Takapuna Beach Cafe

Kia ora, our family absolutely loved this place. My goodness, the service was very friendly making sure we were okay, and filling our water glasses. The breakfast was absolutely 💯, on point. The bacon strips topped with poached eggs with a sauce and under laid with a thick hashbrown. You know, with our whānau, excellent food ignites great conversation. I thoroughly recommend this cafe. 👌 Well done, thank you so much

Lovely beach side cafe with ocean views. Busy but great atmosphere. Food is pricey but to be expected. Staff were attentive and friendly. Recommend coming here !

We went to Takapuna Beach Café from Auckland city centre on the recommendation of our Uber driver in Wellington, and we certainly didn’t regret it. The place was packed, but we were lucky enough to get a table. Everything we had was delicious — the granola with buffalo yoghurt, the eggs Benedict on rösti with mushrooms, and the matcha strawberry latte. Despite how busy it was, the service was highly professional and impressively fast. Highly recommended.

What a magic way to start your day. On the brink of summer, with the sun just rising, sitting with a tulip cup of perfectly brewed caffeine goodness, watching the workday week crowd hustle and the rest, actively relax. Happiness is a spot on the deck, people watching and sitting with friends appreciating where you are. The staff, attentive and friendly, the food, pricey but worth it.

We had a wonderful waitress with amazing service, gorgeous, joyful and very attentive to our needs. Food was good, I had the eggs benedict. The sauce was tasteless, thats the only negative thing. View is beautiful, lots of people and ambience, quite noisy but if you enjoy seeing ppl this is the place to come to.

Decided to have some snacks and drinks. Drinks was all good, but for the snack we had to octopus. That was really nice and soft, cooked well and flavourful

think about the gelato from Takapuna Beach Cafe multiple times a day. It has genuinely changed me. The chocolate honeycomb flavour was especially memorable. Decadent, creamy, rich and intensely chocolatey. Credit to the woman who managed to pack what felt like a full tub of ice cream into one cone. A must visit if you are on this side of town.

Good spot, but the staff walked around with very little interest. Their uninviting attitude and lack of warmth made the environment uncomfortable. Hardly saw a smile on anyone’s face. Specially the young girl serving outside tables walking around! The place was busy but what made it more worse was the rush attitude the staff had towards the customers . The coffee was terrible . 8$ for this matcha latte that hardly had any flavour and came out cold. Tasted like grass. Would not recommend !!

This is a great place for breakfast or lunch, service is super quick coffee is great and my favourite is the smashed avocado or the scampi linguine A must on a beautiful day as the scenery is amazing

Food excellent Service not too good We had an Asian Chinese lady serving part of the time Was so rude to us has no communication skills at all Was told by the manager to apologize but refused and stood mumbling under her breath Very bad for the restaurant I use to come there many years ago under the old management where we received excellent service

Overpriced and tiny portions. Paid $19 for a singular soggy piece of French Toast with some slimy strawberries that seemed frozen, topped off with two basil leaves. The only enjoyable part of the meal was the chocolate marscapone or mousse. Most other decent cafes in Auckland will give you a brilliant French toast, twice the size and with fresh ingredients for the same price. Coffee was fine, service was average, sub-par overpriced food. Overall disappointed in somewhere that seems busy and popular providing such a poor experience. Also saw several people wearing bare feet in the cafe which is unacceptable even if it is by the beach. Would not return again, not worth the money.

Any place that has a rest stop for dogs, will always receive high marks from me. While I did not have lunch, I did have some of their amazing ice cream. I dare say this is the best ice cream I have had yet in Auckland! Pricing is a bit on the high end at $4.50 for a single scoop, but if you need your fix this is the place to get it. I have still yet to figure out why Strawberry is not an option in New Zealand - nevertheless there are many flavors to choose from. I opted for the Espresso. Having a creamy, buttery, nutty flavor it was the quintessential Espresso ice cream. Even the sugar cone was perfectly crunchy. Floor to ceiling windows make every seat in this cafe a perfect one. Too bad the parking lot is right in front. Even still, I would bring a friend here to have an ice cream. Next time I will sample one of their meals.

