I have yet to find a good coffee between Tauranga and Auckland. It's a barren wasteland of…read moresuperettes and truck stops (don't even 'Copper Kettle' me). Today I decided to give Waihi township a quick look through. I have to admit - usually we're making this drive at unusual hours, and we're ready to go full throttle and crank some KFC by the time we hit Waihi. But not today! A) because it was 8:30am and B) because I was driving solo and thus not tormented by peer pressure and my innate weakness for chicken. There weren't many places open this early in the morning (on a public holiday, no less). But a few cars were parked outside an unassuming 'German Bakery' on the main drag. I pulled up, stepped past the quaint round tables with checkered cloth that huddled together outside trying not to fall prey to the torrential downpour. I entered the chain-drop curtain thing to find a tidy, warm and wonderfully aromatic bakery. A quick peek behind the counter revealed - tah dah! - an espresso machine. Golden. I ordered a double shot mocha with soy ($6.50 - they charge for soy), and sat down while the lovely German fellow (who had emerged from a back room somewhere at the 'clink' of the chains) prepared my caffeinated dream. While I waited, I read the brief info sheet that lay on every table - it detailed the process of preparing and baking sourdough, and the nutritional benefits of it versus other breads. Though I only wanted coffee, I was now convinced that I needed some sourdough in my life. There was a huge variety of freshly baked loaves, but I decided to be traditional and bought a classic white ($6). The coffee was lovely. Very much better than I usually get on this drive (although the sugar factor was probably at play in this one - will order a flat white next time to double check). I haven't eaten the sourdough yet - I'm saving it for dinner. But if you're heading through Waihi I'd definitely give the German Bakery a look through - it's a neat little find! P.S. My coffee came with a bite of something delicious. I could not begin to tell you what it was, but it appeared to contain nuts and fruits and was fresh from the oven.

Best coffee I have ever tasted and the sourdough breads best ever - so full of flavour and not full…read moreof air, will last for days in pantry, poppy cake lovely too.

Outstanding coffee, hidden down the alleyway, behind the main stores. Island coffee is a mixture of…read moreGeneral Store and chill Coffee House. They had a number of unique coffee accoutrement. Very casual seating is arranged around the store, along with outdoor seating, providing intimate spaces to relax and enjoy the menu of basic espresso beverages.

Waiheke Island Coffee Roasting Company has been producing outstanding, exceptional, superb roasted…read morecoffee beans for quite some time now. It simply is the best and whenever I'm on the island I purchase some, no matter the price tag. Well things just got better because Island Coffee opened up a café in Ostend, behind Out There Surf & Skate and True Blue. My friend and I ordered flat whites here the Saturday we visited the markets. Died and gone to coffee heaven! Delicious! A tiny café but robust coffee and no shortage of customers lining up to order. There were a couple of tables in the café, some casual seating outside and plenty of atmosphere.

Coffee was great. Girl working was playing the best playlist I've heard in Raglan yet. What else…read morecould you want?

A must visit and enjoy the coffee, along with watching the coolest fashion and vibe in #NZ !…read more#Raglan is the #ByronBay of NZ.

We stopped by for breakfast before heading back to Auckland. It's a cute little cafe in Whitianga…read morenear the coast with a small parking lot in front and street parking. The staff here are friendly and nice and the menu made it hard to decide what to order since I wanted to try everything. Along with a breakfast/brunch menu, they also have some strong coffee and other baked goods to check out. The food portion was generous and the food was delicious. We actually had to pack some to go since we couldn't finish everything. Also, it was awesome that they had wifi because our service wasn't very great since we were from a different country. Overall, good food and friendly service.

Stopped by here for Brunch before heading back up to Auckland. I ordered the Smoked Kingfish with…read moreKumara and Potato rosti. The smoked fish had a nice woody flavour but to me it was still rather moist - unlike the smoke fish you get at the fish monger. The rosti itself was well seasoned but I think it could be a little more crispy..

