Love this cafe it's the best. Used to have the best view in the world before they built houses on…read moreit now you can't see much of anything. I used to enjoy climbing the hill to wail into yonder valley like a banshee, alas no longer, but sentimental to me all the same, as now I may enjoy a beverage with someone special as I reminisce. Convenient and super dog friendly.

We have lived in Torbay for a year and finally got around to going to the Long Bay Cafe for brunch…read more We arrived to a pretty full cafe, no outside tables which was disappointing as the lawn is pretty big so could have accomodated more. There was a bit of a wait on food but we were told this when we ordered so that was ok. The food was actually pretty good which we were really pleased about as it's kind of our local cafe. The prices were a little high would be my only criticism. Great view of Long Bay

simple casual french foods made well. Their sandwiches run out the fastest... Lunchtime and there's…read moreonly two flavours left. Next would be their desserts and pastries, those babies fly out the door. My favourites so far are the chocolate eclairs and basically all their sandwiches lol... their ficelle are simple ingredients but the bread makes it something else. Their chicken sandwich roll has the yummiest pesto inside and the bread for this was similar to a giant soft pretzel with rock salt on top... made the sandwich THAT much better... pretty much what im saying is, their fresh baked breads/goods are AMAZING. their Baguettes sell out fast so get in quick! That chocolate eclair though.... that chocolaty mousse like texture inside and the glorious puff pastry outside.. wow. i could eat 10 of those... i mean... that's what gym is for, right? Go earlier! like, before 11am to get all the REAL goodies that sell out super fast as these guys are ALWAYS busy no matter what time it is.

These days you can buy croissants and french sticks any old where! But it's not until you devour…read moreone from a genuine French bakery that you realize how unexceptional they are. La Tropezienne is exactly the place that makes you turn your nose up at run of the mill croissants from your average local bakery. My friends and I call it "The French Bakery" simply because we are too lazy to try and pronounce the name properly. Which is a bit sad as we all took French in high school. My first memory of La Tropezienne is actually back in my French class days. As part of our learning we were to venture to Browns Bay to experience food the way the French do it. We were also supposed to be practicing the language but who cares about that when you get to ditch school for a feed!? Anway, this started my addiction and ever since I have been nurturing my weakness for the delicious (and so fatty) pain au chocolat!! To this day that's about the only french that has stuck with me... PAIN AU CHOCOLAT.. YUM!!

Amazing coffee, amazing food and amazing service nuff said…read more Amazing selection of domestic espresso equipment. If ya want coffee at home this is the place !

Altura do real good coffees- highly recommend their trim flat white- beautiful pale brown moon…read moresurface. Their baristas are great- have also had their dark brown, fern-patterned cappuccino. Awesome because they have a great menu at the front of the store which describe all the coffees they have on offer- perfect for those who are still learning all the different types of coffee. Ordered their Mini Breakfast- which is half of their big breakfast. Got the eggs scrambled- choice of how they are cooked. Came with a piece of toasted 7 grain bread (or ciabatta) and a small package of butter. Also with a few strips of bacon on top with a roasted tomato, roasted mushroom, interesting choice of cheese kransky sausage and hash brown. A mix of several savoury components for a hearty start to the day. Good choice. Friend got their french toast which looked delicious with brioche bread. Have both indoor and outdoor seating with tarpaulin walls that still let in sun. A small courtyard fully outdoors as well. Able to see the roasting of coffee beans, purchase whole coffee beans, espresso or equipment as well as get something out of their great cabinet. Have a lot to offer- definitely go check it out.

What makes this bakery so special for me is not just that they give a free muffin or other bakery…read moredelight away with your morning coffee ..but above all the service. Quick and done with a smile on their face. Plus the cappuccino I have is very good , the sausage rolls are tasty and as are some of the other sweet baked delights on offer. The place is clean, has a good selection, price is not bad and I saw they have a very near perfect A grade from the powers that be. Highly recommend for your morning coffee, pie, sweet indulgence and with very good service.

