UPDATE TO MY RECENT UPDATE. No Really!…read more Soooo because we really, really liked the vibe here we came back. Thank goodness Imi was here and she rocked it! Just a charmer and just outstanding. Not only did she hook up our spillage friends but she made great suggestions for dinner and drink. OBTW there was live acoustic guitar (on Sunday from 3:00 pm until 7:30!) There was a couple in the patio and they brought their sweet dog. She (the dog) recognized our crowd as doggie people and she (again the dog) came over and butt snuggled with our clan while her (again the dog) mommy and dad finished their dinner. So cute and so one of the things we LOVE about Takapuna Beach! Had the fish and chips and a nice merlot ...... Yes I know. Stop it! Anyway it was great. My spillage Friend had the veggie gnocchi and it was great. She also got dessert - its the Mousse. Omg! I won't describe it the way she did but it was complimentary. ;) Looked awesome and she loved it. Other folks had the steak and chips M-O-N-E-Y! Solid evening, great food, and Imi was AWESOME. She Rocks! We'll be back! Thanks Imi! Don't tell her you know this but its short for Imogen) but nobody other than her SO calls her that. No really don't tell her!

R'Totos, you've had an excellent makeover. I almost didn't recognise you…read more Gone is the stage area where the young folk (maybe me once or twice) used to shake their thang on a Thursday night. And the sticky floor and bar area. Now the Mac's Brewbar has an elegant terrace area, and equally classy yet understated new bar with heavy wooden furniture and a neutral background. The good bits of R'Toto are still there too: the location; the high ceilings and the tasty bar menu. Definitely a winner for a casual drink.

My partner and I recently had our first experience at Caffe Massimo and was pleasantly surprised…read more It's a stone's throw from Takapuna Beach and there's a carpark just across the road, which made it the perfect location. The waitress that served us was friendly and to the point (in a good way) which I liked, as we were already hungry by the time we'd arrived! The layout is simple and I especially liked the flow of the outdoor area. There wasn't much foot traffic through the restaurant that night so our food came out fairly quickly. We'd ordered the risotto balls and half a dozen mussels with bacon and parmesan. Both were well priced and tasted amazing! I'm not usually one to order mussels at a restaurant, but I'd heard Massimo's ones were good and the decision definitely paid off. I ordered the King Prawn & Crispy Chicken Noodle Salad as my main, and its one of the best salads I've had in a long time. The tangy mango salsa they add to it is wonderful and brings all the ingredients together perfectly! I also got to try the Angus Eye Fillet; it was cooked a perfect medium rare and tasted great with the kumara and portobello mushrooms. We were too full for dessert but tried out their mochas, which tasted great and will definitely have us back to try out their all day menu. Caffe Massimo is easy to find and definitely worth a visit whether you're after a coffee, brunch or a three-course meal.

I've been here a few times for weekend brunch. In summer the sunny courtyard area is great,…read morealthough I recommend getting a seat with a bit of shade. The coffees, food, smoothies are all good, although nothing really stooed out in my mind as being a specialty. Just well-cooked, simple brunch fare like you could make at home if you could be bothered. Bonus points for being a stone's throw from the beach. I noticed they sometimes hold dance parties here on a Sunday afternoon now too, who knew?

I haven't had a fine dining for a long time so I've decided to motivate myself by going to Thyme…read moreRestaurant. I have enjoyed this restaurant from when it was called "The Dining Room" so hoped everything stayed the same. The place was nicely lit with a lovely sound of piano being played at a corner. My friend and I started to feel good. I had the Duo of Angus Beef ($36), which had Angus fillet and double cooked short rib. The fillet was wonderful with soft creamy mash and sautéed Spinach. Deep fried onion ring was simply amazing with the fillet. Wasn't too sure about the short rib as it did not have enough presence - touch too chewy and salty for me. My friend ordered Yoghurt and Herb rubbed Wairoa Chicken Breast ($29.5) but was slightly disappointed as it did not have all the flavours. It was salty and none of the yoghurt and herb flavours came through. Accompanied pumpkin mousse did not complete the dish I guess. I was astonished by the cocktail though - This Caipirinha (The classic Brazilian cocktail made with Cachaca, fresh lime juice and sugar served over crushed ice $16) one was amazing with just enough sweet and fresh flavour. I had to stop myself from getting another glass! It was a wonderful evening which made me feel a little better :)

I've been to Thyme just the once, and I wasn't staying at the hotel at the time. No, I was actually…read morethere with a bloke from work who is a part-time luthier who built some guitars for the guitarist that sometimes plays in the Spencer's lobby. I was told he was the best, so as a guitarist myself I was keen to sit down and have a listen over a drink. He certainly was an excellent player - on occasion I go back just for a drink to hear him - it's a shame he isn't better known. But on this occasion after a while we decided to sit down at Thyme and actually grab a meal. As it was a very quiet night, the service was impeccable. They had enough staff for a full restaurant but were only serving two tables, so the dinner service went off without a hitch. The food was also pretty decent - grabbed me a nice cut of angus beef with a merlot and I enjoyed it very much while our guitarist jammed away in the background.

Beautiful setting. Great service. Delicious food. Worth the short drive over the bridge from the…read moreCBD. You won't be disappointed.

Went to the Engine Room last night and they never disappoint…read more Great service by their team and the white bait fritter was amazing Nice ambience fresh menu love going there need to go more often

Don't go here for the food! we ordered a pizza, burger, fish and chips and fried chicken. Honestly,…read morethey were all crap. Service was good, and atmosphere is good, especially at night. good drinks too. Food is a waste of money and time.

Pretty nice menu and the patio was sublime. Drinks were nice. One of our clan had a 'boysenberry'…read morecider. It was yummy. Different and devine. Steak special and hand formed burgers topped with soft Gouda cheese ..... OMG! Would be five stars except we all ordered more beers and they never showed up. So we left and its four stars. We'll probably try the EW again tho.

I liked this place because I was still jet legged from coming in from America and it opened before…read moreall the other cafes! The mocha and americano we had was good as well as the scone we got! Good vibe and cute inside

Amazing food, great drinks, I suggest the wagyu burger it is amazing. I would say this is one of my…read moretop picks for getting something to eat.

If you're looking for a fun international Dutch experience here it is. The moment I saw this…read morerestaurant I really wanted to get inside and try out there pancakes. (So the sign mentioned) Perfect opportunity arose a few months back while still pregnant and the need to eat was enormous. Fellow mums can probably associate the love of either savory or sweet, and in my case it was oh so sweet! I must rave of their pancake size portions they are really something, and decorated with such personal touch. I decided that day that I would go for the Kids Pancake which was served with seasonal fruit and a nice surprise. I won't spoil the secret as it was cute and appropriate. Please do try this delight out there Original Dutch Poffertjes which is like a pancake puff, holy moly, really delicious, and can make one go back many times again. This feels like a family owned and happy cafe, with great service.

Sometimes in a man's life there is expertly cooked bacon with the most delicious of accompaniment…read morethat you wouldn't have expected. Enter the Speck from Dutch Delight. First of all let me talk about the place, Dutch Delight is a simple tiled floor with tables and the most interesting varied stuff on the wall, from maps, to postcards and figures promoting strange things. There is a children's room filled with toys for the kids too. But really, let's look and what drew you towards this review, yes I know your secret craving, Bacon .. No need to blush, it's my fetish too. This was crispy well cooked bacon, set onto Dutch pancake with icing sugar, special syrup and banana. When longingly asking for more bacon, this dish only gets better. In summary, if you like bacon on your pancakes .. Eat at Dutch Delight, if you don't like Bacon, then you and I have nothing to say to each other.