Having returned from a stint abroad, I went to TBC for the first time in 10 months this morning to be greeted with "Where have you been? We have missed you." It is this friendly, neighbourhood vibe that keeps me, and locals alike, coming back to this place on the reg. Oh, and the fact that they have a HUGE deck, stunning views, consistently good coffee AND are dog friendly. In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that Takapuna Beach Café is on the expensive side and has been known to be a bit manic on the weekends but as an early morning pit stop with zee dogs you will be hard pressed to find better. Tip: If you happen to be in Taka on a scorching hot day pop in the TBC Store and try their in-house licorice ice cream. It is T.D.F.

Well what beautiful place to have lunch. Great panoramic views wherever you sit! I must say the pasta we ordered was delicious but the portion was not very big. In saying that for the price of the meal versus the view ... you are paying for the view. My husband was near to finishing his pasta dish & said to me I'm stopping at Macdonalds after this! Service was good. When you're seated your served with sparkling mineral water which my husband & I are not a fan but if you are then you'd appreciate it. Although the tables are a nice design feature they weren't very practical. They have a large base which restricts your seating. When you're sitting at a table you don't want to be restricted by where you can place your feet. I've rated this place a 3 star because it was over-priced for the portion & that I'll most likely not bother going back. The place is beautiful to sit & relax though!

You know what they say in the real-estate world...location, location, locationnnn. If we're talking area, Takapuna Beach Café is SORTED. There really isn't a bad seat in the house - the indoor seating even overlooks the sea. In typical Hipgroup fashion, they provide complimentary sparkling water, the service is professional & attentive, and the supreme award-winning gelato makes you swooooon. Unfortunately, however, part of this package is also, the $$. Be prepared to drop some dollars here. I indulged in a large afternoon snack of the market fish, served with barley, radish & an avocado dressing. The dish was beautifully presented and (almost) as beautifully delicious. The ingredients were unquestionably fresh, but I thought the flavours didn't quite warrant 5 stars. The gelato, however... (insert: swoon). I went for the chocolate coconut and bayberry sorbet which were nothing short of perfect. Get a double cone and then take a stroll along the beach for savouring. You're welcome. An observation: find it a bit strange that you have to use the public toilets while dining here. For such a fancy spot, the bathroom definitely leaves something to be desired. There wasn't even anything to dry your hands! Tip: They are open 7 days a week (until 8PM no less!)

I might get kicked by a few people for giving this place a three star rating. I didn't have a terrible experience; it just wasn't as great as I had expected it to be (with all the buzz there was around this place). Came in for a late lunch on a Sunday afternoon and I suppose we were lucky enough to get a table as soon as we came in. I had the chicken salad myself and can't say I was overwhelmed. It was simple. Nice. But not exactly what I expected for what I was paying. I ordered an iced americano and was offered what they called a "shakerano" or something I can't really remember the name of (I assumed it was their version of an iced americano), so I thought I'd give it a try. I would have liked it if the waitress had told me that it was extremely sweet compared to your standard black coffee. Service wasn't too over the top. But other than that, the setting is great. It's pretty much on the beach. Outdoor seating was great. Would probably come back here and chill for an afternoon coffee once in a while I suppose.

I wish I loved this place but I'm not in love... but I do like it... I arrived here late, on a Saturday morning (practically lunch) and the place was packed and the ambient volume was just under a din but well above a hum. The coffee was quick to arrive and hot and very tasty.... we perused the small but smart menu I raised my eyebrows at the beef short rib eggs benny which sounded strange beyond my comfort zone... but I did it anyway. My brunch date chose the truffle eggs on toast with a side of black pudding. I was starving! The food arrived fairly promptly, the service was a little uppity but efficient and mannerly. A few more genuine smiles might be nice. All was forgiven when I ripped open to a perfectly cooked runny egg which coated the beautifully sweet and tender pulled rib on a tasty crusty carb disk. My date had serious food envy! I tried a bit of his black pudding and while I can't say its something I crave or go crazy for, this was much closer towards the likeable end as far as black pudding goes for me. His eggs were perfectly scrambled with a heady aromatic hit of truffles. As our empty plates with lick marks got whisked away, the table behind us was being served an array of beautiful looking desserts on a tasting board... and we just had to have it.... the Milse tasting board for two sucker punched our barely existent diet plans right in the throat as we indulged. It was a nice array with a touch of everything, something sweet, something creamy, something tart, something tangy, something smooth. It made up big time for my awol 2nd coffee that took two reminders and the better part of 30mins to arrive at the table, without so much as an apology. If you're not into the beauty of nature with vast panoramic views of the sweeping bay and the cute little optimists bobbing out to sea, this is also a fun place to people watch. We had a great time perving at tragically chic locals. Its a tad pricey but a fine example of getting what you pay for.