Fact-tree cafe is an unassuming, neighbourhood cafe located in a random block of shops right…read moresmack-bang in the middle of North Shore surburbia. You'd never know it was there unless, well, you knew it was there. Decor-wise it's pretty cute. A big wooden tree that doubles as shelves spans one of the walls, the coffee comes with heart-shaped teaspoons and they've got terrariums with plastic dinosaurs on the tables. The vibe is upbeat and friendly. You get the feeling that it's a favourite amongst locals and given it's size, would be packed on the weekend. As for the food, they've got an extensive brunch & lunch menu handwritten on those cool paper rollers. Unfortunately I was running short on time so I opted for their bacon and vege stack to takeaway. It came heated with a generous pottle of homemade tomato chutney. Flavour-wise, it was nothing new but it was pretty damn tasty. I'm not 100% sold on the location (...yet) but the breakfast menu looks to good not to head back for a lazy weekend brunch!

This is such a cute cafe, in such a random suburban spot!…read more Came here for a weekday brunch has my friend and I happened to both have the same day off. She loved this place as its her local so we headed down around 11am, it was pretty busy for weekday which was good but surprising. We snagged a table inside next to the counter. The decor is cute, fresh and light. Service was really nice and were asked for our coffee orders right away. Looking over the menu was hard as there were so many options that looked amazing. I decided to go for the salmon eggs Benedict on homemade hash brown as that hash brown sounded so good. My friend grabbed the chorizo omelette. The food took its time to arrive, but we were ok to wait as we had nothing planned for the day, maybe just something note! The food was delicious, and huge servings. The hash browns were my favourite part of the dish because they were so crunchy - definitely recommend trying those! The omelette looks massive and also came with some ciabatta bread. Overall the cafe was really good, a little slow. I will definitely be back!

Pukeko are well-known for their handmade artisanal bread. They make every thing from sourdough to…read moreGerman rye fresh every day from their bakery in Brown's Bay. Personally, I'm a fan of their Kumara loaf with sunflower seeds - delicious toasted w PB - and although it has a small amount of flour in it, it's a-ok for those who are midly gluten-intolerant. This particular Pukeko store is owned independently, which means whilst they get all their bread and pastries from Pukeko, there is other goodies in store like trade aid chocolate and paleo muesli. They also have an espresso machine but it's seems to be a bit of an after thought - i'd head across the road to Paper Moon.

I am very glad have this cafe near my home. There are some cafes around Apollo dr in Albany area,…read morebut I can't find good cafe like Black and Gold that can make good coffee and serve nice foods. Black & gold uses coffee bean from Supreme, which has strong flavour and body. that means if good barista makes coffee much better than other coffee but if poor barista makes coffee with that bean, it taste just bitter and worse. Fortunately, you can be served from top baristas in Auckland at Black and Gold. David and Kayoko are very famous baristas in New Zealand and they have worked for many years in coffee industry. David is a judge of National barista competition and also Kayoko is a calibration barista last few years when barista needed to be educated. So busy or not, they always serve the best coffee. That is great benefit to visit this cafe. I have not had many meals but I had porridge before. Even porridge is not a favourite menu to me, but I had that by chance, It was really delicious, so I can recommend without hesitate. Cabinet foods are beautiful, looks nice and taste even better. I like lemon loaf, actually addicted with that. Just one thing, they do not open on weekend, so I hope to spend time on weekend morning at there someday.

It's early days but I honestly believe that Black & Gold and I are going to end up in a serious,…read morelong-term relationship.... What's to love? Well, what's not to love. The coffee (Supreme) is strong & smooth, the space is light and open but what really got me was their cabinet food. So often cabinet food in cafes is disappointing - stale, unimaginative and carb-heavy.... not at Black & Gold. Today I got their mushroom, beetroot & goats cheese pide lightly toasted to takeaway. The flavour combo is already a winner but add in a garlicky aioli and wow... best sandwich I've had in a while. I also couldn't help but notice their glorious array of sweet treats, plenty of which were gluten-free. I didn't indulge this time but I get the feeling that resistance is futile so i'll report back on the sweet department soon! Super excited about this new(ish) addition and it's close proximity to my house!

