I found this place today that I never knew existed and hadn't even noticed it before. However in…read morethe weekend they opened a little cafe that sells coffee, chocolate, hot chocolate, biscuits, ice-cream and other things. They have always opened to the public 8.30-5pm Monday to Friday however they recently decided to open the cafe. The cafe will be open Monday to Saturday, and open late till 9pm Thursday-Saturday, so it will be a nice treat for those who live near the Beach Haven area. It was because of this that I noticed it and I am really glad I did, they have a whole assortment of chocolates, fudge and amazing chocolate gifts. They were very busy in there today getting chocolate ready for Easter, and if you want you can get a big chocolate with your name on it. As well as selling to the public they have a huge number of businesses that they supply to such as hotels, restaurants and shops. Today I had a coffee and biscuit combo that went down very well, and I tried the fudge - vanilla, chocolate and black sambuca - all of them were very good, but I especially enjoyed the black sambuca. I think I will come here often for my chocolate fix.

How could there be a chocolate store here and I never knew about it!? My boyfriend lives just down…read morethe road and he has kept this a secret our entire relationship! How dare he?? It's a super cute, quaint little shop in Beach Haven. When I wondered up to it this morning an EXTREMELY friendly lady welcomed me with the warmest of smiles and ushered me inside. She told me all about the store and the things they sold and offered and their hours. She was not pushy about sales or anything just genuinely filling me in on their business. I had a nosy around and loved everything I saw. I could find a gift for every single person I know, they were all wonderful and unique. I bought a three pack of truffles to share with my mom and sister. We nibbled and shared them between us and they were beautiful. It was only $5 for the pack, which I don't think is bad at all for quality chocolate. Extra bonus - they are open for deserts and hot drinks on some nights and there are ice cream scoops sold too. Everything you could want for a sweet tooth! I'll be popping in for desert very soon.

I used to come here all the time with my sister to choose nifty decorations and baking materials…read morefor cakes. There's anything and everything you could ever need for cake-making and if you kit yourself out here your cake is sure to look damn good (even if it doesn't taste so good). I came in here just before St Patrick's day and found a table full of green goodness! St Patrick's themed cakes and cupcakes must be on the menu for some keen bakers. Of course I had to meander down to the far end of the shop where the cabinet of little chocolates lives. I decided I'd only allow myself to get one little treat so it seemed an impossible decision choosing what to get. I asked the shop assistant what she recommended. Apparently the hazelnut cones and strawberry filled choccies are the most popular. I knew it. The hazelnut cone had been my first instinct - always go with the gut when you're choosing chocolate! So that is what I got and it was incredible. I had to control myself with all my possible power not to shoot back into the store on my way back up to buy a couple more!

From the owner: Cake Decorating supplies with Chocolate, Lollies and Fudge to tempt your taste buds.read more

Its funny after we moved to the area, my mum and I visited Birkenhead shops and we wanted somewhere…read moreto have a cake and coffee, I wanted to come here and my Mum was like what about that place and this other place. But we came here and she loved it, the lady serving was a little rude or maybe stressed but that didn't deter us, we came back for more. So after the first visit I have been back 4 times, twice with my mum. Its hard to choose which sweet treat/cake to buy, as they all look so good, so each time I have tried something different and haven't been disappointed yet. This bakery is a German inspired one, but the owner Chris (who is very friendly) has worked all over the place and has now opened this great place. You will find all sorts here, cakes, chocolates, fudge, bread and also nice coffee. What's also great is how reasonable the prices are. So I was very impressed with this small but well worth a visit German cafe, where you can either eat in at or just grab and run. Oh and its also had the seal of approval from my German friend.

I was overjoyed to find OTT cafe in Birkenhead one afternoon, as I strolled by on my way to the…read morevideo store. Located on the corner of a busy roundabout in Birkenhead, you get a nice picturesque view of the village as it moves around the front. I could not resist the home made German chocolate twist pastry, done in a traditional style of course, which was sensational, and beats my usual fave chocolate croissant any day. I was happy to meet the owner the day I arrived a very happy German man by the name of Chris, as I have researched after he is a very well trained pastry chef of seventeen years. The cafe is full of wonderful treats, they serve amazing coffee, wholesome and delicious bread and the most fabulous pastry this side of Auckland Harbour Bridge. Please make this a marked stop on your journeys north.

