Today the family hyperactive baby was off kindergarten and needed some entertainment. Since it was raining and we really didn't want to be banned from the mall, we went to foxtrot for his favourite: raspberry friands and a cup of milk. Today was also the day we decided to order breakfast here; having previously only managed a have coffee and brownies both were encourging. The place itself is super gorgeous, I would love to buy a chair there and declare it my study spot. The atmosphere is so vibrant and customers seemed to flock constantly buying pies and cakes. I ordered scrambled eggs, they were nice and fluffy, the portion was good too. We also ordered empire eggs poached and served on a bed of lentils, they were nice and filling. So far it was a good well presented breakfast. The coffees are on the small side but nicely made. Two of us got their breakfasts and finished them while our third clan member was waiting for her pancakes. Checked on them twice, first we were told they were coming and then we were told that the oven wasn't heating up but they will get them out as soon as they can. Ten minutes later the most beautiful pancakes arrived, made with whole peanuts, vanilla ice cream, candy floss and ediable flowers. The pancakes themselves were aweful. Still raw, the whole covering it up with pretty things could't hide that! It was inediable. If the oven wasn't working they should have told us to change our order not insist on presenting a dough on a plate. It would have also been appreciated if they apologised for the wait or informed us of the delay instead of going twice to check on them. I hope ours was just a case of bad timing and new staff, otherwise what a let down for such a beautiful space. I would go back for a quick coffee and one of their cabinet goodies, but nothing that requires cooking. Looking back everyone inside seemed to know just to order that. read more

Foxtrot Parlour - Scrambled eggs. How cute is the butter?!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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Foxtrot Parlour is always buzzing with people when I visit Ponsonby Central on the weekends and I can see why. Once you see their food cabinets and the sweet treats displayed on the counter, you will want to order one of everything! My favourite home baked goods include the marshmallow filled chocolate spiral shaped cones (see pictures) and their large meringues. Top these off with a Tahitian Vanilla Milkshake and you've got the perfect morning or afternoon treat! However, I recommend getting there as early as possible because of the crowds and don't bother ordering coffee. Ours came out lukewarm and didn't have a very strong coffee flavour. So opt for one of their delicious milkshakes instead! read more

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In late 2012, a new market opened up in the middle of Ponsonby - that's right - Ponsonby Central. There's all sorts of delightful goodies from fresh produce to quirky home decor items. We never got the chance to pop in to have a look until we were invited for a catch up with an old friend. There's plenty of places to have brunch in Auckland, but when you're paying $15 to $18 for an eggs bene, you want to be soaking up as much of the cafe atmosphere as you can. Ponsonby has always offered an edge to the traditional franchised shops - be it clothing boutiques or restaurants and cafes. The word was that this little cafe was like the Little&Friday of Ponsonby - and being lovers of the fresh and indulgent food philosophy of Little&Friday, there was no reason not to check out this Ponsonby gem. To me, brunch might as well mean eggs. In some form or another. Always a sucker for the smoked salmon bene, this was a change to the oiled salmon and hollandaise base I usually indulge in. For one - lentils! And two slices of generously sliced wholegrain bread. Definitely a heart foundation tick in my books. To match with the hearty homemade feel, all presented with a rustic wooden platter and steel bowl. Loved the tomato and lentils, but couldn't taste any chilli! Though I must admit, I do like quite a bit of spice in my dishes. There's nothing worser than cold toast and I happily dunked my warm and crunchy triangles into the eggs and lentils. Lemon meringues aren't usually the first thing to jump out at me so I'm no expert, but this one was extra grainy - if you were expecting a smooth creamy meringue, you would be disappointed. I got a bit of a surprise when I tasted the unexpected grainy-ness. Having said that, this tart can't be the worst thing to happen to me - it was still a nice simple sweet treat for a Thursday morning! Even on a regular weekday, it was bustling and we had to act quick to snag a table for three. Parking wasn't too much of an issue because of the carpark around the back that lets you sit for an hour free. The food was clean and fresh - not doused in oil or sauce. Best of all, it was great value at $15.50 for my empire eggs. Basking in the artisan atmosphere of the markets next door, and surrounded by homemade goodies like jams placed proudly on shelves, it's easy to feel comfortable in their care. The other glass cabinet delights include cakes, pastries and pies that I know I want to hold tightly in winter. read more