In a sunny afternoon, I walked in this new area, in the hope of finding some cozy place for a…read morecoffee. Then the sign by the garden captured my vision, pointing directly to this Cafe, meaning, this might be the One... People-friendly environment that anyone can just walk in, wander around, take a peek, enjoy his time in front of the counter for dessert, coffee or just for a sweet thought. There I was. Right by the counter, smelling the freshly grounded coffee and words just came out of my mouth: An Americano, with a bit of milk please. Then my eyes were totally attracted by the whole shelf of dessert next to me. Clearly I can tell, lemon yoghurt cake, chocolate caramel slice, passion fruit cheesecake, date scone, brownie etc. All fresh and with reasonable price. Unfortunately just had my lunch,otherwise I would throw myself into these sweet treats. Sitting down, waiting for my coffee to come, the country-style Cafe is such a delight to your eyes and mind. At least, I enjoyed a moment just looking at the light in the ceiling. There my coffee came. Not too strong, not too plain, just right. Not too bitter, not too sweet, just right. It is a man's work with wisdom, with experience and with enthusiasm. Take a sip, let it linger, the chocolate, creamy and a bit nutty taste was just perfect, with the afternoon sun shining to warm my heart. Yes, I am a coffee-holic, but, why not? Enjoy your coffee there, enjoy the sun.

Another place I visit far too often. I come here for breakfasts and brunches and snacks and…read moremilkshakes and coffee. I can always find an occasion. The food is pretty darn good and definitely on the cheaper side of things. I recommend the French toast, berry smoothie and a scrumptious apricot slice to finish it all off. If you're a beast with a sweet tooth like me that is. I've also had the burgers and sandwiches from here and they're always a treat. They're quite decently sized and are served with chippies too (bonus!) The service is friendly and fairly quick and of course the location is great!

I used to be a regular here back in 2012 before their renovation which got rid of their cute (and…read morehandy) kids play area. Because of that, I wasn't in a hurry to return since when ever I go to cafes, I always have at least one pre-schooler in tow. I decided to give them a go last week with an Entertainment voucher being part of my motivation. I'm a bit torn as whether to rate them 3 or 4 stars since I had two very different experiences with two different staff. I was barely greeted by the first, whom informed me that yes, they still had highchairs. During my meal this staff member took a seat in the booth next to me to talk for ten minutes to their friend about smoking in cars and how their whole family smokes etc etc. Very unprofessional and off putting. Then when clearing my dishes I thanked them & felt like I shouldn't have with the look I was given. Again, the same happened when paying for my meal & I wasn't even asked how it was. The second staff member when noticing my presence immediately welcomed me to grab a seat & they would bring the highchair over. This person took my order, served my coffee and food & obviously enjoyed their job. I enjoyed a generous sized omelette which was light and fluffy and steaming hot when it arrived on the table. The coffee was very good too. The interior changes have given the café a fresh, contemporary face lift with quirky colored cardboard animal heads (think stag, rhinoceros, etc) adorning the walls and a striking rouge color theme throughout. If one of the above mentioned staff members would have been sick that day it would have been a 5 star review.

I really like this cafe, I have only been during the week so I'm not sure if its busier during the…read moreweekend. However the 2 times I have been here I have received great service. The first time I just had a muffin and coffee with my toddler, and the second time with my husband we had the $25 beer and pizza which is a great deal as you get to choose any beer. What I enjoyed most about this particular cafe and the reason I choose it is that it has really nice views of the water, its one of the only ones that doesn't have something in front ie the skateboard park or playground. So for good service, good beer and pizza deals and unobstructed views this is the cafe in Browns Bay to come to.

Lovely local coffee shop with homemade pies. Everything we tried was great tasting and so fresh…read more Don't miss this gem.

Well it gets a 3 simply because it's a local place. 2 lattes 2 shades of brown one has foam one…read moredoes not. Both coffees undrinkable and both returned; replacement ok not the best. Had pancakes not the best but kinda eatable. Had to ask for butter and the cream and God only knows what happened to the Mable syrup. Not the worst experience but could be way better.