Over 30 years of scrummy breakfasts...
A good solid breakfast combines experience and experimentation. We should know!
We've seen all the trends. Traditional english, fast-food drive-through and more recently the push towards more balance with the rise of the superfoods like the Avo!
Why our diners keep coming back for more.
Pick the best out of the trends, make them menu staples and combine them with our own originals. Drexels now boasts the broadest, tastiest menu you've ever seen coming off a hot grill!
...since '86
Drexels opened their doors for business in 1986 at a time when dining out for breakfast was virtually unheard of. Yet this venture into the unknown did not daunt Norm and Vee Drexel, the originators of the Drexels’ breakfast experience.
Vee, a Kiwi chef trained in London, and Norm who worked his way through university in American restaurants, knew that by combining their skills they were onto a winner.
The original Drexels in Hereford St, Christchurch in the 80's.
Liftoff!
And so it proved, beyond their wildest expectations from day one the people of Christchurch embraced the then revolutionary concept of breakfast dining. From the made on the premises hashbrown, through to the luscious thick Iowa pancakes and the to die for eggs benedict, the people of Christchurch just could not get enough.
The immediate success came with its own challenges. Suddenly the kitchen wasn’t big enough and neither was the restaurant. In 2002 Drexels changed hands and was relocated to a larger site and in 2009 the second Drexels outlet in Christchurch in Riccarton was opened.
Shakey times
Then the earth moved… In February 2011 Christchurch city and our restaurants were shattered by the deadly earthquake. This was an extremely sad day for our city and also in the history of Drexels. Our original restaurant in the central city was destroyed along with much of the surrounding area. Happily all staff and customers escaped unscathed.
The Riccarton restaurant survived and soon became a familiar refuge for customers seeking a dose of normalcy in post-earthquake Christchurch.
2018: Refresh & rejuvenated!
To celebrate over 30 years in business, Drexels has undergone a well-deserved makeover. A little bit funky, yet still true to our Diner roots- we've introduced a sumptuous, relaxed and contemporary 'breakfast into lunch' dining vibe.