This place is an institution - a little pricey, but the location, stellar service and amazingly consistent food - oh and they serve Allpress coffee - makes up for it. Noisy but a great spot!!!

Since my usual coffee group was not meeting on a weekend, I decided to set up my own brunch with a coffee mate. Might as well cross the bridge and give North Shore a whirl. Mind you, going here for brunch on a Sunday is asking for trouble, but if you plan ahead (i.e., get there 15-20 minutes before you actually want to eat brunch), you should be okay. The setup of the cafe could be a bit better, there wasn't much room between our table and the next. While white wicker screams summer, the glass table-tops seemed a bit out of place, if not a bit of a hazard when small spaces and small people are involved. I ordered a beet, carrot, and ginger juice to get started while we waited for our actual orders to come in (my order was the scallop omelette whilst my coffee mate ordered the pancakes). Once the dishes arrived, we glanced at the presentation briefly then ate. My omelette left something to be desired, and while my pancake eating friend was still working on her dish, I was already perusing the menu for something else to eat. The smashed eggs were recommended by a fellow Yelper, but as I had already tried a breakfast platter, I didn't want to appear gluttonous, and settled on having a mocha. Granted that the view is nice from this cafe, given if people aren't crowded about in front of the windows outside. We were unfortunately seated next to a family with a very loud child, so that took away from the experience a bit. Their little dairy on the side had a consistent line, as they had plenty of goodies and gelato and even cronuts (don't worry, even a struggling Paleo can resist these things). I might return to try eating some of the other dishes when it's warmer, other than that, I've given it a go.

We come here most Sundays to have a coffee, maybe some breakfast and then to walk the dog on the beautiful Takapuna beach right across the road. Almost always easy to get a park. Great attentive service and fabulous coffee and gelato's. If you are eating, I recommend the potato rosti / fish or the burger. This is a really great spot in sunny weather to set outside and enjoy the viewe.

Takapuna Beach Cafe is a great place for a coffee or breakfast half way through the walk. As a consequence I have only really done breakfast here - but it is also open all day for lunch etc. the menu changes regularly but the various fruit and muesli dishes are always good and the organic eggs are a fav. The coffee is always perfect and they have mugs for those serious caffeine addicts.

Well my wife and I went here expecting a fine meal, excellent service and unsurpassed views. It's her birthday so a little breakfast seemed right .. I had previously received letters from the war crimes tribunal declaring my cooking illegal under international law so we took in the Takapuna Beach Cafe. "Back in my day" (TM) the spot was occupied by a trailer park and camper home, I delivered papers along the street and so I knew the area reasonably well, I was still surprised to see dozens of jeeps and SUv's with boat trailers taking most of the parking .. But it WAS a beautiful sunny Saturday, so it was just annoying. Tip: parking can be a problem but that's not the cafe's fault, there is a major boat ramp next to it. Settling in, we were served quickly and efficiently. I had previous ate cronuts from Nosh and was unimpressed, so I gave these ones a try .. I think I found why they are a craze, when made well they are delicious! If you know me, you know there has to be Chicken, Bacon or Steak on the menu or I'm walking, again I was pretty happy with the selections.. Next was the egg Benedict (with bacon) and Classic OJ, the presentation was superb, the taste was amazing and the service during it was quick and pleasant. Breakfast for two was pricey but I especially liked the pet friendly deck and we got to see the lovely mix of dogs being walked along the beach.

