The food and drink an atmosphere are incredible! I had the mocha and the Mad Dog. Go try it!read more

This is one of those coffee shops that you wished you lived close by to. Trust me I know, because I…read morelive within walking distance of at least 5 (maybe more.) Their attention to detail and care was bar none. Toys and dishes not only catered to littles, but also served with kindness and delight. Their food was also delicious (sandwiches, pancakes, donuts, and muesli, oh my!) and especially loved the iced maple latte. We will be back and soon!

Delicious food , fantastic venue , excellent service . The balcony is a fav. Get in early for the…read moresausage rolls!

Cleverly hidden away in Hillsborough is this little gem of a place with beautiful views. The art…read moregallery itself and the gardens are spectacular and worth the visit. There are tracks around the ground which I have yet to explore but they look like they are well worth the hike. I will be returning to do this on a nice and sunny day. The cafe itself is pretty average. There is a decent selection of pastry, cakes, salads as well as a menu which is made to order. You will want to visit on a sunny day so you can sit out on the deck that overlooks their back gardens while enjoying your meal. The service however is excellent and we've had the servers check on several times during our meal to make sure we were ok.

This review is for their macarons. I was excited to try them and bought the package of 6 for $22. I…read moregot 5 different flavors: chocolate, coffee, lemon, raspberry, and fairy bread. They were the worst macarons I've ever eaten. All of them basically tasted the same; they were sugar with a bit of the flavor they were named after. The lemon and raspberry tasted very artificial. I can't comment on anything else they make, but the macarons were so bad that I will never buy anything from them ever again.

I had to take a moment to write a review for Bluebells Cakery, in conjunction with Rose Tinted…read moreFlowers and their team. Honestly, if I could give them 10 stars, I would. It is incredibly rare to find a business that will go the extra mile to assist a customer but Bluebells Cakery & Rose Tinted exemplifies customer service! I'm so impressed with their business and the quality of their cakes. To provide some background, our daughter was turning 21 and is attending Uni in Auckland, though we live in the States. Since we couldn't be there to help her celebrate, I decided to find something that would let her know we were thinking of her and wished we could be there. I searched awhile online and came across Rose Tinted Flowers. I was immediately impressed with the beauty of the floral arrangements, as they were not the typical, generic flowers you often see online. Though they normally have a relationship with another bakery, Bluebells Cakery, really came through for us, on this particular day. I placed our order online, which was super easy to navigate and selected my delivery date. Shortly after, I received a confirmation of my order. Yay! Shortly after that, I received an incredibly thoughtful email, explaining that the day for my delivery was a holiday for NZ (Waitangi Day) and that the OTHER bakery would be closed. Hmm. What to do??? So, the florist offered me another option and I emailed back explaining that we were in a tricky spot, since I couldn't very well hand deliver a cake, as we do not live in NZ and since it was an important milestone for our daughter & was wondering if they could recommend another bakery. Amy @RoseTintedFlowers reached out and recommended Bluebells Cakery. They worked together to make this a seamless experience and handled all of the communication and made the delivery arrangements, end-to-end. Though this was a unique situation, they set it up so that the flowers and cake could still be delivered together!! I couldn't believe the thoughtfulness and stellar customer service! They went completely above and beyond! Our daughter received the flowers and cake and was thrilled! She even took the cake to Whitianga to share with family and friends and they raved about how delicious the cake tasted!! I cannot say enough good things about this company, their professionalism, willingness to problem solve, take on a bit of a challenge AND during Covid AND on a holiday! Please support this business as they model the kinds of relationships, we all hope to have with our local businesses. Thank you so much, Bluebells Cakery!

Cozy spot for coffee and pies! Excellent service and the server/cashier came out to give us the…read morepastry that was ordered incorrectly. Iced coffee means Frappuccino. One has to clearly say that you want ice cubes, to get iced cubes in coffee. Different country with different terms and wordings. Understood. I ordered my ice cubes coffee the next time around. Frappuccino is good as well, but not my cup of coffee to start off the day! Pies were yummy! Fresh and warmed up upon order! A good hip spot for a hip soul!

