The cafe is all part of the blueberry orchard which is the main reason why people come here.I give…read moreit top marks as is a great way to get out of the city, get some fresh air , form of exercise though light and get blueberries for a real cheap price compared to in the shops. Only $10 per kg, and is only a short drive from Auckland on the road to Thames. And of course there is the café where you can sample a selection of blueberry delights and just relax after picking. You can pick for as long as you want, eat them while you are doing so and their hours are quite long during the season. in the café there is a good selection of blueberry delights including cakes, smoothies, ice cream and you can buy more blueberries as well as those you picked. They do also have available sandwiches and paninis. We sampled the blueberry and white chocolate cheesecake......delicious ...and a blueberry smoothie. Nice!!! Can highly recommend to anyone who likes the blueberries, wants some nice relaxing activity and to get out in the sun for a while and eat as much as they want while doing so.

Great place for a quick stop with tasty breakfast and what looks to be a good lunch. Full coffee…read morebar and great seating outside and indoors! If your traveling on this road consider stopping for a coffee or a bite to eat! Nice and friendly staff!

A quirky cafe. The menu is fairly standard but we chose cabinet fare as we wanted quick and…read moresmallish. Also we were curious to try a couple. Mr had the focaccia melt with meatloaf and Mrs the tarakihi turnover. The coffee came very quickly and the meals not far behind. Both were heated and served with salad. The meatloaf sandwich was deemed very nice. The bread was tasty. The fish calzone was unusual for including tomato and beans but it all worked surprisingly well. A fun selection of gifts for sale and reading glasses to borrow in case you have forgotten yours made a nice experience.

Nice setting with large interior, coveted balcony and lovely garden area. Right on the main read…read morenext to Alexandra Hotel and Five Stags restaurant. With the awning around the balcony down it looked closed and sign hard to see. Worth stopping to make sure. Very bubbly friendly staff. Delicious banana and fudge muffin and good coffee, but could have been hotter. Recommend it as a good stop off. Opposite is the small heritage and visitors centre. And just along the road is a walkway down to and looping back along the river (45 mins) taking in the remains of the Redoubt (fort)

On our way from Karuma to Waitomo, we stopped for breakfast in Pirongia on Franklin road…read more We tried the first roadside cafe, we came upon (don't remember the name), but we weren't impressed with the menu or the seating. It was only then that we noticed "the Nest" next door. Not a very attractive building, we would have easily overlooked it and we were hesitating to enter. But once inside, we were pleasantly surprised by the cheerful, slightly hipster vibe. The seating areas with ample room for small and bigger groups, comfy chairs and couches for having espressos and a pleasant sunroom. There even appeared to be some kind of picnic area complete with blankets and so on. We ordered our food at the counter and then seated ourselves in the sunroom. With the decor between antique, vintage and eclectic, the statement piece was definitely the giant antique copper / brass espresso machine by Elektra. A real beauty that I wouldn't mind owning myself. The business owner himself served at the counter and was good for conversation and interested in his customers. My husband ordered the scrambled eggs and I had the poached egg with avocado and the most delicious hashbrowns I have ever had. We both had capucinos too. The only thing I would have liked to see is a little more generous servings of bread. Maybe 2 slices per person instead of one. But, I have to say that when my husband asked for extra bread, the owner didn't charge him for it. The breakfast was served on warm plates (YES!!!!), tastefully plated, capucinos presented with coffee art. Both eggs and bread fresh and flavorful. We wanted to come back here the next morning, before driving back to Auckland to catch our flight, but why oh why weren't you open yet at 8 AM??? I had so much looked forward to a repeat of the day before, but alas, it was not in the cards..... Perfect breakfast place!

I went here for brunch. I ordered a Latte and the French toast. That latte was really good. It was…read morenice and creamy and had a nice foam design on top. The French toast was great. It was soft and fluffy. It came with a whole fried banana and huge bacon slices. There was a couple apple and orange slices on the side. Staff were really friendly. Service was really fast. There was indoor and outdoor seating. They have a small car park in front. The outdoor seating is dog friendly.

A very cute cafe in New Zealand with a very welcoming staff, good quality food, and beverages…read more Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area, kid friendly, and easy parking.

The cafe has a wonderful selection of food that pairs well with any coffee. The service was very…read morekind and welcoming. The ambiance is what sets this place apart, a great outdoor sitting area with plenty of space.

When our car started smoking on the highway, this cafe was a very welcome sight. The cafe is big,…read morewith a nice outdoor sitting area. They have a large variety of food, from pies to salads, sandwiches and desserts. We had the delicious carrot cake and a strawberry rhubarb pie. The staff is super friendly and helped us with our car. Consider me a fan.

I was looking at previous reviews and looks like they have upgraded the area. It was an…read moreunexpectedly nice stop on our way to Coromandel. We just wanted coffee for the ride but ended up exploring the place because it was visually aesthetic and there was so much to look at. Their coffee did not disappoint either! My husband, who has not heard about lamingtons was pleasantly surprised about its taste and how perfectly it goes with coffee. Don't miss on this stop if you're in the area. You won't regret it!

Wow. My partner and…read moreI stopped here whilst driving down to the mother in law's place in Katikati. I'll be honest here - as a resident of Melbourne, I think that this little place actually blows a fair amount of Melbournian cafes out of the water. It doesn't look like much from the highway, and we only stopped here because it was later in the afternoon and it was the only open cafe we found. We went in expecting stale scones and passable coffee and boy, were we ever surprised! Aesthetically, this cafe gorgeous. Filled with goods from local vendors, it seems like an ideal place to pick up flowers, artisan foods and even furniture made by the local school. They had a delightful display of cookies, scones, pies, sandwiches and salads, but also a full menu including all day breakfast and everything you'd expect from lunch. We ended up ordering some coffees, juice, cookies and scones, as we didn't want to spoil dinner. The coffee was great - hot and perfect. We sat outside undercover and even though it's on the side of a highway, the place is oddly serene. The shortbread cookie I ordered was pretty good, not too sweet but really hit the spot. My partner, who is a chef, said that they were by far some of the best scones he's ever had, and wanted the recipe. I wish that we could have tried something from the hot food menu! As we were leaving we noticed that there was a chalkboard displaying that they were a finalist in NZ restaurant of the year, which after eating there wasn't surprising in the slightest. If you're driving south from Auckland, make this the place you stop.

This neighborhood eatery is owned by the folks who run the Night Owl Restaurant, Owl's Nest Motel,…read moreand some other local businesses...I think they pretty much own the entire of 400? Regardless of the near monopoly, the Fat Pigeon serves up wonderful meals and bakes up perfect pastries...all for very reasonable prices. $21 Fat Pigeon breakfast $2: eggs cooked the way you like, crispy bacon, breakfast sausages, mushies, fried potatoes, roasted tomato & toasted ciabatta...a Hobbit's perfect breakfast $18 Bacon Banana Waffle Tower...a true tower representing breakfast! $21 Green lip mussels: savory steamed mussels in a delicious chorizo & tomato sauce, and garlic ciabatta...go good! We enjoyed some other divine dishes as well..be sure to eat here if you're nearby!

Still great. Friendly staff. Excellent array of food. Lamination especially good and beautifully…read morepresented.

Quaint little cafe off the beaten track but worth a stop on a sunny day. Great outdoor area to sit…read morein the sun and enjoy a cold beer/wine or some food. Food is tasty and their homemade bread is fresh, beers are cold and the atmosphere is relaxed. Apparently there is live music on Sunday afternoons. Don't let the quiet nature of Paengaroa put you off - this cafe isba great find for a bite to eat or a relaxed drink. There's also a small craft shop inside.