Takapuna beach cafe and store is fantastic! Amazing food, amazing service, amazing views! This cafe has it all! Although being on the expensive side, if there is a day you feel like splashing out Takapuna cafe is a must! The housemade Meyer Lemonade spritzer is perfect on a hot Auckland summers day. If you're a fan of ginger I would also recommend the housemade Meyer lemon, honey and ginger iced tea. It's yummy, but very gingery. The entire menu is appealing; there is something on there for everyone. If nothing tickles your fancy then it's only a hop, skip and jump to 'the store' where there is a wide range of delicious flavoured ice cream. After indulging in all sorts of goodness, finish your dining experience by taking a picturesque walk along Takapuna beach.

From location to food, it's not hard to see why Takapuna Beach Cafe wins awards and accolades year after year. Free sparkling water, friendly staff, a light and breezy atmosphere and some of the tastiest cafe-style food I've had in Auckland. Yes, the prices are higher than most, but I always walk out of here with a smile and a vow to come back again soon.

This has to be hands-down the best location in Takapuna. You can sit out on the terrace for a panoramic view of the beach, harbour and Rangitoto, and even many of the indoor tables boast the same view thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows. I have eaten here a couple of times and found the food and coffee to be excellent. It has the same menu as the Richmond Rd café which is also an excellent café. I've also wandered in for a cheeky tiramisu gelato (they do takeaway cones) on a hot day. Tables are at a premium here though so you do have to time it right to get a seat, especially on the deck.

Expect to pay about a third of your meal for the location/view. I had high expectations. In the cafe, complimentary sparkling water, the service is professional, and did all the right things. Disappointed in the eggs bene, I've had it on a bagel before, but a mini bagel? Eggs and sauce were good, kale was kale. Allpress coffee, which I am not a fan of anyway, hardly anyone can seem to get a good extract. Went next door for a takeaway cherry yoghurt, and glad I did. It is probably the saving grace of the place.

It has been a while since I visited here but I felt compelled to put in a review. I visited on my 2nd day in New Zealand while on a tour with one of my very good friends. I can honestly say it is one of the best brunch spots I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. It says a lot when you can remember a meal over a year after visiting but this is one of the few places I can happily say that about. We had their Eggs Benedict and coffee while sitting out on the decking overlooking the bay. I even felt the need to try their ice cream which was fabulous. Once you visit you quickly understand why it has such a good reputation. The food was perfectly cooked the service was exquisite and the view was amazing. I will warn you it isn't the cheapest place in town nor the easiest to get to from central Auckland but it is well worth a visit if you get a chance.

I'm a huge fan of a cafe which encourages you to bring your best friend. So my husband, our dog, George, and I set out one Sunday morning to try out Takapuna Cafe and then take a walk on the beach. We found parking easily in the adjacent lot. The hostess tucked us away in a corner on the back deck where we could enjoy the sunshine but none of the wind. There was even a blanket on the chair to keep us warm. The server was quick, friendly and efficient - we were fully impressed by her attention to detail and the easiness in which she dominated her tasks. She even brought George a bowl of water to enjoy. We ordered the Eggs Benedict with bacon and pumpkin minus the break and the server didn't bat an eye at the slight change. My husband ordered The Grill and added the Rosti. The food was out quicker than we could order and it was fabulous. The hollandaise had the perfect flavor and the pumpkin was cooked to perfect (not mushy but soft). Our waters stayed full the entire meal and we were never left to want. I was floored by the impressive service, the quick delivery of the food and the delicious flavors of our meals. Takapuna Cafe is now on our list of top five restaurants in Auckland. As summer nears I can't wait to spend more time on the North Shore enjoying other items on their menu with my husband and our best friend.

I've been here lots of times, but recently there's been a dip in the quality of the menu food. The counter food remains fabulous, coffee good, it's the meals that are a bit underwhelming. Had the beetroot salad recently, nicely presented but not a generous portion. Fish and chips was huge. Have had juices (good), lemon curd cronut (good, but still want an injection of creme patisserie like the ones from Loaf). Have had pancakes too, but finally ordered something savoury on the stern advice of my brunch companion. I've posted the pic - parsley hash cake, mushrooms (I don't like eggs, so that's missing and replaced by a slice of pancetta). Looks disappointing, tasted the same. Hmmmm, really want to give a 2 rating, but this cafe has such a good position right by the beach with views out to Rangitoto and on a sunny day it's a great place to be.

