Far far away in Henderson, a café is hidden somewhere off a cul-de-sac, and down a small road…read morerunning alongside the train track. The café in question here is Coffee Studio, located amidst the character buildings of the Corban Estate Arts Centre. Arriving 2pm, we were just too late to order from the main menu (the usual café options), but we were happy with their counter offerings. The vegetable frittata ($11.50), served with a root vegetable and blue cheese salad, arrived on a bright blue plate but the food itself was also full of colour: golden frittata, and vibrant reds and oranges dominating the salad. Though not outstanding, it was tasty and a satisfying potion. The carrot cake ($4.50) was a great accompaniment to a strong cup of cappuccino ($4). Personally I felt the cake on the dry side but the dollop of cream helped to offset this. The brownie ($4) was the unanimous favourite of the afternoon; a decadent delight that was incredibly chocolatey and slightly moist in the middle. The café's styling is worthy of mention: a small studio building decked out with chic art and retro furnishings inside, and vintage swivel seating outside. I also liked the handwritten chalkboard menu and the fact that all the food was garnished with a sprig of lavender (lavender shrubs everywhere surrounding the café!). Personal touches fully reflective of the bubbly team and the cosy, welcoming atmosphere. The food was solid, though probably not worth a drive halfway across town for. But if you're in the area, Coffee Studio is a nice stop to grab brunch, or a much craved coffee-and-cake energy boost.

This place is trult a hidden gem, who would've thought that such an amazing cafe would exist in…read moreHenderson. One day a friend and I decided we needed to take a walk and catch up on what was happening in our lives. On our walk we walked in the park then decided to walk through Corban Estate. We came to Coffee Studio and I was in love. The cafe had these amazing ceramic vases on the tables. I wanted to borrow the vases for my room but I couldn't. When we decided to walk into the cafe we were taken back to an era that we weren't born in. The place had a rustic feel to it. I ordered the best mango smoothie in Auckland. It was made with an actual mango and fresh ingredients before my eyes.

After reading all the reviews, we finally tried it and have become huge fans! If your a real coffee…read morelover, give this place a go. It is quite small so there is usually a line out the door and is quite busy in the mornings. We get the usual strong flat whites and they are to die for. Open 7 days a week is a bonus! Need your coffee fix to start the day off with a BANG? Definitely worth going out of your way!

Love this place, probably the best coffee in West Auckland. Many options for blends of coffee,…read morewould recommend rapture or organic as they are balanced and smooth. Road runner blend is very strong, I love a good strong coffee but this blend is too bitter for me although my partner loves it. Each barista is a bit different so sometimes my Mocha is lacking in chocolate, you end up waiting a bit too long (usually after a customer orders 8 coffees) or you end up repeating what your order is about 5 times. Opening hours aren't concrete, many times they open later than stated which is unfortunate. They now serve food which is very delicious, would recommend.

I had heard good things about the Little Sister Café so we decided to check out the place. I got…read moreexcited seeing the menu because of the Asian influence in their offering. The sound of steaming hot Vietnamese or Balinese cuisine literally launched me in to the driver's seat. I had Hanoi Rocks & the Venetian Dark Chocolate Tartlet. Hanoi Rocks was a rice flour crepe/pancake that was served with cooked greens in a steaming broth. It was comfort food but is it a breakfast dish l, I'm not sure about that. It was a fairly big portion, sumptuous; hearty and delicious. The Venetian Dark Chocolate Tartlet - now that was visually appealing. Small tart sizes with a gooey dark chocolate ganache with pistachio praline crumbled over it. My hubby had the Agria hash, Eggs Benedict with Lemon Hollandaise sauce and Greens. It was a carbfest and yummy. The pesto oil garnish did nothing to lift the flavour but definitely added a visual treat to the eyes. And he ordered a blueberry and sour cream cake/muffin. It tasted good but there was no wow to it. And I couldn't get a picture of it coz hubby dearest was already half way into it. Now for the flat whites. I personally thought it was not in the league of the best but still a pretty decent cup of Joe, but my hubby said he thought it was as bad as the coffee we had at Sierra café. I love cafés that offer Wifi keeping with the latest trends. So a big tick from me for that. Pleasant service overall but they lose it if it's the rush hour. I get that it can be overwhelming but it irks me when orders are mixed up. I don't mind the wait so long as you get it right. They got our sweet orders mixed up. And clearing tables after a customer vacates is a bit slack. But the service proved more effective once the crowd started weaning off. My Hanoi Rocks took time to come to my table. However this really nice Asian waitstaff was epic with his service, checking on my order and giving me a status update. I guess they have the makings of a good café to give them due credit but a fair bit to improve on. Suggestion to hand out menu cards for customers. Big queues with the menu not accessible with nothing else to view but the Black board on the wall and the display. People want to ponder over what they want to eat at a cafe with so much variety. We had to wait until we got to the counter to view the cooked menu but had they had menu cards or a designated space for viewing menu it reduces the pile up especially during the rush hour. On the whole an exciting menu with a superb variety. They are a mixed bag with some wows and some not so much. Will I be back! Yes, to try out the other interesting dishes on the menu. Until then I reserve my judgment.

