On our way from Karuma to Waitomo, we stopped for breakfast in Pirongia on Franklin road…read more We tried the first roadside cafe, we came upon (don't remember the name), but we weren't impressed with the menu or the seating. It was only then that we noticed "the Nest" next door. Not a very attractive building, we would have easily overlooked it and we were hesitating to enter. But once inside, we were pleasantly surprised by the cheerful, slightly hipster vibe. The seating areas with ample room for small and bigger groups, comfy chairs and couches for having espressos and a pleasant sunroom. There even appeared to be some kind of picnic area complete with blankets and so on. We ordered our food at the counter and then seated ourselves in the sunroom. With the decor between antique, vintage and eclectic, the statement piece was definitely the giant antique copper / brass espresso machine by Elektra. A real beauty that I wouldn't mind owning myself. The business owner himself served at the counter and was good for conversation and interested in his customers. My husband ordered the scrambled eggs and I had the poached egg with avocado and the most delicious hashbrowns I have ever had. We both had capucinos too. The only thing I would have liked to see is a little more generous servings of bread. Maybe 2 slices per person instead of one. But, I have to say that when my husband asked for extra bread, the owner didn't charge him for it. The breakfast was served on warm plates (YES!!!!), tastefully plated, capucinos presented with coffee art. Both eggs and bread fresh and flavorful. We wanted to come back here the next morning, before driving back to Auckland to catch our flight, but why oh why weren't you open yet at 8 AM??? I had so much looked forward to a repeat of the day before, but alas, it was not in the cards..... Perfect breakfast place!

Nice setting with large interior, coveted balcony and lovely garden area. Right on the main read…read morenext to Alexandra Hotel and Five Stags restaurant. With the awning around the balcony down it looked closed and sign hard to see. Worth stopping to make sure. Very bubbly friendly staff. Delicious banana and fudge muffin and good coffee, but could have been hotter. Recommend it as a good stop off. Opposite is the small heritage and visitors centre. And just along the road is a walkway down to and looping back along the river (45 mins) taking in the remains of the Redoubt (fort)

Adorable place with a big variety of breakfast and lunch items. They serve both coffee and lots of…read moresmoothies. Highly support small businesses like this - very good quality. They have both indoor and outdoor sitting. Special attention to deserts - they are awesome!!!!! In general - the whole city is one big pleasant surprise. It's making it to my little travel guide!

Great spot on the corner of a Duke and Victoria. Sunny outdoor seating and also screened in area…read more Tiny inside. Broad menu. We had chicken pad Thai which was good, generous scrambled eggs and 7 grain bread. Heard people at next table ordering burgers and a spicy chicken.

Okay not a bad place. Not a huge fan of their coffee, it has been hard finding coffee here in NZ…read more We came in and placed our order, seems normal for two people to pay a little over $30 for each meal total. I ordered their egg meal which I ordered poached eggs (2) served over Vogel with bacon. Well the bacon was long pieces, not so uniform. But they were soft like ham, with a semi sear. Was thinking more of crispy strips. Hubby got the french toast which came with bananas and bacon. He also got a long black, which at one place we were told a long black is like an americano in the USA. It seemed to be espresso served with cream and water. There were sugar pots on the table. We were missing salt and pepper. Staff were friendly enough.

We had the best breakfast here. I ordered the menu special, corn fritters and they were made…read moreperfectly. The coffee (cappuccino) was so nice I ordered two. The staff were very friendly and it had a great atmosphere and you could choose to sit inside or outside on the footpath which was nice. Lots of other people when we were there, it is popular. Will definitely be going back!

I've lived in Hamilton for nearly 3 years and I have no idea why I've never come here sooner!…read more (Well, I do have an idea and it's mostly because I have a hectic life with two small children). However, I suggest you come here for a visit sooner rather than later (if it's blueberry season). I've gone strawberry picking before so I was intrigued because I've never gone blueberry picking before. The establishment is outside of Ohaupo (and I thought I might be going the wrong way from my GPS directions). However, it's actually pretty well-signed and I made there one very early morning with my two youngsters (5 and 2-years-old). There is a main site with a cafe and shop and you stop in here first to let them know you want to go picking. You don't have to bring containers with you - they supply you with buckets and a map of the fields of where to pick from. So, we drove a bit further down the road to the blueberry fields and went to town. We ended up picking about a kilo (and had to leave prematurely because my 2-year-old started acting like a 2-year-old). We drove back to the shop, where they weighed the berries and we purchased them. We also got some blueberry ice cream cones (kids LOVED these) and I got a beautifully delicious blueberry muffin. We sat and consumed our goodies. Near to when we were getting ready to leave, the staff asked if the kids wanted a free face-painting. Yes, please. So, the kids each got a little blueberry painted on their cheek and they were super happy with the whole experience. I was pretty happy with our haul of berries. We made some blueberry scones and a blueberry coffee cake and they baked up nicely. I would highly recommend this if you enjoy picking your own fruit or as a fun activity with kids. Bring a hat and sunscreen!

Hand a lovely lunch in the sunny courtyard here. Omelette with chipped potatoes and falafel with an…read moreorzo salad. The falafel were so good. Chick peas inside, large (three filled me up) and hummus alongside The orzo salad tasted nice but the portion size for $9 was pathetic. About one serving spoon full. Too stingy for the price.

This place is a hidden gem. Tasty food and very kind staff. A bit long on the wait, but definitely…read moreworth going back.

Delightful breakfast. We saw they marked items dairy free and we tried it out…read more Everything was cooked really well. The green dust garnish is green pea power. Coffee was pretty good too!

Atmosphere is friendly, and has relaxing vibe to it. It's a little confined, but there are enough…read moreseats at any one time to spread out a little bit, so I'm not complaining. The price isn't too expensive, but it's not a cheap eat out. Good for a "going-out" breakfast. During very busy days, service is above 7 minutes, but on average, it's a short wait; not too long. Hot chocolate isn't strong, and definitely isn't weak. Perfect milk:chocolate ratio. Coffee is exceptional, creamy and strong. Would definitely recommend for a morning coffee place, and isn't too expensive for drinks. Make sure you arrive before 10 and after 10:45 as the cafe is at its most busiest, and service is slow. 4 stars.

Wow what a great find. Stopped in while we were staying in town. Coffee was super hot, but the…read moreturmeric bread was spectacular. Had the best vegan pasty of my life. The popcorn was the perfect snack for the road, not too sweet. Also got some feijoa chutney, I had never had it before but now I'd highly recommend. Sad we couldn't go another weekend.

This cute farmer's market was fun to visit precovid. It wasn't incredibly big, but had a good…read morevariety of produce and ready made items. I got a delicious coffee and some pastries.

Was a bit of a drive (15 minutes) off highway 1 but such a delight! The garden bohemian vibe is…read moredarling and me u varied and delicious!

Love this little detour from the road. We went here btw the Hobbiton tour and on our way to the…read moreGlowworm caves. Loved it. So quaint and shabby chic. Got omelettes all of us because breakfast is served all day and they were hearty with big chunks of filling. Loved being outside and you can walk around their lovely garden or browse the small art gallery. A perfect fit. Added bonus is there are PYO Blueberry or strawberry farms