Love this place! Always so busy so that's a sure sign it's a great establishment. Excellent for brunch (and beautiful presentation) with a wide range of options including fresh juices, smoothies and fruit frappes. A friend had the carrot and passionfruit frappe and it was so yummy. Friendly and efficient staff too which makes your experience that much better. Right on the water with big windows and doors that open out onto the deck so a perfect sunny day cafe. Great for groups and can bring the dog! Worth the trip over the bridge if you don't already live shore side.

TBC is one of my must dos when I'm in Auckland. Nothing like a latte or one of there award winning ice creams after the long walk from Milford Beach. I particularly love that they're super dog friendly. If you want more than a takeaway they have a fabulous dine in menu. They can get ridiculously busy and you may have to wait, but grab a numbered lobster and wait for it to light up like a Christmas tree as it's totally worth the wait.

This place gets 4 stars for its location alone. On a sunny day, sitting either inside behind the large windows or outside on the deck provides stunning views out to Rangitoto and over Taka beach. Food wise, this cafe has a selection of cabinet food (baps, pies, buns etc) and a big range of breakfast/lunch stuff on their a la carte menu. The bacon and egg bap is really good, as are the quiches they have in the cabinet too. I got the roast chicken salad with goddess dressing which was a bit boring and was only made up of a few ingredients. However, my mum got the line caught fish (which was hapuka on the day we went) and she raved on about how tasty it was. I had a nibble and I had to agree it's one of the stand outs on the menu. The staff are attentive and will explain some of the more confusing words on the menu that you may not have heard of. The coffee is great but the drinks they make on site (teas, spritzers etc) are definitely worth their hefty price tag. The tamarillo lime tea is divine.

This has to be one of my favourite cafes in Auckland. The location doesn't get any better - right on Takapuna beach. The food is excellent with a great selection of breakfast and lunch dishes. The coffee is fantastic (I've never had a bad one) and the service is faultless. The wait staff are constantly topping up water glasses and checking if you need anything else - which is a rarity in Auckland these days. I'd recommend the burger, any of the salads and the eggs benedict as some classic good meals. They have specials as well which are great - if they are ever serving an oyster burger then get it, it's to die for. Next door they have an ice cream and takeaway coffee and bakery area. The ice cream is the best I've had in a long time and its won numerous national awards.

One of my favourites on the Shore! Have come here multiple times- dine in at the beach cafe (breakfast/brunch and lunch time) as well as takeaway in the next door The Store. Both are great. Really liked the Melon, passion fruit, blueberries, labneh which was a beautifully fresh summer yogurt brunch item! Their spirulina, banana, apple, greens smoothie is great and in store, they have amazing cronuts- with lots of awesome flavours and toppings. Delicious sugar coated, deep fried layers in a donut shape! They also have wonderful award winning gelato- Salted caramel particularly is wonderful and they also have a neat range of sorbet too! Perfect for summer! Must come back to sample their sweet menu which is on display inside and looks delectable! Must check it out, especially while near Takapuna beach.

"Fizzy table water!" is what all my international visitors say when we make a stop here for brunch/coffee/ice cream (licorice is a must-try). Of course they also mention how yummy their food is too! It's generally always busy by the time we arrive but the service is fast and friendly and I've never waited more than - quick 10 minutes for a seat. Complemented with great views of Rangitoto, a visit here is the perfect Auckland dining experience!

Quite expensive, but you pay for what you get. The quality of the food, service and surroundings is excellent. The menu is varied and provides options that appeal to all - some ordinary and some extravagant. Also don't miss the gelato - it is outstanding.

So good, best place for weekend brunch. Food is super good and the almond milk coffees are a nice option to have. Always so many dogs around which is fun for animal lovers!