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Three words: Salted caramel doughnuts! And you get to play with your food by injecting your own doughnut filling. Coffee's great too. Cabinet cakes are so large you'll feel like you're Alice and been shrunk in wonderland. or the savory toothed, try the sardines, omelettes and kedgeree. Guaranteed goodness. Enjoy! read more

Foxtrot Parlour - ALWAYS play with your food! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Auckland, AUK

The other day I had half an hour spare between meetings in Ponsonby and so it seemed only right that I pop into Foxtrot Parlour to sample one of their famous donuts! Whilst I'm somewhat of a regular at Ponsonby Central, I had never been to Foxtrot Parlour before. It's pretty cute. There's scuffed wooden tables adorned with freshly cut foxgloves and jar upon jar filled with glorious looking sweet treats. Not to mention there's a cabinet full of savoury delights (pies, frittata and the like)... But I was a (wo)man on a mission and spotting the sugary treats, I placed my order, opting for salted caramel over berry coulis and chocolate. The donut took a little while to come out but when it did I was enthralled. The needle was massive (see picture) and salted caramel was oozing out the end. I must admit, injecting the donut was definitely the highlight but by no means does that mean the donut itself was lackluster - it was soft and the caramel infused through dough. If I am being honest, it was a little but sickly but in a good way...if you know what I mean. I am quite looking forward to coming back to try their brunch/lunch menu, which sounds/looks phenomenal! read more

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Had to go twice on two days. Quiches, huge meat pies with lots of delicious fillings like Beef and Stilton, Veggie Curry, etc. Busy, friendly and yummy and with surprisingly speedy service. read more

Cute bakery type place located in Ponsonby Central. They have great baked good including and amazing coconut brioche roll. The meat pies are delicious and filled with well-seasoned meat chunks. Good spot for lunch eats. read more

Brunched on the cutely and aptly named Henhouse Raid which was a large portion of creamy scrambled eggs that you could add bacon slices to. A side of house made chutney and thick slice of fancy bread as well to make a complete meal. Definitely a generous portion and great way to start the day. They make a smooth flat white as well and friend enjoyed her hot chocolate. They are definitely well known for their inject your own doughuts so we got one to share after. Cinnamon sugar coated on the outside and you can take your pick of the flavour to put inside the thick yummy dough inside. We got their bay leaf infused custard that came in the coolest, old fashioned metal syringes from a previous era alongside some cream. Yum Awesome wall feature with well worn wooden tables and funky chairs to sit down at, magazines to read and child seats if you need them. A beautiful cabinet of sweet and savoury treats if you want to take to go otherwise a nice menu. Worth a pop by read more

Look to be honest the only times I have been to this place is because of the doughnut that you inject yourself with three different available fillings.... Chocolate (YES IT IS AS GOOD AS IT SOUNDS), berry coulees (I haven't had this one) and my favourite Salted Caramel. I am only giving this place three stars because I didn't have the doughnut this time.... I wish I had because what I had instead was nothing short of a let down. I had the Vietnamese sandwich Bahn ni or however you spell it. A pulled pork slurry in a baguette and some thai basil, coriander, cucumber and a sprinkling of spring onion and this peppery salt stuff. On the face of it.... Yummy sounding, I know I was drawn in by the idea. What I got was this overcooked baguette, a symphony of brown slightly warm mess of pork. It dripped this kind of lukewarm orange stuff. Then to make things worse there were only two wispy serviettes that might have done for the doughnut or a salad... But this poorly executed creation needed a handy towel or something just to stop the orange stuff from reaching my elbows! Then, then just to add insult to injury I had the tahitian vanilla bean milkshake, that each time (this was my 3rd or 4th visit) has been different each time, was WARM!!!! How on earth and all things holy does someone manage to mess up something as simple as a flipping milkshake?!?!? If I didn't love their doughnuts so much I would seriously give them a ZERO stars! Hopeless really, really hopeless! read more

