Food is great, the staff is very friendly and helpful. They have few tables outside in the garden.read more

This place is close by where I live so I had high hopes and anticipation early last year when I saw…read morewe were going to finally get something new. Big Beat has been no disappointment. Although the food in the cabinet all looks amazing, it'a also quite expensive. Happily, the menu items are better value for money and we have spent many a post soccer Saturday brunch here. My thing is their Spicy Chai Latte which is so spicy I think it might have chilli in it. The Mince on Toast is also a favourite at our big table out the back and the kids have given the smoothies and muffins the big thumbs up. The people who run this place are really lovely and it has that wonderful neighbourhood cafe feel that this end of Mt Eden/Balmoral has been lacking for so long. Long may it last.

Every 3 months I forage in my wardrobe for items of clothing I no longer wear. Said items are…read morebundled up, put into a rubbish bag and transported to a Clothing Bin, hopefully for use by the many charities that collect and distribute said articles. This is a great way to rid yourself of "last summers" fashion etc, make room for the new, and if these organisations can make a dollar or two from my donation then hoorah for them! On one such excursion I found myself in Onehunga Mall early on a Saturday morning and in dire need of a mocha! I headed to Brick By Brick Cafe, located at the top of the Mall where I knew I could park my car right outside with minimum fuss. Initially I thought the place was closed as at 8.00am the interior was bereft of patronage but as I pressed my nose against the glass door, it opened. I was immediately struck by the most alluring aromas; think freshly baked mouth-watering wares being hauled out of hot ovens by the tray full! Swallowing my drool, I ordered my mocha and pointed to the most delicious looking savoury muffins (still in the baking tray) and asked for one (I had to fight the urge to order all six!) Helping myself to a chilled glass of water, I sat down and began to peruse my surroundings. I've no idea what this building was in its former life but it is a most impressive structure; spacious, cool interiors, large ceiling to floor windows and my seat was a couch, trendy and extremely comfy. My muffin and coffee duly arrived and with the beaming smile from the waiting-person, I was left feeling most welcome and quite at home! The coffee, muffin and chilled water were all superb and the cheerful farewell on my departure, more than warranted the $5 tip I left on the table. My only regret: I didn't order the other 5 muffins. Maybe on my next visit!

We went here on Sunday for a coffee and snack to share. It was very quiet because it was late for…read morelunch but a good number of people dropped in for coffees. I ordered a latte and my partner had a lemon ginger brew. I was so disappointed that I didn't order the brew, it was soo good and refreshing. Will definitely have this next time. We also ordered a BLAT to share. Yum! The bacon was delicious which was a weird experience because i don't usually like the bacon in NZ The whole sandwich was just a great combination of flavours and the bread was light with no heavy full feeling afterwards. It might have helped that we shared the sambo though I would recommend this place. The food is great and the service is so friendly

Thanks yelp for introducing us to such a cute cafe!…read more Cute decor and spacious cafe with both outdoor and indoor seating. My boyfriend and I had the CLT sandwich and chicken stack. Both were good but the stacked chicken was delicious! It was crispy and juicy and came out piping hot. I also had the peanut butter banana smoothie and it was so refreshing. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. Free WiFi as well. Highly recommend!

My lunch was incredible, I had the Fresh BB which had a beautiful appearance and tasted even…read morebetter. The drinks were also unbelievable too, would highly recommend to anyone.

My first time here. Very impressed! Walked in, table's were full so thats a good sign, found a…read morelovely sunny spot by the window at the back after ordering a Hash Stack. A previous review below got me hankering for it. Was not dissapointed. Even though they were busy the staff were very friendly and attentive and the food made it out in lighting quick time! Hash browns looked hand made with great texture, thickness and flavor. Egg was runny and was absorbed well into the 2 fluffy ciabatta pieces of bread. Bacon was crispy but not overcooked and there was enought to have a good chunk with every delicious fork full. If I had any gripe it was only a small one & was with the avocado. Was borderline raw but they can be hard to gauge especially when cooking en volume and under the gun so no points lost there. Will be back here for sure. The list on the menu deserves a good trial & if my first experiance is emulated I am sure this will be good eats!

I work near Tongue and Groove so it's my regular morning coffee joint. The cafe was sold in 2012 so…read moreI was a bit nervous that the quality might suffer as a result. Thankfully the new owners have kept things top notch. They did mix up the menu a little bit, but just offered a new range of great food. They have a regular $10 special salad for lunch, which is great value. In winter they offer a delicious kumara and bacon soup - perfect for a drizzly, cold winter's day. They use Allpress coffee and most of the baristas do a good job. I also try to keep my diet "paleo" so the paleo breakfast for $17 is a great way of having brunch but keeping healthy. Not quite as delicious as an Eggs Benedict, but much better for the waistline.

