In a former barbershop on O’Connell Street in Auckland’s CBD, Rumours Specialty Coffee is a pared-back espresso bar with a singular focus: coffee made with single origin beans.

Owner Danny Lee wanted to create a welcoming oasis in the middle of the city, where people who won’t settle for a mediocre brew (probably most daily coffee drinkers) can be sure their regular order is made with skill and care – and a point of difference.

Despite our thriving local coffee culture, single origin isn’t usually the default grind for local cafes. Lee sources his beans from specialty roasters in New Zealand and South Korea. Those looking for a hazelnut single shot latte and smashed avo should head elsewhere – but you will find filter coffee (single origin, of course), dairy alternatives (oat milk and soy) and a small selection of pastries.

There’s also Fine & Dandy tea and sparkling water from Almighty for the non-coffee inclined. And yes, they do decaf.

Rumours’ space is compact and minimal. The interior is a visual reflection of what you’ll get in the cup, with a floor-to-ceiling oaky beige colour palette – like being enveloped in a warm latte. Perch on a stool at one end of the large central island, or gaze out to the street on the low bench by the front window.