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    Mary's Cafe

    4.2 (13 reviews)
    ModerateCafes
    Open 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Mary's Cafe Photos

    MARY'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Mary's Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    In the ol' fire station
    Alex D.

    Mary's gets major points for décor and style. It's housed in the old fire station just off College Hill, which is a super cool building with these big semi-circle windows. There's also a beautiful courtyard out back lined with trees that look like maples. As for the menu, it's extensive. It took about 3 trips from the waitress until we had managed to have a good look and decide. I went for the power salad of avocado, 'shrooms, tomato, rocket, haloumi & a poached egg. Not surprisingly, it was pretty boring. Each element was served separately on the plate - deconstructed, if you will. I felt like a kid who had been served up breakfast on one of those partitioned plates. It was definitely super fresh but at the same time was something I could've whipped up at home in 10mins. I did leave feeling ready to power through an afternoon of work though, so there's that. I'd happily head back to Mary's to try some of their more exciting sounding dishes. It's a cool space and the staff are lovely!

    Hailey R.

    This is the best brunch I think I've ever had in Auckland - I had the bruschetta with Avo and poached egg and holindaise with a side of bacon- the holindaise was home made with a citrus flavour and was delicious - amazing bacon too and very generous portions Lovely sunny courtyard at the rear

    Melissa F.

    Mary's was a full-house again today - all tables filled with brunchers, walkers, locals & foodies. Previously, I've had a few take-out Allpress triple shot coffees along with (counter food) scrummy bacon-and-egg baps to go. Today we decided to sit-in & sample the 'much reviewed & raved about' Mary's! Service was exceptional with attentive staff taking coffee orders quickly followed by menu requests. I decided on the healthy option: old-school porridge with coconut, banana, brown sugar & cream and it was stunning. My friend had traditional scrambled eggs, along with mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes and thoroughly enjoyed. As the place was extremely busy, there was a slight wait on the coffee. There is an outdoor area at the front & back of the cafe, which is gorgeous to sit, when the sun is beaming down, whatever the season. Mary's is open 7 days and is located opposite Leys Institute (Ponsonby Library).

    Yummy tofu- Haloumi open sandwich, happy attentive staff, beautiful ambience in the old Fire Station - So Ponsonby !

    Yummy food, happy attentive staff, beautiful ambience in historic Ponsonby Fire Station

    Mary's version of Croque Monsieur.
    Sandra K.

    Set in an old brick fire station, just off Ponsonby's main shopping strip. Beautiful arched windows in the front. Lots of seating options, Allpress coffee, cabinet food and a brunch/lunch menu. We were a large group, so ordered a variety of things. Some were good value and pretty much what you expected, but I was disappointed with mine. First rule of ordering, stick with your first choice. I had originally wanted the French toast, but opted instead for the Croque Monsieur. There was a twice baked cheese soufflé and steak frites on the menu so I had visions of an authentic grilled cheese and ham sandwich just like I'd tucked into in France. It was more like a triple decker cheese and ham toastie using sliced brioche. My fellow diners declared the soufflé delicious, along with the schnitzel sandwich, the tofu and haloumi sandwich with its 'swirl' of avocado, and the mushrooms and eggs looked pretty good too.

    Red Nose Day on a plate - or following one
    Hiran T.

    Mary's a traditional kind of girl, but she likes to spice things up every now and then. Just try her tasty Shakshuka and you'll find out! From the proprietors of Grey Lynn's Jafa cafe, Newtown's Benediction cafe and Remuera's Shore Road cafe comes the new kid on the Ponsonby block. She is mostly dressed in the standard uniform of brunch-time fare such as french toast with bacon, poached and scrambled eggs. Although she brings some of her well known old school values (such as black sticky rice with fruit and coconut) with her, she also has a few new tricks up her sleeve including the red flannel hash with gourmet potatoes, chorizo, onion and poached egg. There's an array of slices and muffins from the cabinet and a selection of freshly squeezed juices or Allpress coffee with which to wash it all down. All in all, it's a reasonably predictable set of offerings and there's something for everyone on her menu. Mary's greater for those who prefer familiarity than those in search of something different. The quality of her product cannot be faulted. More than a one night stand, I predict that Mary's likely to have you coming back for more.

    Power salad

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    Review Highlights - Mary's Cafe

    Two thumbs up for the red flannel hash and the avo bruschetta.

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    Dirty Laundry - Open kitchen area of Dirty Laundry

    Dirty Laundry

    4.0(6 reviews)
    1.9 kmViaduct

    I had read this was a new hot spot in town and my husband and I decided to give it a try! We went…read morefor an early dinner and there was 1 other table seated. Our server was super sweet and attentive until we placed our orders. We never saw her again, no mention she was leaving for the day (I could see her inside on her cell phone and changed with a backpack). Our food was delivered and the other server didn't seem to notice (or care) that our water glasses were empty, as I found out that she too were on her way out of work. We didn't get water refills until the check came, in which is was a third server and then it took probably 2mins for her to run our card because she was busy setting tables and chatting with coworkers. The food here was amazing and filling- large portions, but the Mac n cheese was disappointing. I would give this 4 stars, but due to the fact that the servers are more interested in going home and chatting with coworkers than taking care of their guests (at one point we were the only table in the whole place and still couldn't get a water refill), this place is getting only 2 stars. It's got potential if it gets new staff.

    We had great service. We ordered a dozen oysters and when we asked for something different than the…read morejalapeños, our server ran down the street to get sauce that they use at their sister restaurant. We had no idea that the request would be so difficult to fill, but were quite impressed with the lengths she took to make our meal enjoyable. The rest of our meal was delicious food & great service. I read the previous reviews. I would recommend that give this place another chance.

    Photos
    Dirty Laundry - Additional patio area for Dirty Laundry

    Additional patio area for Dirty Laundry

    Dirty Laundry - Dirty Laundry interior, with American Flag!

    Dirty Laundry interior, with American Flag!

    Dirty Laundry - Inside bar

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    Inside bar

    Mary's Cafe - cafes - Updated May 2026

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