Had a lovely high tea here - it's like stepping into your grandma's (poshed-up) sitting room; all…read morechandeliers & mis-matched tea sets. There's even a wee courtyard out the back. The cabinet food is a drool-worthy selection of gourmet pies, sausage rolls, sandwiches & filled rolls. If you fancy something sweet with your cuppa, you're also in luck - lamingtons, cupcakes, scones, brownies & cakes galore hide under beautiful cake trays. We had booked for the High Tea - $40 for 2 people, and had managed to get a sweet spot in the courtyard on a balmy Saturday autumn morning. The tea list came out first with a good selection of black, green & herbal teas. You can also order milkshakes, smoothies & coffees. I went for a Gorgeous Grey blend of black Earl Grey leaves with citrus. Other options chosen were Japanese Lime green tea, Berrylicious herbal & Red Vanilla herbal tea. All were leaf teas leaves served in individual teapots with lovely china tea cups & saucers. To be drunk with your little pinky extended of course! The cake stands arrived laden with our high tea, consisting of a selection of club sandwiches, brownies, cupcakes, pecan & blueberry tarts and the most amazing date & orange scones served with cream & yoghurt. We really struggled to get through all the food. It was so fresh & tasty; the sandwich fillings of ham & cheese, egg & cress and chicken & avocado were a big hit. A super cute little suburban spot to read the paper, shout your nana or start writing that novel!

This place looks fabulous from the outside and it looks fabulous inside, but what a lot of people…read moredon't know about this place is that it has a courtyard outside! It's a great place to go if you are wanting some outside time away from Auckland noise and traffic. I would describe the décor as decadent and elegant and the food is...dainty? It's like delicious little cakes and biscuits and things that go well with english breakfast tea if you catch my drift. I had always driven past this cafe and had always wanted to go in, when I finally did I kind of wish I didn't because now I regularly think about it and want to go back. The only niggle I have is that they close quite early I wish they were open till four it's much easier to get there for then and much more appropriate for afternoon tea, but other than that...love it!

Amazing experience! I live in the USA but was told I could order signed Nalini Singh books from…read morethem. I reached out to Frances who was more than happy to help me out! I was able to order 4 signed and personalized books for my sister with shipping to the USA. It made my sister so happy to get signed books from an author she's been a long time fan of and Frances was incredible and so friendly throughout the entire process!

I first stepped through Chapter's door about two years back when the weather was really bad and I…read morehad a 30 wait for the bus, it seemed like a good time to try it out. I think I was the youngest in there by 30 years that day but tea is not just for old people. I also didn't let the romance novels put me off, I had my own reading material anyway. Chapter is little but the shelves are crammed with an incredible range of teas, I had mango paradise, often I go for Granny's Garden, I like the fruity ones. Down the back of the store is all the tea paraphernalia, if you're serious about your tea drinking and want all the right tea gear, you'll find it here. A nice little shop/cafe and the lady who owns it is really nice, Chapter is a pleasurable place to sit over a pot of tea and the black board outside often has funny tea related quotes which is a nice touch.

The cafe is surrounded by plants and trees. It's located across the street from the main gardens,…read moreor Tropical House and Fernery. The patio is perfect with tables and umbrellas. The dining room is somewhat formal with white tablecloths. It is spacious for a luncheon cafe. Come nicely dressed. You can have breakfast and lunch here. This venue can also be rented for special occasions. The menus have a variety of better, healthy foods. GF breads are included. The kids menu selection looks delicious.

Way back when in 2015 we visited this garden outside Auckland as part of our 10 day tour of NZ…read more Also the tour guide had to keep us out and about for a few hours after long flight from USA before hotel rooms available. I took a few photos and posted them here. Not too far from Michael Joseph Savage Park so swing by there afterwards. We just walked around the grounds but there there is a cafe there.

Gingerbirds kind of snuck into the Eden Valley area of Dominion Road without me noticing until…read morerecently. It's not really an eat-in kind of a place (although they do have a big table), but certainly there's always someone sitting in there having a hot cuppa. I probably won't ever be purchasing any of the amazing-sounding takehome meals - it's just too hard to justify when cooking is the main part of the parenting job description. For the time-poor though this place provides the perfect solution and I will be trying to recreate their recipes at home myself, they sound so good. I've dropped in here for the delicious fresh salads and I reckon this place is doing the best fast lunch this side of Mt Eden Road. Don't even get me started on the cakes and sweets; I have resisted thus far but they look absolutely out of this world. It's a habit I don't want to start. If I was in need of catering I would come here and when we popped in last Saturday hoping for the traditional family 3pm lunch (an hour after closing) the owners were so kind and didn't mind us interrupting their own meal to ask for advice.

