Fuel for the Soul Before the Summit…read more We stopped into Vanessa's Cottage Café in search of a quick bite and a caffeine fix before the 3-hour drive to Mt. Cook, but the moment we stepped inside, we were swept away by the warm, nostalgic aroma of pot pies, quiche, brownies, and fudge. Our caffeine cravings were quickly replaced by pure sensory bliss. The meat pies were sadly sold out (clearly a local favorite!), so we went with the gluten-free bacon, onion & cheese quiche, and WOW. Buttery, flavorful, and melt-in-your-mouth perfect. You could taste the care (and the cheese) baked into every bite. Then came the sweet temptations. The dessert case is beautifully displayed and gave me the sense that this is where Vanessa's heart truly shines. We grabbed a chocolate chunk brownie and a blueberry banana dark chocolate muffin to-go, and both were absolutely divine. Moist, rich, and perfectly balanced. For coffee, we ordered a long black, a double shot of espresso with hot water (think a bolder Americano). The beans were decent - not the star of the show, but more than good enough to sip alongside all the baked goodness. If you're heading toward the mountains, make this your fuel stop. Stock up on real, homemade food that feeds both your body and your spirit. Vanessa's isn't just a café...it's a cottage full of comfort, care, and culinary charm. Safe travels and we'll see you down the road! MLA

It was great and must be good most of to PD was there for breakfast. Coffee comes in a soup cup so…read morebe prepared.

Cute little place to stop for breakfast. A variety of sweat and salty pastries, pies, frittata for…read moreeveryone. Friendly staff and great wifi. Recommend the vegetable roast frittata and fudge which goes nicely with a big mug of coffee or glass of fresh juice.

Easily the best coffee in Oamaru and with very good baked goods too. The coffee is roasted on-site…read moreby the owners and is made just perfectly. The perfect stop for a light breakfast (the date scones are amazing, as are the brioche) or lunch (great sandwiches and salads, and soups during the cold season). Highly recommended!!

Great breakfast. We stopped in on the route from Dunedin to Christchurch. Nice little cafe, with…read morea great menu. We had the French Toast and Eggs Benedict. Each was a bit different than typical, with interesting local ingredients.

Oamaru has several very good cafes but I really like this one. Great coffee and breakfast with…read moretheir own house hot smoked salmon. Friendly staff to top it off.

Best breakfast I have had in this South Island trip with poached eggs, halloumi, grilled mushrooms…read moreand tomatoes!!

My friends and I stopped by this town to rest up and bit. We walked into this cafe for a coffee and…read morewifi and we got just that. The coffees were great and I ordered the most delicious mocha I've had in NZ. The presentation was beautiful and pricing was good too. The cafe turns into a bar-like area at night and place looks a bit rustic but quality seems pretty good to me. For wifi, just ask the barista and they'll give you a slip of paper with the password. Regarding service, this lady barista (I never got her name) was so considerate that we were from out of town and helped us with the wifi and giving us suggestions on what to order. I don't know how this cafe is normally, but at 5PM on a Monday, we were the only customers there. But all in all, if I ever find myself in Oamaru again, I'll definitely hit this place up for a good cup of Joe.

We chose this cafe for breakfast and were absolutely delighted. New owners haver recently taken…read moreover and are doing everything right. The food was excellent, reasonably priced, the service was outstanding. Definitely recommend and we will be back. Personal recommendation: The Real Deal Breakfast. Eggs, mushrooms, sausage, hash browns, tomatoe, etc. Superb

overpriced for what you get, not a very welcoming atmosphere, alleged wifi that never connected in…read moreour 45 minutes there. food also took a really long time for a basic bowl of soup and a whitebait sandwich (which was simply fish dipped in egg on cheap white bread)

My favorite place in Oamaru 5 years ago. Back today for more. Love love love it and they're busy as…read moreusual.

pretty average, will do if you need somewhere to pop in but it seems as though they have had the…read moresame food menu for years and years

Great Little Cafe!…read more Great little Cafe by the sea with lovely views and amazing children playground next door. Lovely friendly owner. Wonderful coffee and toasted sandwiches. Beautiful setting to watch the world go by.