In a society shaped by drinking culture, board gaming café Cakes n Ladders offers a breath of fresh air. “We’re in a bit of a niche of ‘not a pub’, but still offering a communal atmosphere – somewhere people can eat together and spend time together,” says owner James McFadgen.

Part of the beauty lies in the simplicity. Customers pay a very reasonable $3 per hour to make use of the comfy space and its more than 800 board games. Food and drink – think hot soup with bread, steamed pork or vege buns, slices of cake, Guerilla coffee, fruit smoothies – can be ordered at the counter. And importantly, staff are on hand to offer advice and help guide customers towards games they’re likely to enjoy.

Sure, there are some serious gamers who frequent the place, but there are also first-timers, university students looking for a boredom- buster after lectures, multigenerational family groups and couples out on a first date. “It’s really popular for first dates,” explains James, “I guess it’s a good way to get a handle on someone’s character, by seeing how they react to losing!” Some of those dates spark long- term relationships and the venue has even hosted the engagement party for one such couple – the proposal took place over a board game here, too.

Among the diverse library is a whole section of Kiwi games, plus traditional family games, party games (if you’re a fan of Cards Against Humanity, you’ll be into these) and hybrid games that combine tangible playing pieces with elements that use a smartphone for scanning QR codes or accessing augmented reality features.

There are lots of goings-on to keep an eye out for, including Winter Onesie Land, where anyone rocking up in a onesie (as if we needed

an excuse ...) gets an hour of free gaming. There are quiz nights on Fridays, launch parties for new games, and TableTop Tuesday – the first Tuesday of the month – offers the chance to explore role-playing games (including Dungeons & Dragons) in a low-commitment way without already belonging to a group or being an expert.

Because there’s no alcohol served (except occasionally for special events), Cakes n Ladders offers a place to spend time with others that feels safe, respectful and welcoming to all – with a healthy side of competition, of course!