This is one of my favourite cafes in Auckland! They have a gorgeous little courtyard you can sit…read morein, and quite a bit of space inside. If you choose to sit outside (and I really prefer it), they have fleece blankets to ward off the cold. So cute! There is free wifi, the coffees are really good, and they have a $6 coffee & slice deal. I just tried their waffles for the first time this weekend, and they were so, so good. But very large, so I'd suggest sharing! The waitresses are always lovely and friendly, and they're always playing piano versions of anime songs, which is an adorable quirk. Few things make me happier than good coffee, sweet treats and listening to the My Neighbour Totoro theme song!

One of the few places with wifi available for patrons in Parnell, unless you want to head down to…read moreEsquires and endure their hideous coffee. The internet is fast and works well outside in the courtyard, which is a nice place to sit on a good day (can be a bit breezy though). Good strong hot coffee is on offer, and also a moderately-priced lunch menu available. I didn't get any food, but the girls next to me got a waffle with a huge amount of whipped cream on it with berry sauce, which made me get quite substantial food envy. Nice chilled acoustic music plays in the background, and is quite audible outside as there is an outside speaker. When it is too sunny or raining, they put up a cover over the courtyard, so you can still enjoy your coffee in the atmospheric, cobblestoned space outside without getting too hot or rained on.

We came for breakfast here every day during our stay. Food excellent. Every day they serve a…read moredifferent array of treats. Some savory treats too! WiFi was good. Across from Albert Park, and you can sit outside and see the amazing trees. The most friendly service! When I asked the young man behind the counter, who was the chef, because of the presentation and taste of the brioche they were serving that day, he said, "Oh, I made that. I just make what I like to eat!" Then he told me the recipe! They made our breakfast to order every day with avocado on the side, since we are on a keto diet. Thanks, everybody!

This was a lovely spot we discovered near-ish our hotel. We had breakfast here almost daily on our…read morelast trip. This cafe was consistently fantastic. Food was fast, warm, fresh, and the eggs were always JUST PERFECT, as you can see from the photos. What a great place to start your day.

Wow this place only has a three-star so far?…read more I' m a big fan of this place. Haven't been here in a while; it used to be a favourite place for brunch. I love the interior here, I could sit here forever. They place a good choice of music and the service staff are great. Coffee isn't disappointing.

Nice and cozy for a friendly lunch. Had S.E.B however the bagel is not quite fresh to taste. Enjoy…read morethe cafe and mushroom FILO. Sometimes you have to raise your voice to be heard:)

We went here on a Sunday morning with high expectations of the cafe. It is a long drive from…read moreAuckland CBD - 25 kms, to be exact - so it had better be worth the trip. My wife had the French toast, which she didn't like, and I had the pork sausage. The sausage itself was yummy and the relish was good, but the balance of flavours was ruined by too much rocket leaves. We also shared a cronut: I like cronuts but this one was made cloyingly sweet by a topping of sugar icing. Too bad. Is it me? Are the flavours suited for a different taste? I really wanted to like this place. I'm hoping it was just an off-day. Aside from the food, the service was great. Staff were friendly. Their EFTPOS machine was unavailable so the manager just trusted me to pay later, which I did. Afterwards, we made a quick trip to the nearby market, and drove to the new ferry terminal for a look-see. These extra attractions made the journey nearly worth it.

Catalina is a brilliant licensed cafe and restaurant located in Hobsonville Point out in West…read moreAuckland. I would never have even known it existed if it wasn't for my boyfriend living nearby. And what a shame it would have been to miss out on this little gem! As I tend to do every time I go out for breakfast, when I went to Catalina I ordered the 'big breakfast'. Poached eggs, sausages, tomato, homemade relish, mushrooms, hash browns, crunchy buttery toast - it was the perfect way to start my morning. But what made it even better was the delicious berry smoothie I coupled with it. I highly recommend both these options, and according to my coffee connoisseur of a boyfriend, their coffee is pretty good too. The outdoor area of Catalina is beautiful - really spacious with big umbrellas and a courtyard, it's the perfect place to enjoy breakfast in the morning sun, or even a cold wine in the late afternoon. Tip: Every Saturday and Sunday farmer's markets are held in the park right next to Catalina, where great knick knacks and curios can be purchased for a bargain