Aug 16, 2019 Cheap Eats
It is hard, if not bloody impossible, to find lunch for less than $5 in the Auckland CBD. So Cafe Mocha’s $2.50 sandwiches are like sunshine on a cloudy day. A lovely balm in an expensive world.
I have been threatening to write about Cafe Mocha for months now. I have delayed and delayed because I know as soon as I tell you about it, everyone will go there, eat all the sandwiches and then there will be none for me because while I know a $2.50 sandwich in central Auckland sounds like a lie from the 90s, it isn’t, my dear fellow 90s kids. It’s real.
It isn’t big, it isn’t flash. It’s just three triangles of wholegrain bread with butter, egg, salt, pepper and chicken in between (there is a range of other equally simple flavours, but this one is my go-to). And that’s the beauty of it because that is all a sandwich needs to be.
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I’ll be honest with you. I spend all my money on food. All of it. I get too excited about fancy ramen or croissants or pies or craft beer and end up buying far more food than any reasonable person would need. Come payday, I often have no money left and am consequently hungry and sad. Then, I remember the secret, special miracle of $2.50 sandwiches.
Remembering that I can still buy yum, simple food when I have dug myself into a financial hole feels like the sun coming out with an “ahhhhhh” noise.
As I said, I am loathe to share this, because now you’ll all eat my sandwiches. But then you too might be poor and hungry because you had the hubris to treat yourself to Pasta e Cuore and petrol for your car in the same pay period.
So today I give you the gift of knowledge. Go forth and keep $2.50 sandwiches in mind.
Cafe Mocha
139 Wellesley St W
Auckland CBD
