Recovery Café
A safe, after-hours space in Ōtepoti. We offer free peer support for mental health and addiction recovery, or for anyone simply seeking connection. No referrals needed.
North East Valley
Tuesday: 6.30pm to 10.00pm
Saturday: 5.30pm to 10.00pm
The Valley Project, 262 North Road, North East Valley, Dunedin
South Dunedin
Monday: 5.30pm to 10.00pm
Friday: 5.30pm to 10.00pm
Kōkiri Training Centre, 51 Macandrew Road, South Dunedin
Led by the Otago Mental Health Support Trust, our café is a co-designed initiative for anyone feeling the weight of mental health and/or addiction struggles or isolation. We believe no one should face hard times alone. Our café exists because connection and shared lived experience are the strongest foundations for recovery and hope.
Our Kaupapa
Free Entry with No Barriers
Our doors are open to all adults in the community. You don’t need a referral, an appointment or a formal diagnosis to enter. Simply come as you are.
Time to Kōrero
We prioritise genuine connection. Whether you need a long talk or a brief chat, we provide a space where your voice is heard and valued.
A Quiet Space to Find Stillness
The world can be overwhelming. We offer a calm, low-sensory environment where you can retreat from the noise, catch your breath and find a moment of peace.
Manaakitanga and a Warm Cuppa
Hospitality is at our heart. You’ll always be greeted with warmth and a hot drink, ensuring you feel welcomed, respected and at home from the moment you arrive.
Support from Shared Lived Experience
Our team understands because they have been there. We offer peer-led support rooted in mutual understanding, walking alongside you in your recovery journey.
Support Without Clinical Pressure
This is a social sanctuary. We provide a non-clinical alternative to traditional mental health services, focusing on human connection rather than assessments or paperwork.
Information for Your Hauora Journey
If you're looking for the next step, we provide easy access to resources and information to help you navigate your holistic wellbeing and local support networks.
Your Story Always Stays Yours
We respect your privacy and your agency. You choose how much or how little to share, and your personal journey is treated with the utmost confidentiality and respect.
Find Strength at Your Own Pace
There is no rush here. We empower you to navigate your recovery on your own terms, providing the tools and space you need to rediscover your internal strength.
Judgment-Free Support with Aroha
We offer a safe haven free from stigma. Every person who enters is met with compassion, unconditional kindness and a commitment to seeing the person, not the struggle.
Our Recovery Cafés are welcoming, non-clinical spaces offering a safe alternative to traditional mental health environments. We operate through peer-led support and community co-design, providing a calm shelter from the storm where you can connect with people who truly understand your journey.
Nobody should walk the path to recovery alone in Ōtepoti.
North East Valley
When you visit our North East Valley café at The Valley Project, you can expect a calm, low-sensory environment with a gentle, relaxed atmosphere. There is no reception desk, no paperwork and absolutely no pressure to explain why you are there. You can simply step inside as you are and be greeted with genuine warmth and a hot drink.
Whether you want to have a quiet kōrero with a peer supporter who truly understands, or just sit peacefully in a safe sanctuary to catch your breath and retreat from the noise, you are completely free to choose how much you share and navigate your visit at your own pace.
The Valley Project
262 North Road, North East Valley, Dunedin
Tuesday: 6.30 PM to 10.00 PM
Saturday: 5.30 PM to 10.00 PM
Our South Dunedin café at Kōkiri Training Centre offers a calm shelter from the storm, open to any adult looking for a safe, supportive place to land. There are no barriers to entry here. No appointments, no formal diagnosis and no need to explain your situation. We simply welcome you exactly as you are.
Once inside, you can choose your own path. You might want to sit quietly, breathe, and enjoy a hot drink in a peaceful, low-sensory environment, or you might choose to have a meaningful kōrero with someone who has walked a similar path of lived experience. Your privacy is deeply respected, and how much you wish to connect is always entirely up to you.
South Dunedin
Kōkiri Training Centre
51 Macandrew Road, South Dunedin
Monday: 5.30 PM to 10.00 PM
Friday: 5.30 PM to 10.00 PM