The food here is made on the premises and is delicious. The custard and almond croissant was to die…read morefor. They make a good coffee and the service was quick. There is seating inside and out. Quiet location with ample parking. The only suggestion I would make is to provide crockery for those who choose to eat in. At present food is presented on paper plates and paper cups for hot drinks. This is ok for takeaway but not for eat in. This has now become our local for a coffee and food. Would recommend you try this place for yourselves. You won't be disappointed.

Many years ago, I had the privilege of visiting Pah Homestead in Monte Cecilia Park for a wedding…read more The classy 1870's Hillsborough heritage property struck me with its handsome charm. Overlooking Monte Cecilia Park at the top of the slight slope, there's a stable peace about the place. Now going back to Homestead cafe for food, the simple charm was still there. But the food, the food! The menu boasts half a page of all day breakfast including granola, shaksuka with poached eggs and slow cooked mushroom - all under which were the famous Homestead crumpet options. For lunch though, we opted for a little fancy and it didn't take long to settle on braised oxtail with savoy cabbage, cauliflower puree and salsa verde. The first mouthful was an instant wow. The meat fell effortlessly off the bone and as cliche as it sounds, melted in my mouth. It got rich pretty fast though and towards the end, I slightly regretted ordering a crumpet to share. We ordered a lemon curd crumpet with lemon curd, labneh and fresh coconut to tickle our sweet tooth fancy, all washed down with Flight coffee. Definitely ambitious after the oxtail but I felt like I couldn't leave Homestead without sticking my fork in their crumpets. I would describe the food as fancy home-made food. They're those comforting classic dishes you may find at a planned dinner party, elevated to another level by chef Sam Mannering - food writer and cookbook author. This cafe is highly raved for a reason!

Homestead is such a beautifully placed cafe on Pah Homestead…read more Food is really well done and the coffee is good. Overall the pricing is high for what you get but if you nab a table outside the view makes it worth your while. Service is a bit intermittent, a couple of the staff were incredible! When the rest felt like they didn't want to be there. Seating inside is minimal and if it's busy you'll feel like you're standing on top of someone while they eat when you're waiting to pay, outside is a lot better, more spacious sitting on a table on the veranda. They have heaters and wind blockers for the cold days if you're worried! Overall my experience was great at homestead, the menu was okay but only a few items called out to me - I would probably go back :)

Solid choice for unusual brunch fare. I wasn't expecting the Asian twist, but was quite pleased…read morewith the results. I went for the vegetarian Bhan Mi with a poached egg on top. No disappointment here, except I would have liked the roll to be a bit more crispy on the outside. Otherwise, it was bursting with flavor - a nice mix of smoky sweet sauce and fresh crunchy carrot, sprouts, and coriander. It tasted just as it should, and I was very pleased that a vegetarian option was available. My husband had the geisha, cold soba noodles with sprouts, veggies, a nice dressing and warm tofu. A huge helping of delicious pickled ginger on top - my dream as a ginger lover though he thought it was a bit too much. I grabbed a taste and found it to be nice and flavorful if a bit less adventurous than other offerings. Our friend got the nest, sunflower crumbed soft boiled eggs in a nest over salad with blood sausage added. It was a vision to behold but I sensed he didn't love it as much as he has hoped. He noted the nest was a bit difficult to eat with a fork and knife. Everything was beautifully presented, and the coffee was lovely. Double shot on the espresso drinks standard, as it should be! The atmosphere was very nice. Couple of tables out front perfect for a sunny day and plenty of tables indoors. It's a small place but it's a bit out of the way and we didn't have to wait more than a few minutes to sit. So many interesting options to choose from - I can't wait to go back and try the banana rice with salted coconut cream and lychees! Sounds incredible!! Bit of a splurge at $17 average price per item, but felt like good value for the artistry and interesting flavors you get. Bravo!