Little Sister is a fairly new addition to Henderson. With ex-Sweetie and Salvation Kitchen owners…read moreat the helm, it's got to be good. To be honest, I'm relying on a Viva article for the second part of that statement, because I only went to Salvation Kitchen post-sale and the coffee was bloody awful. Don't go. Sweetie, on the other hand, was lovely and just like Little Sister, its counter-top teaming with sugary treats - like a goddamn Willy Wonka scene. Impossible to resist. My husband had arrived on the hideously early flight from San Francisco last week (yes, he came bearing gifts, and the gifts he did not manage to secure I promptly ordered online), where he was hungry and in desperate need of New Zealand milk, coffee and more importantly, eggs! Given that Little Sister is only open weekdays, this was the perfect chance to #supportlocal and head somewhere I had been dying to try out. First problem: check the bloody details, Vanessa. Little Sister does not open till 7.30am. I had assumed 7am, so we hung out in the car park for 15 minutes like losers. There's lots of parking, with very definite 'Little Sister' named spots, so unless you're absolutely blind, it's quite clear where to park up. The morning menu was quite brief, and I wasn't offered another one to check out what they offer for lunch. That's not to say I'm offended by brevity, quite the opposite. As you may have noticed, I get terrible FOMO so I appreciate obvious choices. My morning meal was therefore a hearty one - pork and fennel sausage, perfectly crisp bacon, slow cooked tomatoes with just the right amount of sweet and tart, a wonderfully spiced (yes, spiced!) potato and carrot rosti, a very large mushroom that had been bathed (and appropriately drained, leaving the sticky and tangy remnants) in balsamic vinegar, and two glorious eggs with the most vibrant orange yolk. And, of course, a knock-out latte to wash it all down.

Huge chunks of Chocolate Brownie and generous slices of Lemon Tart for $4. You would be hard…read morepressed to find prices matched to portions like this in Auckland City, bordering on the impossible. In all honesty, I was surprised to find such a open spaced, clean and good looking café in Henderson (and outside of it's Westfield mall). While the coffee is average, the prices are a refreshing change to what you come to expect in the CBD. Wide windows are splayed open to the sun, the TV chatters the morning news over the ample amount of seating. Mydonose could easily fit in as a café in the city or in Newmarket. All I can deduce from the name though, is that it is a bastardization of the Turkish word for "parsley".

This cafe is a popular choice by my husband and his workmates who are situated nearby. It has a…read morecontemporary look but an old fashioned, laid back atmosphere, and prices! The coffee is also one of the best you can get around this shopping district, with just a few close contenders nearby. It is great to see more like this in Henderson, it lifts the place up and feels more inviting. The Westfield Mall is super close by, but I prefer to grab my coffee break from here in between all that consumer purchasing! I haven't tried their meals (yet) but I am aware they do breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus you can eat indoors or out and apparently these guys also own/run Mozaic kebab. They are on Facebook too, worth checking them out if you haven't done so already.

Great food and service. Menu caters for gluten-free and vegetarian options available with a…read moreseparate kids menu. The food is very well presented with good size portions that's ideal for breakfast/brunch and lunch. My partner is coeliac as well as gluten-free and this is one of the few places she enjoys eating at. It doesn't have an online menu which would be helpful, the place would benefit with expanding to accomodate the growing customers. There are sufficient number of staff members and they are very courteous.