I totally love this place, I would have no problems bringing anyone here. Its a great place to come and have brunch, lunch, dinner or a coffee. They have these amazing to die for gelato smoothies and all sorts of other non-alcoholic drinks, which were my saviour while I was pregnant, I honestly have not found anywhere else in Auckland that does such yummy drinks . The food is also wonderful, we have tried Eggs Benedict, the Grill, the Beer battered fish and Pan fried Snapper, all extremely tasty. The waiters are also very friendly and don't look at you funny if you say you are just having coffee. They also have takeaway gelato and sorbet, coffee, drinks, cakes and fish n chips. The location also is great, right next to Takapuna beach, it really doesn't get much better than this hence the 5 stars. If I could come here for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day I would, no wonder its one of the Metro Top 50 cafes and supreme award winner for third time.

Whether you're planning on a sit down meal or just stopping by for an ice cream to take back to the beach with you, the superbly located Takapuna Beach Cafe usually fits the bill. As far as the food goes I remember the flounder dish being particularly good, and the fruit smoothies are a nice healthy treat. But it's the ice cream that this place is best known for. Part of the appeal is location - you could not pick a better spot than the end of Takapuna Beach to have an ice cream shop. But the stuff itself is magic - always an interesting new award-winning flavour, and they're generous with the portions in big waffle cones. Try mixing passionfruit and coconut - my favourite! If anything, the only issue here is the popularity. The queue for ice cream on a hot day can get ridiculous, and it can be hard to get a table at the cafe. Patience pays off though - I've never had a bad experience there.

This little gem only opened 2 years ago, and now I can't imagine how Auckland ever survived without it. Perched perfectly at the end of one of Auckland's best beaches, it looks out over beautiful sparkling sea to the stunning volcanic Rangitoto Island. Meals at Takapuna Beach Café are always full of flavour, fresh and most importantly - absolutely delicious. Once you've had a yummy meal and awesome coffee, why not grab a delicious sweet thing from the cabinet or a refreshing gelato, and take a stroll along the beach. You can even take home some freshly baked bread. Sit inside amongst the simple but beautiful décor, or lap up the sun out on the deck. I've never had a bad experience at Takapuna Beach Café, and truly believe this is one of the best cafes in one of the very best locations in Auckland. And it would seem I'm not the only one as it has also won numerous awards.

Had a lunch catch up with family. The place was busy. Staff were really friendly and helpful. Great food and coffee. Lovely views. Highly recommended.

Consistently excellent food with a menu that is refreshed constantly and seasonally. Outstanding location and great service top it off. As they're based on a public reserve they are unable to hold a liquor license which is a shame (their fish dishes would pair brilliantly with a nice sav) but the coffee does make for a good alternative. Highly recommend - I don't feel it's unusually expensive for this level of quality either, as some reviewers have expressed. The lemon curd ice cream is a great way to finish off with a walk down the beach after lunch too.

Outstanding location. Staff are attentive and friendly. Great menu to tempt the tastebuds. Coffee delivered quickly and food well prepared. Liked the touch of sparkling water offered (no cost) rather than tap water. Clearly a popular place and turn over tables quickly. Very professional operation. Small store next door for pastries and gelato. Would recommend especially on a day when the sun is shining. Views are superb.

Food is ok. Coffee is great but I feel like it's a bit over priced and all about the reputation and not so much the food. Plenty of other amazing cafes in the area with a less pretentious vibe.

Great place to eat in the early morning. I loved every bit of the food I ate although I was by myself I recommend going as a family or eating breakfast with someone. The ice cream and coffee was great, enjoyed every bit of it. Great place to sit and relax.

Good view on a sunny day, the place is usually full but it's nice to just take a coffee or an ice cream and go out for a walk on the beach! Staff are friendly, been there several times.

This café is basically the café that sets the high standards for others. This café was once a small take away shop with a dairy attached to the other side and perched right next to Takapuna Beach. It's one of those places that you can't compare to others. Lots of seating inside and out. If you're going on a Sunday then good luck getting a seat as this place gets packed out. The food is second to none and the coffee is always "just right" (nice Goldilocks reference there). Always busy but food and coffee comes out promptly. They move tables quite well. So even if you have to wait to be seated it won't be too long. One of those places you need to try at least once.