Foxtrot Palour is a cafe buzzing with ambiance. With good friendly staff and excellent coffee I am not embarrassed to say that this my favourite coffee spot. It also has a delicious menu! read more

Foxtrot Parlour is the perfect place for meeting a friend or two, and business appointments too. They serve hot beverages in vintage, delicate cups and saucers, the same applies for there delicious 'patisserie-style' fare of meringues, homemade-style cookies, gourmet quiches and 'custom-made filling' for there exquisite donuts. Nothing is a problem, including charging my iPhone!! The decor is particularly appealing and often a conversation point. Cool place:) read more

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Walked pass this beautiful cafe on a lovely morning and it was full of people so I decided to give it a try, I picked a small chocolate mudcake from the cabinet and ordered a coffee milkshake (using actual coffee shots according to the lady who took my order), Love the interior decor of this place and it was filled with stylish Ponsonby people. My coffee arrived 15 mins later, unfortunately I was given an ice coffee rather than a milkshake and when I pointed this out to the waiter, the lady who took my order gave me a funny look and it was obvious that they were reluctant to swap it for what I originally wanted, without wanting to wait another 15mins I took the ice coffee and left. As I got back to the office, I started munching on the chocolate cake but thought it tasted slightly off...........i turned the cake over and to my horror the bottom of the cake was completely covered in mould....... it wasn't just one small bit, it was completely and utterly green. I drove all the way back to show this to the waiter and left, without asking for a refund or anything as I have already given up completely on this place. read more

Foxtrot Parlour - Mouldy cake! Sadly the beauty of this place is merely skin deep. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Auckland, AUK

I came here the morning that those caramel filled donuts appeared on The Denizen. They definitely didn't disappoint - though it was weird, it was like the staff didn't know what I was talking about when I said 'THOSE donuts'. I'm sure they're well aware of the reputation they have now! I haven't had coffee or any other food there, but the waffles look very good. I'm guessing I'll be back soon. read more

Delicious. I've been to Ponsonby Central a few times and this was my second meal here. There were four of us and a real combo from vegetarian to big hungry bloke and there was something for us all. Friendly helpful staff, I'm told the banana shake was the best ever. I took a choc-salted caramel tart away for later and my friends enjoyed the made on demand donuts, I spied lots of cream, custard and jam in theirs. My very favourite part of brunch was no doubt the gorgeous Rocky cruising around read more

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Note: this will be a savory review, as I have not had a chance to indulge in their sweets. After finding out about Ponsonby Central, I started to frequent it more. Foxtrot Parlour was that restaurant I always passed by, but never quite went in, mainly because I was on a mission for coffee or kombucha. I made the stop today. Perusing the menu and asking the server his recommendations, I elected for the Rumbledthumbs (crushed potato and cabbage with tasty english cheddar, hollandaise and middle bacon braised in cider with soft poached eggs). I try to stay away from potatoes (you all know my Paleo struggle) but I was so hungry at this point, that was the best looking item on the menu at this point. It arrived rather quickly and UMG. My mouth is watering just thinking about it right now. We Americans know and love bacon. But we recognize it as strips of pork goodness that is often referred to as "Meat Candy". This is not what I found. I found a hunk of deliciously tender pork, almost like beef brisket, hidden underneath the hollandaise and poached eggs. THAT was a lovely surprise. Try as I might, I couldn't help but mix this wonderful meat with the cheesy potatoes. As usual, I had to slow myself, because I always get upset when my food is gone. But this time, I took my time, savored my bites, and was totally satisfied and happy at the end. Would I go here again? Of course, I want to inject doughnuts full of sweet goodness! read more

