The owners of George St cafe ADJØ have been offered the new lease of the Dunedin Botanic Garden cafe by the Dunedin City Council.
Formerly leased as the Croque-O-Dile Cafe, the garden cafe closed in early June.
The council had since investigated alternative food and beverage options and commenced refurbishment of the vacant premises.
ADJØ co-owner Caitlin Holloway said it would be nice to be back in North East Valley, where ADJØ was originally based for about four years.
"It’s nice to go back to where it all started.
"We also live in the valley, so it just feels fitting that the next venture for us is back there."
The cafe would be its own separate entity to ADJØ but very similar values-wise, with produce being sourced locally wherever possible, Ms Holloway said.
They were also anticipating more takeaway customers and catering towards more families.
While they would still always be inspired by Nordic-style cuisine, the new cafe might have some more traditional offerings — but with their signature "flair".
"We want to be able to do things that benefit the community, whether it’s through workshops or events that attract locals of all ages."
The interior was designed by Wellington-based Arete Architects, which not only fit within the garden setting but also complemented and accentuated the existing architecture of the building.
Ms Holloway said ADJØ had retained a lot of its regulars since moving to its current George St premises in 2023.
She expected there would be quite a bit of crossover between their two cafes, and was looking forward to building connections with regulars who lived locally again.
"It is really special to us to be going back there."
Council parks and recreation group manager Heath Ellis said the owners provided "an exciting and thoughtful proposal that will provide a great dining experience for our visitors".
Painting on the exterior was complete and refurbishment of the inside area was well under way.
"The new design of the cafe will breathe a fresh, modern life into the space while honouring its past and complementing its surrounds."
Opening dates were yet to be confirmed but were unlikely to be before Christmas, Mr Ellis said.