Definitely the worst food we've had at TBC and the top 5 worst of all time. Lamb dish and beef burger, the lamb dish was actually quite sickly and my partner felt ill afterwards, I had the burger and it was drenched so it may as well had been a solid soup. The bun was stale and not toasted off, the fries were stale and soggy. The best part was the water to try get rid of that taste. We even had one of the waiters try and take my meal away when there was still a quarter on the plate.. (Took my napkin though and seemed pissed off that I said I'm still going). We were there for about 40 mins all up. Definitely not going back for a while.

I have tried this cafe 3 times, only for the location, the service is pretentious and the food is average. There is far better places to have a good coffee and fab service.

When it comes to Takapuna Beach Cafe it really is location, location, location! They could probably serve very average food and would still be busy because who would turn down the views and atmosphere at Takapunas hottest spot? Right by the boat ramp there's always plenty of action going on in Taka, from boats launching to stand up paddle boarders hitting the water, and this can all be witnessed while soaking in the sun's rays on the outdoor deck of the cafe. The food is great and the service is top notch! I once even went to a wedding here and it really was the perfect low key event the couple had hoped for. There was certainly a tremendous back drop for their photo shoot. ONLY negative I could think of for this place... I'm a huge fan of smoothies and although the ones I get from here are extremely yummy, for $8 or so I would hope for something not quite as small. Other than that a must visit!!

This is one of my favourite cafes in Auckland. The view from the cafe is outstanding as you look out towards Rangitoto and along Takapuna beach. The food, coffee, ice cream and service are of a very high quality. The tables and chairs are very crammed in and on the weekend it can be very busy. It's not the cheapest of cafes but it is top class.

This place is growing on me; I've been for coffee thrice in the past week, twice with various people and once on my own. Such a beautiful spot! Really conducive to a long chat or some quiet time alone (esp. if you sit outside). Love the vibrancy of the place, and the fact that there's always something exciting going on nearby, whether on the water or along the beach. They do an awesome iced mocha... I'm not usually a fan of pretentious gimmicks, but I must sheepishly admit the whole deconstructed/build-your-own thing tickled my fancy in a childish way... Plus their coffee (i.e. the actual black stuff) is delicious in its own right also. Only minor disappointment this arvo was the menu... I had a real hankering for eggs bene, yet they only had a very limited and somewhat pretentious menu... nothing that really called out to me: no simple, hearty soul-food. The staff are A+ every time. Super friendly and helpful.

We love their ice cream! Staff are friendly and attentive, enjoyed the views from their cafe too. A good place for dining after a good walk in the beach.

Well, I guess I really hit the cafe on a bad day as I'm sorry to say my experience was pretty different to everyone else's! We took a couple of visiting friends there, having heard such fabulous things about it, and unfortunately it wasn't a great way to show off Auckland. Firstly, a friend dropped us off to wait in line whilst he parked; we got a table pretty quickly but the waiting staff were annoyed that we asked to wait to order until he arrived (which was really less than five minutes). I understand that they need to keep tables turning over but it was such a short amount of time and nobody else was waiting for a table. Secondly, our waitress was also a bit snotty when I said I didn't want a coffee as I don't drink it; another waiting staff came over and asked if I was "sure" I didn't want one in the way that made me feel like it was compulsory. Thirdly, when my salad arrived, the promised grilled eggplant in it was cold, and had obviously just been taken out of the fridge. Icy eggplant is not pleasant. When the inevitable "is everything alright?" question was asked, I replied "No, actually this eggplant is fridge cold", she just looked at me, replied "Oh, bizarre" and walked off. Fourthly (is that a word?) they tried to charge us for a coffee that never arrived. Fifthly, after all of this I sent an email to cafe in the spirit of "Hey, if I owned this business I'd like to know what's going on there" and no-one ever replied; I didn't expect anything except a "Sorry you had a bad time" but I guess they have so many customers, losing four doesn't matter. Since then, I've heard other reports of shabby service so hopefully they've managed to sort this out. So, one star for location, and one star for my companion's food, which was apparently very good.