Affordable Eats at Kelburn: What Are Students Paying For?

Part three of a three-part opinion series exploring affordable food options on campus at Te Herenga Waka.  

Ah, Kelburn. Te Herenga Waka's largest, busiest, and—depending on who you ask— most culinarily blessed campus. I’ll admit a certain bias: I’ve never had classes anywhere else. Still, it remains my campus, softened further by the fact that everyone I spoke to here was markedly kinder than the architecture students I encountered last week.  

Kelburn boasts the widest spread of food options across the university’s campuses. The question, then, isn’t whether you can eat—it’s whether what you’re eating is worth the price.

Even amid this abundance, certain institutions loom large. The Lab, for instance, continues to hold its ground, locked in what might be described as a cold war of baked goods supremacy. Its cheese scone, once a dependable $5 staple, has crept up by fifty cents this year—an increase students noted with the solemnity usually reserved for rent hikes or whatever Christopher Luxon says next. Still, loyalty persists. One student confessed that on forgotten-lunch days, they simply “grab a cheese scone from The Lab and tough it out.”

Not everyone is convinced. For some, the Lab has crossed the invisible threshold from indulgence to excess. In response, students turn to alternatives that balance cost and comfort. Subway’s sub-of-the-day maintains a staunch stronghold, queues swelling predictably between lectures. Yet perhaps the most passionately defended spot is the  Kimchi Noodle Bar. Here, $10 hot meal combos—rice, protein, and salad—offer both sustenance and, crucially, a sense of familiarity. 

Denys, the man behind the counter, is spoken of less as an employee and more as a campus figurehead. “The nicest person on campus,” one student insisted. Another, in a much longer tribute, distilled their feelings into a simple refrain: “I love Kimchi Noodle Bar because of Denys.” 

Another popular choice was Maki Mono, though it was frequently described as “overpriced”. It seems the strategy here is to play the long game: waiting until post 4 p.m. where the sushi becomes heavily discounted. 

One student tells me the $3 discounted sushi rice “is ideal for fried rice in the evening.” A double whammy, perhaps?

Elsewhere, enthusiasm becomes more measured. Where’s Charlie surfaces occasionally in conversation, though often accompanied by a caveat about cost. A lecturer described the bánh mì as “nice and healthy, not heavy”—praise that, while genuine, seemed to stop short of full endorsement once price entered the equation.

But if you’re looking for a low-cost option, Krishna is the resounding solution. Students told me that a “$6 samosa goes far.” Or, their famous $8 Krishna plates (curry, salad, rice, dessert) “are good bang for your buck.” Krishna also has the added benefit of all of their meals being vegan friendly. They have held the fort at Kelburn for over 20 years now and there seems to be a good reason they are still around. Our editor noted that if you have a little extra to splurge, the $11 lasagna is fantastic and still cheaper than your sushi (and probably holds more nutritional value). 

Likewise, Nga Mokopuna, serves $8 student meals every day of the week. A lesser known option, but definitely one of the better ones. When I arrived, they were serving Southern Fried Chicken Burger and Fries. Delish! The only miss? That they don’t have any vegetarian options. But if you’ve got the budget for Krishna, and looking for meat, they’re certainly the best option on campus. 

For the best deals, though, I was told to head to Ramsey House. It’s located just down the road from the Murphy Building, and $2 tea and coffee is delivered daily. But the real treat comes on Thursdays and Fridays where $2 toasties and brownies are offered. 

Ramsey House is run by Te Herenga Waka’s Chaplaincy. As part of this investigation, I  spoke to one of the chaplains there: Karel Van Helden. He tells me that their “primary focus isn't on being a commercial cafe.”

They are interested in creating and fostering a space that makes “people feel really welcome, that people's names get remembered most of the time and that there is room to sit or to be.” Van Helden explained that the service began with 50 odd students but that over the years they now see “four or five hundred people a week.” 

The $2 toasties are frequently cited as one of the best deals on offer not just at Kelburn Campus, but at Te Herenga Waka in general. Van Helden explained to me that the cheap toasties aren’t designed to attract customers, but as a way “of recognizing a need.” As the cost of living goes up, Ramsey House maintains a strong grip—and kaupapa—regarding providing affordable meals to students.

Still, something I’ve heard resignedly since starting this series is that the best choice on campus is the simplest one: to bring food from home. Last night's leftovers are today's slightly marinated lunch, or something like that. 

Well, this author isn’t surprised to learn that Kelburn has the best food on offer (mainly because it’s what I expected to begin with). It’s got a  vast array of options, and options that keep it squarely under budget. Thanks for joining me on this three-part culinary journey. I hope that next time you don’t know what to eat, you’ll feel a little wiser, and will think of me chomping down on a $2 toastie, or an $8 Krishna plate.