I just had a beautiful blueberry muffin! My stomach was grumbling and I was trawling through the…read moreshops forcing myself to shop. I couldn't take it any longer so decided to grab a quick bite. It was hard to resist the amazing looking cakes behind the glass. And even the pies were looking great. But it was only 10am and neither would come close to a nutritious breakfast. My closest bet was a muffin - not really that healthy but it would have to do. There were quite a few different little muffins sitting on the counter so i asked what flavours they were. Each muffin was a different flavour and they all sounded delicious. There were cinnamon ones and double berry and of course. I the lovely man who was serving me was very friendly and took me through each of the muffin flavours pointing them out. I decided on blueberry because I thought it was the safest bet. It was pretty scrumptious! But next time screw breakfast I'm getting a cake.

The "Bhead locals" told me this was the place to go. When I decided to trust them and ventured…read moretowards it I thought it must be damn good as it lives just down the way from Bakers Delight! That's some serious competition for a little old bakery. As it turned out the locals were right. This is a quality bakery. My weakness for those super unhealthy wiener-hot-dog-and-bun-in-one things was well satisfied! I think they're just called hot dogs but I thought I'd try better describing them. Everything else here was also up to scratch, sandwiches and slices and all. I guess it is safe to always trust the locals!

This has got to be the best coffee in Northcote…read more Not only is the service friendly and fast but the prices are on par with the establishments around the area Definitely the right way to start the morning

When it refers to nice place to hang out in Birkenhead, the newly opened Junction Eatery has…read morebrought to local's attention. Lots of attention for the local and beyond. It is a Cafe, a bar, an eatery, a bistro, a restaurant, whatever you feel like to define it. Junction Eatery keeps an open mind to delight people infused in its ambience. Come on a nice sunny day to explore this place to the most. As their slogan--the best view Cafe in Auckland. Truly indeed. you will be amazed that Rangitoto and sky tower is your brunch company to add more flavour to your dishes. Besides, the wooden texture on the ground floor, the sea wave inspired wall, those modern shape lamps hanging down to make a classic twist for the whole space. It is a walk-in-and-fall-in-love eatery. Well done! The surprise has just started. beautiful food serves from morning to dark. You will be amazed by the Brazilian Acai bowl, the egg Benedict(do not miss the burnt butter Hollandaise). Brunch has more options. Be prepared to fall for the house frozen yoghurt with waffles or a salad of prosciutto, goat cheese, sliced pear and walnuts with red wine vinaigrette. And also the colonel salmon gravlax with fluffy scrambled eggs, warm croissant and chive mascarpone cheese. This is so hearty and colourful. beetroot infused salmon pairs perfect with the egg, gives it a Nordic taste hint. lovely. They serve the atomic coffee with a cute meringue to lighten your imagination. And do not forget to have a slice of chocolate cheese cake for an indulgence. The service is hassle free. One of the girl she showed great knowledge of explaining the menu to customers, recommend distinguished dishes such as parmesan chicken, the big breakfast, lamb shank sliders, the burger set with must-try chips as well as the halloumi cheese salad. Whether you are on the shore or head over the bridge, this hotspot is hard to beat. The clever Junction Eatery is definitely taking Birkenhead to a new level.

So disappointing. We've really enjoyed brunches in the Junction in the past, but they must have had…read morea change in management because today was awful. The guy who brought our food was rude and arrogant, half of our meal was cold (after waiting for over 40 minutes for it), he implied that it was our fault we had to wait even longer because we sent the whole meal back to the kitchen instead of just the bits that were cold, and even tried to tell us that he's brought the meals as soon as they were ready. Just have the integrity to admit that you dropped the ball and forgot about us, rather than making excuses. I wholeheartedly believe in supporting local, but we won't be back until there's another change in management

Here she goes again with another bakery review. We picked up a late lunch here the other day, on…read moreour way out to Beach Haven. The place is unassuming and doesn't leap out at you in a promising or tempting way, in fact we only ended up coming in here because I had to visit the pharmacy next door. So I was surprised to find that their pies are excellent. I'm a stickler for a good pie, so I know my stuff. The butter chicken one was a monster, I was almost intimidated when I took a bite. Creamy filling bursting out of the thing... tastewise, I think I detected chicken stock or some such ingredient that was a bit unexpected, but it was still delicious. My friend had a steak, bacon and cheese, which I took a bite of before he wrestled it back. It was the 'good' kind of steak pie, with dark, thick gravy and succulent bits of meat. And we followed with a piece of ginger crunch each. It looked lacklustre but was actually delicious. The base was super crumbly and buttery, which I love. I couldn't help noticing the big mirror installed at the back of the store, directly opposite where customers stand... and wondering if it doesn't affect their bottom line. I can just imagine customers gazing wistfully from the mirror to the pie cabinet and back again, ultimately settling for a diet coke ;) (jokes, jokes)