route 6 cafe Welcome to Route 6

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On the 21st December 2012, Route 6 Cafe in Lumsden opened its doors for the first time. We weren’t too sure where it would go, but could tell we were onto something, so we took a leap of faith and bought another building and went full throttle. We opened up the current premises in 2014 and it has been one hell of a ride.

It's not about the destination, it's about the journey, and the journey for Route 6 is full of so many memories. We have met some awesome people over the last 12 years, the incredible staff that we have had, and the wonderful customers that are the reason why we do what we do! The Route 6 brand has become an institution, with our shirts being seen all over the world, our famous cheese rolls and burgers, and more recently our in-house roasted coffee.

Combining these with the awesome service from our team of dedicated staff, we have put smiles on the faces of thousands of customers. As we have fuelled you up and filled your bellies with goodness, it has filled our hearts with pride.

And let's not forget our locals - some of you have been coming in since day one! You have become part of our Route 6 family and helped to define the culture of what we can be proud to call our little cafe in our patch of paradise.

Sometimes in our journeys we come across an unexpected fork in the road, and as the owners of the business, we have found ourselves in the unfortunate situation of having to make a really tough decision.

It is with a lump in the throat, and a tear running down our cheeks that we have reached the hard decision to close the doors for the foreseeable future on the 21st December 2023. An unplanned coincidence of 12 years to the day that we opened.

We are hoping that this isn’t the final chapter for Route 6, as there is still the option for someone to buy or lease the business, but for now it is goodbye.

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us over the years - it has been an awesome journey and we have loved having you as a part of it. Let's watch this space and see what happens. Rob and Jane


Nestled in Lumsden, the hub of Northern Southland, you will find our modern 1950's themed Americana Cafe with a Kiwiana touch!

Atmosphere, class, great food and good old Southern Hospitality, we have it all! As we like to say it, "This is as Lumsden as it gets!"

We have become famous for our great burgers, our coffees that taste how coffee should, and the all round fantastic experience that you will encounter at our place!

route 6 cafe lumsden

Authentic Booths made in USA!

logoWhen selecting our furniture for our cafe we had strict criteria. Firstly was comfort and secondly was a wow factor. Why not get the originals we thought, so we set ourselves up with authentic USA booths and stools!

Real Car Bar, with Quane Surfboard!

logoOur icon is this great old girl. A 1955 Dodge Kingsway has found her new home inside our cafe. She underwent a delicate restoration process and has become a real talking point. Try and work out how we got it inside!

Awesome Sunny Outdoor Area!

logoCome and sit back and relax on one of Lumsden's many sunny days. Our outdoor area is nice and sheltered and our locally made outdoor tables bring thier own unique sense of class.

Find us on the Main St

logoWe are easy to find on the main street of Lumsden, just look for the old Pop on the roof! We are in the old BNZ building with its great 1950s styling.

Plenty of Gluten Free Options

logoWe know how hard it is to find decent Gluten Free food when out and about. This is not the case at Route 6.

Our famous Burgers are available Gluten Free, as are our Pizzas and we also have a great range in our cabinet and menu as well.

2014 Top Shop Finalist

logoAfter being open for just a couple of months we secured a place in the finals of the Retailers Association Top Shop Award for People's Choice!