Wow! We couldn't NOT eat here after smelling all the delicious aromas wafting out from the restaurant- Foxtrot Parlour is part of Ponsonby Central and is tucked in the corner by the produce section. I made the classic mistake of coming to brunch absolutely starving, so everything on the menu looked absolutely amazing- but, that said, I think that even if I'd come full I would have found that the case. After much deliberation I decided to follow the advice of the staff and order the "Rumbledthumps" which is a hearty breakfast dish aimed to please. It's got cheesy potatoes with cabbage, bacon (more like ham, but still delicious) and poached eggs on top. Really awesome flavour combination and I liked my plate clean...along with the homemade orange and date scone that was to die for. My friend opted for a beef and blue cheese meat pie, which also was amazing. They had about 8 different pie options to choose from in addition to different quiches. The best part of brunch though, was their "fill your own" doughnuts. Yup, that's right- you pick a fresh homemade doughnut and then pick whether you want to inject it with caramel or chocolate. FUN and functional and freaking delicious- can't beat that! Definitely a good spot- hop over to one of the other restaurants for a bevvy or two after and you've got the perfect afternoon sorted! read more

Food was awesome. Very fresh. Meat pie was flaky and tasty. Chill atmosphere. Staff could have maybe been a little more friendly. We went here twice for breakfast. Coffee was perfect read more

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Had a light lunch there on Friday had a chicken and leek homemade pie and it was superb. My friend had the beef and Stilton pie and he said he really enjoyed that would recommend this place to go and have coffee and people watch read more

This place has a big selection of freshly made savoury and sweet things. I came knowing I'd have to try the doughnuts I'd heard so much about and was desperate for a good strong coffee. You can sit inside or choose a table in the courtyard area which is a lot cooler on a day like today. Coffee was good, and to be fair so was the doughnut, but the custard was a bit runny (you syringe it into the doughnut). Just so you know, Mister D's in Napier still does the best 'fill your own' doughnuts. And Little & Fridays' already filled creme doughnuts are up on that list too. Friends had the steak and mushroom pies, black sticky rice with tropical fruits and a savoury scone. All declared delicious. I spotted pancakes on the menu with roasted peanuts, vanilla bean icecream, palm sugar and coconut infused sauce, warranting a return trip for sure. read more

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Well obviously I came here after seeing a picture of THOSE donuts with the huge silver hyperdermic needles which allows you to get all mad scientist/evil nurse with your food which really really needs to be done more often because seriously we all secretly want to play with our food. You have a choice of fillings between berry coulis, chocolate and salted caramel (mine). The donut wasn't quite as fluffy and soft as I like and the salted caramel was more salt than caramel but it was still pretty nice.. the injection ceremony is so much more fun than eating the donut. We also got their green smoothies which were good but obviously overshadowed. Their menu sounded interesting so I'll be returning to try one of their non-donut items. But obviously you should get a donut. Plus I'm pretty sure injecting donuts could be good practice if you're an aspiring doctor. Don't quote me on that though. read more

Second best smoothie in Auckland Central (just behind the Bedford). Great price & taste but lame presentation. Served in a chipped glass!

Just had coffee and really enjoyed it. Got a second because it was that good. The food looks amazing but wasn't in the mood to try it as I was still full from a massive dinner the night before. Would go back for coffee though. read more

Caramel slice was ok. Nothing special. Smoothie was adequate, small serve for the price. Poor product knowledge from staff. Average foodie experience. read more

great food, great service, easy parking and they had my cardi I left behind yesterday waiting for me! no problem getting a table as people tend to move through quickly. Good coffees...up to standard for us Wellington peeps! read more

At a place like Ponsonby central you expect the standard to be quite up there. We came in desperate for something delicious but weren't very happy with the outcome. I ordered eggs on toast which was okay, kinda hard to stuff up but there was no bacon on the menu. A kiwi breakfast is bacon and eggs, what kind of cafe doesn't have this?! My sister ordered an omelette which came out dry, rubbery and it actually looked fake it was so bad, she sent it back and the waitress didn't offer her a refund or discount or complimentary drink. Having worked in the industry for a long time, great customer service is offering something complimentary when your customer has had a less than good experience. What are you losing by taking off a measly $4 coffee from the bill, the customer would walk away feeling a bit happier, instead you get a review like this. The servers were okay, not very well groomed and it was hard to tell a server from a customer as they don't have any uniform or colour. The coffee was fine and we were well looked after. Overall, I was disappointed and worst of all, we looked around the area afterwards and saw a great cafe a few doors down that looked exquisite, just a shame we went to the wrong spot! read more