Good coffee. Nice range of counter food and big menu too. Date and orange scone delicious. Great to…read morefind a dog friendly cafe for our pampered pooch

A visit to Matakana Village would not be complete to me, without a stop at Black Dog Cafe for a…read moresilky smooth mocha and a slice. Neatly located on the main strip of town, and with a great sunny deck out the side of the cafe; you can soak up the atmosphere of the street as you watch the community and visitors swirl around you. I like the fact that the owners welcome friendly dogs in, to sit with their owners in the outdoor area while they enjoy a meal. Friendly staff, and clean cut cafe style, makes for a well enjoyed visit every time.

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.

Service was fast and friendly even though they were very busy. We had a gourmet chicken sandwich…read moreand creamy mushrooms. The chicken sandwich was good but the creamy mushrooms were so sweet we only took a couple of bites. When we went to pay they asked how the food was & we told them about the mushrooms being too sweet they only charged half price for them which was nice. Coffee was made well & tasted amazing.

Another favourite stand at the Matakana Village Farmers' Market is Ringawera. You may recognise the…read morename as co-owner, Patrick Griffiths, originally ran Ringawera Bakery on Waiheke Island, where he lived for the past 18 years. The shop closed two years ago as Patrick was looking for a new challenge, and thus, early 2018, he opened Ringawera Cafe in Matakana - next to Morris and James art gallery. In October last year, Patrick started selling his freshly baked breads at the Matakana Village Farmers' Market. Look out for the rows and rows of pastries, croissants, beautiful breads, and baskets of baguettes as you enter the market - they are the first stall on the left. It is definitely the most well-presented stand in my opinion! His ciabatta and sourdough are my favourite breads to purchase at the market. Side note: Patrick has also opened Ringawera Bakery on Matakana Valley Road, just above the Matakana Village Farmers' Market All of his breads are baked onsite, from scratch and use quality ingredients. The smell is heavenly when you walk into his shop. You will find all of their freshly baked breads - sourdough, ciabatta (try the mini rolls!), foccacia and mixed grain loaves, plus piping hot Ozone Coffee, pastries, croissants, brioche and generously filled sandwiches to go. They also make some of the best hot cross buns!

Sitting in the back corner of the Matakana Country Park, Bramble is a cute espresso shop and honest…read morecanteen with a focus on local, fresh and healthy foods. They do great cabinet food with appetising looking home baking, filling savouries alongside hot drinks made to order and a fridge of other treats. Got the winter panzanella which was a salad with beetroot, spinach, sundried tomato, croutons and feta in a winning combination. A nice communal wooden table with magazines to peruse and a neat little lounge space with a real fire and comfy couches on the opposite site of the barn. Also seats outside if the weather is nice, perfect for summer. Great to stop by after the Matakana Indie market or if you are already in the area what with the other stores, cool playground and animal farm behind.

Great vegan food. Yes they have other food, but they have a genuine range of vegan and vegetarian…read morefood too. It's the most flexible Cafe in the Browns bay /Torbay/Long Bay area. Polite staff. Fair price

Love this place!! Only wish I lived closer to visit more often…read more I visited on a weekday for lunch with a friend after a sunny beach day at Browns Bay beach. I was in the mood for a smoothie, so I ordered one with a small green salad. There was great seating outside under an awning, so we sat out there. The ambiance was great, relaxing and healthy feeling. I loved the amount of vegan options on the menu, and the whole place is vegetarian. The food came out super quick. My smoothie was a bit watery which wasn't so enjoyable, but the salad was good and I really enjoyed the patio. The total for my smoothie and small salad was $16. I would love to go back and try a heartier meal, but I probably wouldn't go for a smoothie again. It is a great place to go after a day at the beach!

Love Shack coffee stall at the Matakana Farmers Market (every Saturday) and Matakana Indie Markets…read morewhich is every third Sunday of the month is the only spot to enjoy a delicious brewed cup of coffee while enjoying time at the artisan markets. Superbly crafted cups of coffee based on international sourced top grade beans. Not only do they sell amazing coffee to go, but also packaged coffee to take home and keep enjoying. The food is also delicious, my partner let me have a sample of his BLT, the bread was divine, a type of wholesome Turkish flat bread, with lots of bacon, aioli and yummy fresh lettuce. If you are after something sweet, they have muffins, biscuits and slices to entice. The first time I tried Love shack coffee I was impressed by the flavour and aroma and this impression has stayed with me over the years. I know they are a super busy stand at the markets, and well respected in the community.

Love Shack Coffee is one of the busiest stalls at the Matakana Farmers Market, the line for coffee…read moreoften spills out the entrance. The reason; it's damn good. The Mochachino is my choice of poison, some may argue that's not a 'real' coffee, but they're wrong. Anyway Love Shack do a lovely Mocha. You don't just have to wait until Saturday for your Love Shack fix either, they have been open every day during the summer. A mid week visit is nearly the complete opposite of a Saturday. The markets are empty and it's dead quiet and peaceful. There are some lovely outdoor chairs to relax into, it's a good place to sit for a chat

Another excellent family evening at MMK, great food and service, staff are friendly and…read moreaccommodating of our family's various needs. Highly recommend.

The Matakana market is new and quite spiffy looking with restaurants upstairs and downstairs, a…read moremovie theater and other amenities. I was hoping to do better for vegan options than a few sides and salads. They offer a "Vegan Power" salad - which seemed promising. It arrived at my table - nicely shaved carrot, fennel and arugula - drowned in a tasteless, overly oily dressing - the flavor of the carrot and arugula vanished. Only the Granny Smith apples that weren't dressed had any punch. I also had an order of vegetarian spring rolls which were over cooked and flavorless -- the French fries were ok but ... come on: you can do better than a tasteless salad or falafel plate and French fries for vegans, Manakato! There wasn't even a vegan entree.

Very nice place and the cakes are amazing! Highly recommend!…read more Service is amazing as well