My wife and I went to Bodyfuel and had a coffee, a flat White. It's the best Flat White we've had…read moreso far after one week in New Zealand and about 20 well done Flat Whites. From the first sip to the last drop, the balance of well roasted beans and perfectly creamy steamed milk delivered great satisfaction. It's not often that the quality, high quality, of the bean roasting and flavor comes through. The beans were roasted brilliantly for a Flat White, not so dark that that all of the origin flavors are gone, not so light that my face puckered from wild green beans. The coffee flavor was strong, balanced and nicely tempered with perfectly steamed milk. A sign in front of the shop said something like Try our award winning espresso made by our award winning barista. We're very happy we did. Sorry we haven't tried any of the food yet, it looked great.

Amazing menu, fun atmosphere, friendly staff! Great food and priced well. Will definitely go again.read more

We read great reviews for this place so we had to include it as one of our breakfast stops on our…read moretrip. We were here during winter so there wasn't anyone outside, but we did notice their adorable outdoor patio seating with a fenced in yard complete with picnic table. The inside was bright and cheerful with lots of natural lighting from the large windows and fun mint paint. We ordered at the counter while salivating at all of the delicious looking items in their display including fresh creme brulee, regular and gluten free sandwiches, and yummy looking salads. We went for some coffees, a gluten free sandwich, and of course..the creme brulee! Everything came out beautifully presented and tasted delicious. We relaxed and enjoyed our meal before heading off on more adventures. Great place to stop for a coffee and a quick bite.

My husband I drove here to try Spoon and Paddle after seeing the great reviews. BUT, it apparently…read more4-5 years ago according to a local resident.

Lakefront cafe, lots of seating…read more Coffee, brunch, lunch items. Coffee and food were delicious! Try the spinach and mushroom fricasse! You order at the counter and they bring your food to you. Service, so friendly! Parking is easy and right out front.

The food was quite tasty. I love scones so of course I had to get a date scone, which ive never had…read moreso I had to try it! It was quite tasty as well. And the Chi Tea was delicious. The view was amazing which added to the wonderful experience. The service was delightful they were very nice!

Two of us came for breakfast as we were passing through from Napier…read more We both ordered Poached Eggs, Streaky Bacon and Sourdough Toast. Everything was perfect and cooked beautifully. Gave a rare five stars as a cafe. It was busy so a bit noisy but discounted that as it was, afterall, a cafe. The staff were very genuine, warm and friendly.

Amaaaazing food! Avocado toast was super yummy with perfectly poached egg and yummy sourdough…read morebread. Lake Taupo? Bowl with blue coconut milk was absolutely delicious. Became my favorite and I love these kinds of nutritious bowls. The granola was perfect as well. The little nephew loved the blue coconut blend. Cinnamon roll was yum too. Nice outdoor seating with kids toy for play. Hehe cute cafe with delicious food, ample space, and great accommodations for all ages. Would highly recommend and revisit next time I'm in Taupo again!

I felt like I was walking into "Cheers" - where everybody knows your name. This is an almost…read moresuburban cafe just outside of Taupo's main bustle that attracts nearby locals and the odd out-of-town visitor like myself. You'll feel right at home at this funky little cafe serving a generous selection of brunch options with a handful of specials. The Atomic coffee could have been made by a champion barista and the staff were all full of energy and smiles. A nice, independent and cosy spot.

Pretty happy. Food was amazing! It was very tasty and also decent serving sized. The coffee was a…read morelittle bit of a let down. Cappuccino was too frothy (there wasn't a lot of milk) and long black was more of an espresso. But would recommend regardless. Staff were very friendly; they noticed we were tourists and gave us a map and recommended a few places we should see!

I write rather infrequently, but when I do, it is because something was shockingly good or sadly…read moreterrible. Victoria's Kitchen falls in the first category. To begin with, there is Victoria and she is one very special restauranteur. If you dislike personal attention from an owner, you had better leave, because Victoria is going to orchestrate the meal and she will be involved! This no ordinary Cafe; it is an experience and one I will be repeating within two weeks. My wife Denese and I shared the two person steak; well actually we fought over every bite and there are more than enough bites. Victoria's Chef (no cook here) does something magical with this meal and coming from NYC and having owned John Denver's Restaurant, I believe I know a great steak and this was just that! In Taupo, do yourself a favour and meet Victoria, her husband; the Chef and a staff only interested in pleasing you.

Relaxed atmosphere with nice variety of pastries/baked goods and very good coffee. Add pleasant…read morestaff for the win!

Tasty raspberry and white choc muffin today. Coffee good but not great - decaf still a bit weak.read more

Incredibly friendly and sweet staff, lots of indoor and outdoor dining space, and plenty of…read moreappealing sweet and savoury options. The spinach and feta spanakopita was perfect and beautifully plated; the merry berry smoothie wasn't too sweet.

Great breakfast option and also very healthy! I loved the cute little store in the back with…read moredifferent art pieces from local artists. I would have bought some art to bring back to the US if I had space in my bag.

2.75 star overall. I like the vibe that they're going for- hipster meets jungalow meets 80s…read more(music). Addendum from the husband: hurry up and write the review- I wanna forget about this meal as quick as possible (totally wanted to give his two cents). 1. chocolate shake tasted like lukewarm chocolate milk- it wasn't cold enough. The fresh cream was a good topping. 2. Tater tots- crispy, but not enough gravy and cheese. Some of the tots were bare. 3. Fried Chicken sandwich- they forgot to fry it (oops) and it was under seasoned. The white bread used turned into mush from the manhandling and who the hell puts corn kernels in a chicken sandwich? Overall it was a poor execution of food which removes stars this establishment needed.

Friendly service!…read more We walked here from our hotel on the lakefront path. Coffee was great. Gorgeous view, right on Lake Taupo.

Had lunch indoors on a drizzly day…read more The best part about Espresso Cove is the view of Lake Taupo. I thought the layout design was quite smart, maximizing the diners' views of the lake, seen clearly from almost every dining location. We were fortunate to be seated right next to a window, a coveted spot! The food is decent. I tried the eggs benedict with salmon over toast, benedict over potato pancake, as well as the asparagus special. The prices seemed a little high for the portions. The coffee was also pretty good. Service was good. Some of the servers seemed pretty new, but they compensated by being extra attentive, helpful, and friendly, which I appreciated. Parking was not too difficult to find, though a bit of maneuvering is needed to fit right into their spots.

Great vibe, friendly staff, coffee was excellent - some of the best I've run across in NZ so far…read more We ordered a bacon and cheese pasta basket, ham and cheese croissant, and the Wicked Caramel Slice, and would order them again. Highly recommended!

Doesn't look like much when passing by. I stopped out of hunger and had a simple wrap that was…read morepassable at best but it wasn't rancid so I guess that's good.