Dig the healthier and different options this place provides. I had the lentils and they were so…read moreflavorful, I'd definitely recommend them. The cornbread was alsoDifferent from the states but good different.

A great little cafe with an awesome menu, delicious coffee, friendly staff and a nice sunny little…read morecourtyard out the back! This is one little cafe you are certain to enjoy!

Wow. I'm a vegan from the San Francisco Bay Area and have visited many of the vegan spots in…read moreOakland, Berkeley, San Francisco and even Portland. This place, although only a few of the options are vegan, is right up there. And if you read my reviews, I don't give that many five star reviews. Like the railway next door, this place is very Coromandel, and you must visit the cafe when you visit the railway. It's very rustic, and not a little bit hippy. The food has immaculate and fancy presentation (flowers, but not pretentious). I had a tempeh wrap, and even though I don't really like tempeh, it was awesome. Also had by my son were some very acceptable pancakes (crepes, if you're reading in American ;-) and my mother had high praise for her burger. If there's only one place you eat in Coromandel, made it here.

Really cute and super hippy-dippy cafe located by the southwestern edge of the Coromandel…read morePeninsula. The bf and I stopped by here for breakfast from our drive from the peninsula back to Auckland. The service was super friendly and nice, and the coffee and food were delicious. The interior also hosts a used book store, and there are plenty of seats that you could curl up in and just pass the time with a good book and a delicious sandwich or pastry.

I stayed 3 nights in Matamata while visiting various parts of the North Island and stopped here for…read morecoffee every morning. They had a great selection of pastries and the coffee was always on point. This is clearly a business that is run with passion and I highly recommend stopping here for your morning caffeine dose if you find yourself in Matamata.

From the owner: We make exceptional coffees and delicious Fresh fruit smoothies. All go well with our muffins,…read moreslices and biscuits.

One of the best cafes in Raglan. Great coffee and food and a light, relaxing decor and good street…read moreseating if you're into that.

I stopped in for lunch here with my boyfriend on our way to Hobbiton one sunny Sunday. It was busy…read morebut we were able to snag a table outside. The service was attentive but not necessarily friendly. I ordered a kombucha and the grain bowl, my boyfriend ordered a burger. I was happy to find a place that catered to both of us, as I'm vegan and my boyfriend will eat anything. It's rare to find a place where we can both get something we want. The food and drinks came out quickly and everything was really good. The grain bowl was hearty and filling, and my boyfriend ate his burger in like 2 minutes. The restaurant is really cute, I loved the casual beach vibes. It's very Raglan :) We paid inside before we left and I bought a raw caramel slice for the road. It didn't make it too far down the road, I ended up eating it only 5 minutes after we got in the car. It was rich as, super caramelly and chocolatey. Absolutely 1000% amazing and exactly what I needed to finish off a great meal. My boyfriend and I split the bar, which was a great idea as I couldn't down something that intense after a huge grain bowl. We were both full for like 7 hours after our meal here, it was so good and that raw bar really hit the spot. I think the food was fab, but we didn't get the excellent service that it seems others got here :( Still, I'd go back if I was in Raglan!

Yummy breakfast and lunch choices with eggs Benedict being a big deal. Flat white is beautiful and…read moreexcellent as well. Service is a plus and ambiance is wonderfully mid century modern. Open from 7:00 am for a proper tea or cafe mocha.

Food was good, but they forgot to add on one thing and instead swapped it. They weren't very happy…read morewhen i asked for it to be brought ~ i just asked for them to bring it not remake the order. It was quiet and clean, but there are other cafes with better service and choices.

Quaint spot on the main highway to stop to pickup an excellent, authentic homemade pie. Steak and…read morecheese was so good my husband had to go back for another, while I enjoyed a spinach quiche that really hit the mark. Also a selection of sweets and drinks. Not much room to stop and eat-in, but perfect to grab and go.