Coffee addicts have been out in force today, with Alert Level 3 allowing for contact-free takeaways and delivery.
However, cafes have been forced to diversify how they deliver their brew.
Tuam Street Kitchen’s Ryan Simonsen said it was "just quite nice to be back open".
"Every day that there's zero dollars going into the bank account is concerning, as you can imagine, but it's nice to see our customers again, even if it is through a perspex screen."
Dr Ashley Bloomfield has cautioned people to remain vigilant. (Source: Other)
At Christchurch cafe C1 Espresso, the coffee was both contactless and free of charge.
"The main reason people are coming through the door is for that sense of community, and it's something everybody's been craving," owner Sam Crofskey said.
C1 manager Manaia Feather says she hopes the coffee will bring the community in. (Source: Other)
Meanwhile, staff at Wellington’s Karaka Cafe were placed in three different bubbles to ensure their safety.
"If somebody does get infected, that whole team doesn't go down," Karaka Cafe's Paul Retimanu said.
However, not everyone who could open up did so today. With 10 per cent of cafes struggling under lockdown, some stores may never open their doors again.
Hospitality Association CEO Julie White called the situation "devastating".
"It's an industry I love. It's the heart of the community," she said.
Meanwhile, at Riverside Market, volunteer bike riders have been making the rounds, delivering coffee to customers waiting for that first sip after weeks away.
On April 28 New Zealand took a small step towards life as we once knew it before Covid-19 lockdown. (Source: Other)
“People are just so stoked to get something that reminds them of normality so there's something really cool in that,” Addington Coffee Co-op’s Matt Barus said.
The Restaurant Association is asking Kiwis to support locally-owned and independent restaurants and cafes to keep 130,000 hospitality workers in jobs.
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