Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your role?
“My name is Davind and I’m the head barista here at Aro.”
Can you tell us a little about the local Aro community and what makes this location special?
“Aro Valley is a pretty vibrant community. A lot of the locals know each other. There are always people coming and going, but it still holds a strong sense of history. You get long-time locals and uni students living here during the year. People also visit from town and out of town. There’s a lot going on, but it still feels really connected. It’s got a lot of history—that’s what makes it special.”
Wellington is known as the coffee capital. How does Aro Café fit into that?
“We use our own specialty beans, roasted offsite. Wellington’s known for good coffee, but I think what we do is pretty unique. Our beans have their own flavour—and they taste great. We take a lot of pride in what we serve. Every cup here is something I’m happy to make and drink myself.”
What can someone expect when they visit Aro Café?
“Good vibes. Everyone here is friendly and outgoing. The space is really community-based, and when you walk into Aro Valley, it just feels good. Even when I’m not working and I’m walking down the street, everyone’s nice. It’s vibrant, chill, and welcoming—and the coffee’s great too.”
If there’s one thing Aro Café wants to be known for, what would it be?
“Definitely the coffee—we do our own specialty roasts. But also the customer service. I like to think of it more like friendship than service. We’ve got regulars who we know really well. We want to be here. We want to create a friendly, homey vibe, where they’re genuinely welcomed.”
Why did you choose to partner with The Alternative Dairy Co.?
Honestly, the milk is just really good. The flavour’s nice, and it steams well. I’ve tried a lot of other milks, and The Alternative just pours better—especially for latte art. The oat milk is my favourite. You get really nice pours, it’s close to dairy in texture, and it tastes great too. No complaints.”
If you could have a coffee with anyone in history, who would it be and why?
“I’d have a coffee with Ronaldo. I’ve always been a football fanatic, and I’d love to just sit down, chat about life, coffee, football—whatever. Maybe one day I’ll get to serve him a coffee. That’d be a dream.”
