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The Dispensary is a hidden Otago Uni gem. The kiosk-style café is tucked in behind Wishbone in the main entrance of Dunedin Hospital and the service is absolutely flawless, with all the staff being friendly and polite. This café is one to go to if you’ve got an early class in Colqhoun or around Lindo Fergusson and need your morning brew. For all you early risers out there, you can get your supreme bean fix from 6.45am.

Not only is the Dispensary coffee great, but the décor and the design of the takeaway cups are extremely easy on the eye. They also sell plastic eco-takeaway cups, which may be saving the rainforest but have a nasty habit of leaking, so be warned. M and G say fuck the trees – they like their takeaway coffee cups how they like their sexual partners: sturdy, pleasant to cup, with an assurance that they aren’t going to piss all over you. To those using eco-cups a tidy 10 cent discount is offered.

The Dispensary sells fresh baking, salads, soup, and sandwiches, with changing flavours that can be checked on their Facey page. M and G enjoyed the food at the Dispensary, with the delicious but monstrous scones studded with chocolate, banana and nuts a great accompaniment to their coffee. The Dispensary also boasts a Coffee Vagrant app for customers with smartphones.

The café fits in very nicely in the hospital – there’s nothing quite as healing as the excellent service of the Dispensary staff. During the hectic exam time of Semester One, M and G gained great comfort from the impeccable service at the Dispensary. M developed a bit of an addiction to their amazing caramel slice.

Be prepared to be a bit grossed out by medical staff buying coffee in what appears to be full surgical scrubs. G hopes they aren’t trailing scone crumbs on patients while performing appendectomies.

The Dispensary is a favourite of M and G, definitely worth a go for those living on the south side of campus or studying around the Med Library.