slathered in wasabi mayo and topped with baby watercress.

Just as much a week day haunt as it is a place to wile away weekend hours, RAD café is certainly a popular new addition to the Mount Eden locale. We’re certain you’ll stay a while here.