This place was incredible! The owner was so sweet and the food was heavenly. The friend we were…read morewith told us about this place and as we kept walking, the more dingy places began to look. I started doubting that my friend knew where this place was, but lo and behold we come across the refinery. This place is tucked away from the street like its own little oasis. The staff was kind and welcoming. I wasn't looking to order a sandwich, but I'm so glad I did. I ordered a special, which I believe is a ham sandwich and it was served on milk bread. This bread was absolutely amazing. I asked the owner if she made this bread because it was so yummy. She said she got it from a bakery, which I then went to a couple days later to get a loaf myself - it was that good! Overall, cute place that is definitely worth checking out!

Great atmosphere and fantastic food. Well worth dropping in here if you're in Paeroa. Good coffee…read moretoo. I really enjoyed the mince on toast - nice chilli kick.

Stopped here for lunch. Street parking is crazy so we parked a street away and walked. It wasn't…read morevery busy inside. I ordered the children's spaghetti and meatballs. Husband ordered fish and chips. The food and service were good.

As a burger lover I feel you judge a restaurant on the quality of their burgers. At this restaurant…read moreI had their bacon cheeseburger and while it was very large, it was not memorable. The beef is tasty but, I couldn't taste the bacon and It needs a special sauce. The restaurant needs to work on that. Also if you have this burger ask them to hold the cucumber slices. Cucumber just does not belong on a burger!

The cafe is all part of the blueberry orchard which is the main reason why people come here.I give…read moreit top marks as is a great way to get out of the city, get some fresh air , form of exercise though light and get blueberries for a real cheap price compared to in the shops. Only $10 per kg, and is only a short drive from Auckland on the road to Thames. And of course there is the café where you can sample a selection of blueberry delights and just relax after picking. You can pick for as long as you want, eat them while you are doing so and their hours are quite long during the season. in the café there is a good selection of blueberry delights including cakes, smoothies, ice cream and you can buy more blueberries as well as those you picked. They do also have available sandwiches and paninis. We sampled the blueberry and white chocolate cheesecake......delicious ...and a blueberry smoothie. Nice!!! Can highly recommend to anyone who likes the blueberries, wants some nice relaxing activity and to get out in the sun for a while and eat as much as they want while doing so.

Nice setting with large interior, coveted balcony and lovely garden area. Right on the main read…read morenext to Alexandra Hotel and Five Stags restaurant. With the awning around the balcony down it looked closed and sign hard to see. Worth stopping to make sure. Very bubbly friendly staff. Delicious banana and fudge muffin and good coffee, but could have been hotter. Recommend it as a good stop off. Opposite is the small heritage and visitors centre. And just along the road is a walkway down to and looping back along the river (45 mins) taking in the remains of the Redoubt (fort)

On our way from Karuma to Waitomo, we stopped for breakfast in Pirongia on Franklin road…read more We tried the first roadside cafe, we came upon (don't remember the name), but we weren't impressed with the menu or the seating. It was only then that we noticed "the Nest" next door. Not a very attractive building, we would have easily overlooked it and we were hesitating to enter. But once inside, we were pleasantly surprised by the cheerful, slightly hipster vibe. The seating areas with ample room for small and bigger groups, comfy chairs and couches for having espressos and a pleasant sunroom. There even appeared to be some kind of picnic area complete with blankets and so on. We ordered our food at the counter and then seated ourselves in the sunroom. With the decor between antique, vintage and eclectic, the statement piece was definitely the giant antique copper / brass espresso machine by Elektra. A real beauty that I wouldn't mind owning myself. The business owner himself served at the counter and was good for conversation and interested in his customers. My husband ordered the scrambled eggs and I had the poached egg with avocado and the most delicious hashbrowns I have ever had. We both had capucinos too. The only thing I would have liked to see is a little more generous servings of bread. Maybe 2 slices per person instead of one. But, I have to say that when my husband asked for extra bread, the owner didn't charge him for it. The breakfast was served on warm plates (YES!!!!), tastefully plated, capucinos presented with coffee art. Both eggs and bread fresh and flavorful. We wanted to come back here the next morning, before driving back to Auckland to catch our flight, but why oh why weren't you open yet at 8 AM??? I had so much looked forward to a repeat of the day before, but alas, it was not in the cards..... Perfect breakfast place!