HUGE fan! What a great addition to an otherwise relatively quiet neighbourhood…read more What I love about L'oeuf is that it's a little bit different, without trying too hard. For example, the menu has all the usual brunch items - eggs, mushroom, salmon etc- but they are served with a creative twist and presented beautifully. 'The Russian', which I ordered, was essentially salmon and cream cheese w toast but they served the salmon as a tartare with dill and the cream cheese was full of herbs. Combine this on the lightly seeded toast with a squeeze of lemon juice and some avo and I was in heaven. The décor is a little bit different. They've used dark wood and loads of dark, leafy greenery and with a big Persian rug taking centre stage in the middle of the floor. I loved it but I will admit, it did was rather dark inside despite being gloriously sunny out! I'm normally more of a savoury kid at breakfast but having seen some of the sweet dishes come out of the kitchen i'm already looking for an excuse to head back here ASAP!

We're been in NZ for 3 weeks for our honeymoon and this was one of the BEST meals we've had. Small…read morecafe, delicious treats, lots of coffee options. It's a small menu but I'm sure every dish is just as carefully crafted and mouth-watering as ours were. Highly recommend stopping in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!!

First time at this place and all I can say is 'divine'. Love the presentation. I had the 'Big…read moreBreakfast' and it was very filling. Lots to choose from the menu and they also have a cabinet too. Owners are friendly key to great service. Definitely will be back again to try something different. It's a quirky little place but has a great feel to it.

What a wonderful place to meet and eat. This "cozy" place takes coffee shops to the next level,…read morenot only offering great coffee but home cooked meals. I had the chicken omelet and not only did it meet my expectations, but the presentation and service was wonderful. I am from the US and it is the first meal I have had in New Zealand and it has made my morning.

Beautiful inside and out. Great grounds to walk around with stunning, old, large majestic trees…read more Inside hosts several galleries for a variety of exhibits, quite an eclectic mix on display currently - Jan 2016. Particularly enjoyed the photographic two, one on Antarctica and the other a series of black and white portraits by M.Friedlander. These two shows are what lured me here in the first place, actually and the suggestion from a frienf that they also have a cafe onsite, the downfall was that the cafe was closed due to a coffee machine malfunction:( The current exhibition by contemporary Marc Blake was also really good, a talented artist with an eye for creative expression, colour and design.

This historic home located in Hillsborough's Monte Cecilia Park is a beauty. I came here only last…read moremonth after having lived in Hillsborough for 5 years and not knowing it existed. It is a lovely old home, high varnished wooden floors and rose ceilings. There is a cafe too, but rather than sit inside opt for the wide sweeping veranda, that is the best place to sit. As you walk down from the veranda is a small yard, there are some quite cool sculptures here and a pretty garden with some sculptures amongst the flowers. Around the back of the property are park benches and some massive palm trees, it is a stunning home. There are various exhibitions and events here so to find out what is on visit the website. Additionally there is an art store where you can buy works of art such as ceramics, glass and jewellery.

The kindest woman greeted us and the service was impeccable. The pastries are amazing and lots of…read moredrink options.

I just moved to the area and needed a coffee place that was open before 7:30 as sometimes I head…read moreinto work early (reluctantly, but I do it). I found Deluxe and was happy to see that they 1. had good reviews, 2. were close to my house, and 3. open super early (way before I'd even wake up). So I made a decision to try it out. This little coffee shop is hidden away among lots of warehouse looking buildings, which was kind of cool. I liked that you would only notice it if you were looking for it. How 2018. I went in one Wednesday morning, half asleep and in desperate need of caffeination. I walked in with my to-go cup and ordered a soy cappuccino. The girl behind the counter was friendly but also honored my tiredness by not being overly peppy. The ordering process was seamless and super easy. The prices are straightforward - white, black, small, large. I allotted quite some time for this trip as I know that coffee shops get busy and it takes time to make a good coffee. Lucky for me, on this bright and early morning, no one else was in the shop. This means that my coffee came out super fast, and I was on my way to work. I even arrived 20 mins early which I was happy to spend instagramming. What a productive day! All in all, I loved this place and would totally go back. Great coffee and quick, friendly service.