From the owner: We serve Allpress Coffee, provide dine-in and take away for a range of freshly made bakery and food…read moreincluding daily Paleo meals and frozen meals and can can cater your next event. - Hot drinks; we serve Allpress Coffee - Cold drinks; we serve a range of freshly prepared smoothies and bottled drinks - Meal of the day with Paleo options - Frozen meals and desserts - Cabinet food includes sandwiches, salads, savoury and sweet (quiches, muffins, scones, brownies) - Catering; our extensive menu is avail on our website with delivery and pick up options available

This dry bar is amazing, the concept was bought to Newmarket by Louise Pilkington who owned the…read moreServilles in Ponsonby for many years and wanted to do something of her own. Dry & Tea is really something else, so feminine it makes you gush when you step inside. Beautiful flower arrangements, the fluffy white chair and largely white interiors filled with beautiful things and fashion and beauty coffee table books. The level of customer service surpasses expectations. You receive a complementary tea of the day (they serve in house T2 teas) while you wait and depending on what you've come to have done, select from their menu (food and drink not the dry bar) as Allpress coffee is served here and scones and cakes. If you want you can enjoy this out in their beautiful courtyard. Coming here is an experience in itself. It isn't just to have your hair styled or cut (they do cut hair too, not just dry services). Coming to Dry & Tea is not just going to the hairdressers, it's like being transported to the land of pretty and the staff do make you look and feel that way.

Dry & Tea adds to the the 'blow wave bar' trend in Auckland. It's basically a beautiful place to…read moreget your hair done (you can also get it cut, but the focus is on the styling). I feel like that kind of thing is more common in Europe but it's becoming more popular here. I mean, it's really nice to get your hair done. Especially for events or just for upkeep. The place is very nice inside - beautiful and relaxed and clean. They have tea, obviously (T2) and coffee and food if that's your thing. There's an outdoor courtyard for relaxing. They're big on the 'pampered' feeling - staff are very accommodating and friendly. You can also get your nails done here Prices are pretty good for an award winning 'best beauty bar' - blow waves start at $40. Perfect place to buy a gift voucher for someone who has everything.

I love stopping by Chalin for my takeaway iced green tea fix. The staff always seem quite perplexed…read morewhen I say I just want it plain. After all this is a bubble tea shop, so they expect you to want the extras (think fruit, milk, syrup, and tapioca balls). But the best part is in fact while I'm waiting for my tea, because I get to peruse the in-house selection of toys and cosmetics. It's where I snapped the little gem that is bust cream - complete with a woman imploring her breasts to go "Up! Up!", under the delightful heading of "Sexy Look Body Performance Attack Flat...130% up!" I hate to think what would happen if the formula proved as efficacious as it advertises - if it rose 130%, where would your bust end up?! Okay, so perhaps I mostly love Chalin because I love Engrish. But the tea really is good too.

Located close to Freemans Bay primary school, Rupa's Cafe offers affordable, high quality cakes (I…read morehaven't tried the coffee) with a range of ingredients/flavours- plum, date, lemon, orange almond, and many more in a clean, pleasant space. Their cakes are moist, quite large (larger than those small slices of cakes cafes usually sell) and super yum. They also sell some wraps/sandwiches and frozen curries (that is said to be really good) The staff (which is the owners themselves) are very warm and they really connect with their customers, they know about them and remember them. There's never a day where the staff is even slightly grumpy - they always greet you with a smile and really talk to you (not the type of small talk they do with everyone e.g: how was your day?) Also they are generous, not forgetting to ask if we want little extras (for free) like butter on your bread/cake or not.

Rupa's seems to be some kind of Freeman's Bay institution. They really go out of their way to let…read moreyou know that they're owner operated and they have been for a long wee while. It's kind of like yr stock standard tea rooms, or at least they present themselves that way, with their long glassy cabinets and boring, plain jane, interior design. But really Rupa's is a little bit different and more interesting to your generic asparagus roll and a lamington type establishment. Mostly it's a cultural difference. They sell food with an Indian slant. Mainly through samosas and curries. Both of which are okay. Three stars.

Cute tea room located in the Victoria Park Market…read more Happy Auckland Day! They were actually open for business.

Mojo Garage is one of the Carlton Gore Road greats and it was a garage, a WOF garage and still…read moremaintains that look and feel with the concrete floors and exposed rafter ceiling. Seats with large tables line one side of the garage with the kitchen situated in the middle and down alongside the other side is narrow high bar stool seating, perfect if you want some quiet space. On a nice day you have the option of sitting outside. Mojo garage therefore is great for loners and small to large groups, also people who want to bring their dogs, or kids. Great food, nice staff, good coffee and a cool environment. Whether the garage door is up or down is weather dependent, if it is up and the large table facing outside isn't taken sit there, I think it is the best seat in the house (I mean garage).

In need of a coffee break? I was today; so instead of using the work instant coffee machine I…read moredecided to stroll down the road and treat myself to something a little stronger. Mojo caught my eye. Mojo is a lovely little cafe that can be found on Carlton Gore Road. With yummy coffee and delicious food, this is certainly a cafe worth popping into. They have an all day brunch and lunch time menu, with a great selection of cabinet food, sweet and savoury. The café is gorgeous. It has a garage feel about it but funky at the same time. They have cute turquoise coffee cups and offer complementary sparkling water. The service is FANTASTIC! All the staff have been incredibly helpful and accommodating when I have been there. This is, in my eyes, absolutely top priority when it comes to rating dining experiences. Mojo seems to tick all the boxes. It is a must see in Newmarket.