Who knew one of the best cafes would be inside a plant shop. This is one of my favorite places that…read moremy friends in NZ frequent, kid friendly too with a play area. The food and drinks are always fresh, the staff are so lovely. They offer a punch-card if you're a frequent customer for a free drink after 10 visits I think. I hope to return one day! Miss you Kings!

Muffin always really nice. Staff are always nice to me. Would recommend this if you want a nice…read morelittle muffin and drink combo.

Pros: Food is ok, at least the chicken and asparagus quiche was. Very attentive and cheerful…read morestaff. Cons: Coffee only average strength. Had to send the quiche back for reheating despite asking for it to be well heated when I ordered, and it was still only luke warm in parts. (food outlets in general don't pay enough attention to this - it's especially important with stuff containing chicken).

Café Cucina, of Coffee Kitchen, looks discouraging in the morning. Any café that only has it's…read moredoors slightly ajar at 9 am is going to look uninviting and start on the back-foot. But being along Henderson's main stretch of homeless/ hooligan territory, maybe Café Cucina has a well thought out plan. The café provides a quiet reprieve from the West Auckland suburb and a place to relax for a morning coffee. My coffee even came with a smile, a crumb of poppy seed biscotti and an ash tray- all without asking. That little bit of extra service in a clean and attractive venue makes for an enjoyable café. There are always ways a café can improve but Café Cucina are defiantly making an effort to provide a coffee retreat and helping to raise the bar of businesses in Henderson.

I admit when I went to The Falls recently for breakfast, I had no idea it was an award-winning…read morerestaurant. I just thought it was a cute old building on the edge of a nice reserve. Though this is true, it wasn't until I told my boyfriend I'd been there that I learnt it is famous. Having won awards for their quality meat and presentation, as well as peoples' choice awards including the 'Gold Plate' in 2012, The Falls is known to the majority of West Aucklanders as the best place to eat. I'm not sure if I would go quite so far as to say it was my best meal ever, but I did really enjoy my experience at The Falls. I sat out in the newly renovated courtyard with a pot of tea and a ham cheese and tomato omelette. The ambience was lovely, the wait-service was brilliant and the food was delicious - what more could you ask for? Tip: The Falls also caters for large groups and business meetings, and though I cannot say this from personal experience, I believe they would do a brilliant job at hosting such events and can't imagine anyone being disappointed with the food or the service.

My partner and I decided to go out for breakfast at The Falls Restaurant on a Sunday a few weeks…read moreago. When we arrived they had the option to sit inside and outside, so we decided to sit outside as the sun was out and it was a beautiful day. The falls had an overall great atmosphere with a friendly staff, putting me in a good mood. My partner ordered the Bacon & Eggs for $15.90 and I ordered the French toast for $17.00 and we both got mochaccinos for $4.60. We both found the food to be delicious and were extremely satisfied with our meals, beverages and overall price of our breakfast. I will definitely be back again.

Hmmmmm......Four stars or five? It is getting close to five, Four and a half it is, and the half…read moremissing is only because of the chicken wrap that was a bit soggy... Corban Estate Arts Centre had been on my radar for a while to go visit, so earlier this week I made a lunch date with my husband at this cafe. I didn't quite know what to expect, from the cafe, not the date, as it doesn't really give much of a clue from the website or brochures, but I was very pleased to see, taste and purchase some great brunch fair for the two of us. Hubby bought the 'big brekkie' which came out with even more than we expected - get this - free range eggs on sough dough bread, ample marinated mushrooms, a super tasty (home-made?) hash brown with a touch of mustard, cooked tomato, pumpkin AND eggplant! He only just managed to eat it all with a bit of help from me; it is the best eat-in breakfast or brunch in Henderson! And If I recall correctly that meal was under $20. I got the cajun chicken wrap, also very yummy, but a bit watery which made it a tad soggy. My coffee was super duper, hubby indicated that his was only a-ok, which between us probably implies it wasn't quite strong enough. But I loved it! Now, moving on to the decor, that gets five stars for sure! Retro funk all out, bar stools, original art on the walls, and lovely, lovely wall paper. The guy serving was friendly and tried his best to be calm under a mini rush of people that entered at the same time as us (secrets out?). I also give this place five stars for not succumbing to the world of coca cola for sales - they had alternatives that are much more ethical, thankyou.