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.

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.

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.

Really good selection of delicious food - from something to have with coffee to a proper lunch…read more (and coffee is excellent) Service is friendly and efficient, seating inside and outside, clean bathrooms, plenty of parking. A good central place to meet friends and to connect with people living in opposite directions (eg coming from Auckland to points beyond and vice versa).

This place was incredible! The owner was so sweet and the food was heavenly. The friend we were…read morewith told us about this place and as we kept walking, the more dingy places began to look. I started doubting that my friend knew where this place was, but lo and behold we come across the refinery. This place is tucked away from the street like its own little oasis. The staff was kind and welcoming. I wasn't looking to order a sandwich, but I'm so glad I did. I ordered a special, which I believe is a ham sandwich and it was served on milk bread. This bread was absolutely amazing. I asked the owner if she made this bread because it was so yummy. She said she got it from a bakery, which I then went to a couple days later to get a loaf myself - it was that good! Overall, cute place that is definitely worth checking out!

Great atmosphere and fantastic food. Well worth dropping in here if you're in Paeroa. Good coffee…read moretoo. I really enjoyed the mince on toast - nice chilli kick.

Great place to stop and have a break. We got a nice ham and cheese toastie and thoroughly enjoyed…read moreit. Quick service and nice people, we will be back again to try other foods. 2016 review #2

My family and I were on our way to Hobbiton, and the Black Beagle Cafe seemed like a nice place to…read morestop for a bite to eat and a chance to stretch our legs. It's a charming little restaurant with a nice big parking lot, lush green grass and a little fence along the road. The sign isn't very prominent from the road. The restaurant is decorated to look like a country ranch. There are a bunch of tables, a display case with assorted pastries, pies, sandwiches, etc. as well as an espresso machine and a freezer with various ice cream desserts. There are additional tables out back, hidden among a few bushes and flowering shrubs, which would've been nice except it was chilly. The menu is written on chalkboard, and there's a lot to choose from. There's definitely something for everyone, especially if you're looking for a nice, hot meal like we were. I ordered the fish and chips, which came out crispy and hot. The tomato ketchup that came with it was a bit odd, with a little barbecue taste to it. My brother ordered a breakfast sandwich, which looked delicious (and must've been delicious because he wiped it out). My mother had an americano and didn't think it was watery. Black Beagle Cafe is by no means a fancy restaurant, but it doesn't try to be, and it really has a comfy, down-home feel to it. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience, and a great way to keep the good vibes going for the rest of the drive.

Amazing steak and cheese pie , prices understandable for the high quality and delicious foodread more

We stumbled on this amazing cafe driving to Rotorua from the Coromandel Peninsula. It's literally…read morethe only cafe/bakery in town so we were among mostly if not all locals. There is a huge selection of freshly made pastries, sandwiches and various other hot foods. If that's not enough they offer a menu of hot breakfast and sandwiches. We ordered the hot rib eye sandwich and a couple of meat pies. Everything was fresh and delicious. PROS: Fresh food Meat pies Rib Eye sandwich Lolli cakes Supporting local business Small town cafe Prices CONS: Must be passing through to get here.

Not at all hard to find in the small town of Thames at the edge of the Coromandel Peninsula. It…read moredoesn't look like much at all; low-scale and simple, but apparently quite the favorite with the locals for their excellent fish and chips. It is located on the oldest existing wharf in the area and it allows for stunning views of the water and trees. It was just the place for us to have dinner after our drive from Auckland. At this type of restaurant you order and pay at the counter; About 30 minutes later, someone comes and yells out the order number on your receipt and you receive your meal wrapped in paper at the table. The food came so hot that it maintained it's temperature throughout the meal. Both the fish and chips (fries) were absolutely delectable; definitely among the best we've ever had. As far as we were concerned, there was no necessity for sauces to accompany the meal, but if you wanted, you would need to count on paying a few extra $$. An interesting phenomenon we noticed was the extreme low-tide, which left the boats in the small marina stuck in the mud. Apparently, when the tide comes in, the water level easily rises 12-15 ft. and laps up to the side of the wharf. It appeared to us that Kiwi parents are very comfortable letting their kids balance on the 6" wide ledge, but the thought of a 5-year old tumbling down to the mud below nearly made my heart stop a few times. All in all, we highly recommend this place for a simple but delicious meal for a reasonable price and a view that can't be beat.

Spending a bit more on a lunch in a small town than I'd hoped to ,I was pleasantly surprised!…read more With a small menu of options, ranging from soft tacos, Bircher muesli ,bagels and freshly made sandwiches. The Courtyard cafe and Deli has looks that are deceiving , I ordered the Balsamic beef with celeriac and spinach and what came out was this huge sandwich! With thick cut lightly toasted bread and pulled beef with fresh celeriac Mayo I said to the server "oops I think my eyes are bigger than my tummy " ! Service was friendly without being pushy and they were very busy on the day I went being Xmas break . I'm going to be back .

Came in here on a busy Saturday for lunch. Excited to see they were serving breakfast still - so…read moreordered the Works Breakfast. Was really underwhelmed. Small serving, stale tasting bread, potato rosti tasted like old oil, and only 2 mushrooms. Eggs were cooked perfectly however. Not sure that we'll give it another go.

This was a cute unique restaurant. Make sure you walk around and check everything out (including…read morethe bathroom). I have to say that I didn't like my meal though. I got the burger and it just wasn't very good.

My FIL, my young son and I stopped here on the way back to Auckland, and ordered 2 Burgers and a…read moreEggs on Toast. Apparently, poached eggs aren't an option, so Fried were ordered. I had my burger with the "spicy peanut sauce". My FIL and I both agreed our burgers were pretty much tasteless, though the buns were excellent. The Peanut Sauce had almost no taste and certainly no spice. The pattie was tender but had no real taste I could detect. My Sons eggs were overdone, which I am guessing was a result of them forgetting about them in the first instance, which they were very apologetic about and promptly brought my son over a chocolate brownie by way of apology which was an excellent touch! They were frantically busy and were warning of delays, which was very courteous of them and even the best cafes can have a slighly average day. I'd come back again.