hands down best cafe in waihi! came here for girls' brunch on Friday... then again Sunday morning…read more We didn't expect there to be so many options and baked goods, but we were very pleasantly surprised by everything we had! All the coffees were smooth and sweet, and the mochas are to die for! Loved the outdoor seating as well as the paintings for sale in the main rooms! Huge baked goods as well, perfectly toasted and available on the go. Service is so sweet and prompt. Everyone here clearly cares and is involved in the community. Must see!

Cute historic cafe nestled in the heart of Waihi serving fresh food. High quality coffees for the…read moreconnoisseur that wants a mid morning or afternoon cuppa. Wonderful selection of freshly made muffins and scones (both savory and sweet). For lunch, there is a very nice selection of fresh vegetable salads. I've found it hard to find many fresh vegetable options while traveling so this was a welcome change and will be appreciated by vegetarians as well. When we were there they had: beetroot salad, wild rice and peanut, kumara and nut, broccoli and parmasean as well as a couple others. For the carnivores, the grilled steak sandwich with chimmichuri is big enough to feed an army and was worth the $21 price tag. Stacked on thick ciabatta, sliced sweet peppers, lettuce it's a handful and comes served with a few onion rings on top. The spot is also great for solo diners and families. A selection of magazines are available to borrow in addition to coloring books for the little ones and a high chair.

The cafe has a wonderful selection of food that pairs well with any coffee. The service was very…read morekind and welcoming. The ambiance is what sets this place apart, a great outdoor sitting area with plenty of space.

When our car started smoking on the highway, this cafe was a very welcome sight. The cafe is big,…read morewith a nice outdoor sitting area. They have a large variety of food, from pies to salads, sandwiches and desserts. We had the delicious carrot cake and a strawberry rhubarb pie. The staff is super friendly and helped us with our car. Consider me a fan.

I was looking at previous reviews and looks like they have upgraded the area. It was an…read moreunexpectedly nice stop on our way to Coromandel. We just wanted coffee for the ride but ended up exploring the place because it was visually aesthetic and there was so much to look at. Their coffee did not disappoint either! My husband, who has not heard about lamingtons was pleasantly surprised about its taste and how perfectly it goes with coffee. Don't miss on this stop if you're in the area. You won't regret it!

Wow. My partner and…read moreI stopped here whilst driving down to the mother in law's place in Katikati. I'll be honest here - as a resident of Melbourne, I think that this little place actually blows a fair amount of Melbournian cafes out of the water. It doesn't look like much from the highway, and we only stopped here because it was later in the afternoon and it was the only open cafe we found. We went in expecting stale scones and passable coffee and boy, were we ever surprised! Aesthetically, this cafe gorgeous. Filled with goods from local vendors, it seems like an ideal place to pick up flowers, artisan foods and even furniture made by the local school. They had a delightful display of cookies, scones, pies, sandwiches and salads, but also a full menu including all day breakfast and everything you'd expect from lunch. We ended up ordering some coffees, juice, cookies and scones, as we didn't want to spoil dinner. The coffee was great - hot and perfect. We sat outside undercover and even though it's on the side of a highway, the place is oddly serene. The shortbread cookie I ordered was pretty good, not too sweet but really hit the spot. My partner, who is a chef, said that they were by far some of the best scones he's ever had, and wanted the recipe. I wish that we could have tried something from the hot food menu! As we were leaving we noticed that there was a chalkboard displaying that they were a finalist in NZ restaurant of the year, which after eating there wasn't surprising in the slightest. If you're driving south from Auckland, make this the place you stop.