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    Karaka General Store and Cafe

    1.3 (3 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Karaka General Store and Cafe Photos

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    13 years ago

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    St Margarets Country Cafe - The picturesque lake.

    St Margarets Country Cafe

    5.0(2 reviews)
    0.7 km
    $$

    My new favourite local eatery…read more Oozing with charm and tranquility, St Margaret's Cafe is a perfect way to unwind with a stunning garden outlook (I imagine especially so in Spring), warm and inviting service and the food..., the food was just amazing! So good in fact, that I had to have dessert with my breakfast (and I would totally recommend the season fruits with mango sorbet and nut brittle to all).

    A friend of mine recommended this place, and since I was on holiday, a drive out to the Karaka…read morecountryside sounded like a nice lunch excursion. And WOW! Am I glad I made the effort! This place is seriously one of Auckland's hidden gems. The name "Country Cafe" does it no favours. We turned up on a stunning spring Friday, and discovered the most gorgeous country garden setting, complete with lake - St Margarets is apparently such a popular wedding venue during the summer months that Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays are mostly fully booked. I can see why. Entranced by the scenery, we sat down & got just as engrossed in the menu! A delicious selection of salads & more substantial main dishes made it really difficult to choose. We opted for the Chargrilled Smoked Chicken & Candied Walnut Salad with potato & bacon & dressed with maple aioli, as well as the Oriental Sticky Slow-Cooked Pork Belly Sandwich with salad & spiced pineapple chutney. I learnt a while ago never to go past pork belly on a menu, and I haven't been disappointed yet. Both meals were stunning - visually gorgeous & utterly delicious. Well worth the drive, and with such picturesque surroundings to walk off your meal, you can bet I'll be making the drive again.

    Photos
    St Margarets Country Cafe - Eggs benedict with Salmon, 100% yum.

    Eggs benedict with Salmon, 100% yum.

    St Margarets Country Cafe - The seasonal fruits with mango sorbet 'dessert' (I think it works equally well as a 2nd breakfast)

    The seasonal fruits with mango sorbet 'dessert' (I think it works equally well as a 2nd breakfast)

    St Margarets Country Cafe - Oriental sticky slow-cooked pork belly sandwich with spiced pineapple chutney.

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    Oriental sticky slow-cooked pork belly sandwich with spiced pineapple chutney.

    Ciao Bella - Potted plants. So rustic and cute!!

    Ciao Bella

    4.0(3 reviews)
    14.2 km
    $$

    OMG. I love this place!!! It is so cute. We came here yesterday when it was pouring down. Not that…read moremany people inside. They sell lots of different products that you would not often see in central Auckland. I think the guy serving everyone had had a rough day as he didn't seem very cheery. Service was still good though but a happy face would have made it top notch. I ordered a soy hot chocolate which was yum but I guess you can't really mess that up. He had a long black which was made very well. I ordered the curry of the day (Thai chicken) and it was ok, I have had better as the chicken was dry and the courgette flavour was strong, quite fusion. He had their big breakfast which apparently was a lot nicer than any other one he had back in Auckland. I thought they are all the same hahaha. When leaving was I tempted to try their cabinet food so I got a cheesecake brownie and a strawberry brownie to take away. LOVED IT. He usually doesn't like sweet food (like most guys) but he loved it too! Kitchen closes at 2.30pm but cabinet food goes until close. I would highly recommend this cafe and then you could stop by clevedon coast oysters before or after = perfect day

    So you've gone on your country drive down south and you're feeling parched. Perhaps you are on the…read morehunt for fresh veges, fruit or a jar of jam? Well, Ciao Bella has both a nice, homey looking country cafe with an Italian twist, as well as all your farmer's market needs. They hold the Italian Country Market here every weekend, but don't hesitate to venture here another day. They also have the most amazing bathroom, covered in multi-coloured tiles. Feels like an acid trip from the 60s. Basically, it's a breath of fresh air on your journey to Clevedon or beyond.

    Photos
    Ciao Bella - Menu

    Menu

    Ciao Bella - Fresh potted flowers on each table

    Fresh potted flowers on each table

    Ciao Bella - Entrance

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    Entrance

    Kowhai Cafe

    Kowhai Cafe

    3.3(4 reviews)
    16.1 kmMangere
    $

    A throughly bad experience, the cleanliness of this cafe is horrendous, windows, filthy, dust and…read moregrime visible on walls and ceiling. My coffee wasn't great either, burnt I will not be returning, absolutely terrible.

    This place is a complete GEM in a bit of a food desert. It happens to be located right by my…read moreoffice, and is worth forgetting my lunch for the chance to see what's on offer and bask in the loveliness of the place. It is like having lunch at your cool aunt's place. Homestyle fabulous! Compared to the other options nearby, this sunny little glass front cafe is a little piece of heaven. The ladies who own it are super friendly, and say hello by name whenever I stop by. They do fabulous catering, and their morning tea is to die for (warm just baked cheese scones.... savory tarts with cumin and kumera... excuse me, I'm drooling...) At lunch time they always have an assortment of interesting and healthy salads -- tons of vegetarian options, and you can mix and match as many as you want in a container. One of my favorite options of late is the spicy eggplant. It's half an eggplant that's been roasted, scooped out, mixed up with spices and whatnot, and put back in the skin. I LOVE eggplant, and this is as good as it gets!!! I always find it hard to resist their beautiful cakes. I tend to buy a slice with the idea of bringing it home to share with my husband for dinner, but sometime around my afternoon tea I end up starting to sample it. I've had the carrot cake, which was delicious, and another lemon cake thingy which was also to die for. Check out their Facebook page where they advertise their salads and other goodies for the day! Worth a trip out if you're trekking around Mangere domain, or on your way back from an airport pickup!

    Photos
    Kowhai Cafe - Inside

    Inside

    Kowhai Cafe - Good kiwi food, great staff, fabulous service, wonderful selection of foods.

    Good kiwi food, great staff, fabulous service, wonderful selection of foods.

    Kowhai Cafe - Eggs Benedict and an Americano!

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    Eggs Benedict and an Americano!

    Cafe Palazzo - Quesadilla

    Cafe Palazzo

    3.7(3 reviews)
    4.9 km
    $$

    Less than 2 mins from the Drury motorway on ramp, and yet it has a rural, quiet feel. This place is…read morea fantastic stop for brunch on the weekend. We go here on our way up to the city from Waiuku. The food is amazing, both off the menu and in the cabinet. Their cakes are fantastic! With many flavours to choose from. I'm always tempted to ditch the brunch idea and go straight to cake! We have enjoyed their cooked breakfasts with great coffee and iced chocolates. I hear great things about their hot chocolate too! I think this place has few reviews because the locals want to keep it hidden all to themselves, and I understand why. The cafe area is spacious with nice decor. Being part of the garden centre, sitting outside is also a pretty option surrounded by plants. Check this hidden gem out! You won't be disappointed :)

    I am almost loath to write a review because I want to keep this place a secret. It has had some…read morechanges in ownership and at one stage was part of the neighbouring garden centre. It may well still be, but a new broom has swept through because it has definitely improved. From the exterior Cafe Palazzo appears to be a shabby red farm shed with car parks. Enter through the gates and be welcomed by a lovely rustic courtyard with outdoor seating, tables and shrubbery. Inside is the spacious cafe where art adorns the walls. A sign asks patrons to order at the counter but on my two most recent visits a friendly "maitre d" of sorts has proffered a menu and directed us to a table - last week we were even waited on. Phwoar... getting flash in Drury! The menu has a good selection of the usual breakfast suspects, eggs any way, pancakes, etc and tantalising dishes like Smoked Salmon scrambled with feta, mushrooms, salsa, and avocado. Serious carnivores are tempted with Lamb's Fry with brown onion sauce and Foccacia or Sauteed Kidneys with a Port Wine Sauce. Lunch features soups, salads, burgers, fritters, pasta, nachos, and a quesadilla tortilla. For those not wanting a huge meal there is a cabinet to the left of the counter with croissants, samosas and wraps from memory, however they seem to point customers to the menu for obvious reasons. The Caesar Salad is highly recommended, one of the nicest I have had. The coffee was good but could have been a tad larger. They cater for large groups, vegetarians and children and they are licensed with a nice range of wines, and beer and cider on tap. The service can be a little slow, however I guess they are probably run off their feet at times since it is one of the only decent cafes for miles. This cafe caters for weddings and parties and would be a fabulous venue for a function. Next time you're headed south and have an hour up your sleeve, take the Drury turnoff, head west and you are literally only a minute away from Cafe Palazzo. See you there!

    Photos
    Cafe Palazzo
    Cafe Palazzo
    Cafe Palazzo - Seafood fettuccine

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    Seafood fettuccine

    Karaka General Store and Cafe - cafes - Updated May 2026

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