Best little sushi shop in Auckland. Run by a lovely, friendly couple. Great value for money. My go…read moreto when I forget my lunch.

There is a new kid on the block and lets hope they stay! I recently had lunch with hubby and…read morefriends at Sushi Bee Japanese Takeaway in Avondale, across from Salvation Kitchen. We are big Japanese food fans and were happy to see the new place arrive, although I was a little nervous about their credibility due to the cartoon-ish looking characters on the signs out the front. Inside is a little comical as well but in a cool way; the sushi is set up really well in sealed transparent cabinets that allow for easy selection and self service. Also, the food is super cheap, they have the brightest looking wasabi and ginger that I have ever seen, they offered friendly, helpful service and the food was fresh and delicious! They also have a food hygiene sign of A, despite the fact that they have only opened within the month, which makes me suspicious of my dinner nearby a few nights ago in Avondale at a takeaway shop ('All Wrapped Up') that have been open for almost six months and have a sign that reads "grade pending due to new business".... hmmmm....

Absolutely wonderful in every aspect. From arrival to departure the evening was perfect. We arrive…read moreright on time and we were hoping for a descent view and I think we got the best view in the restaurant...a great table for two directly overlooking the marina. When making our booking we in advance asked about the New Zealand Crawfish(lobster). So when we arrived we knew at lease one of us was getting lobster. The market fish of the day was a lightly pan sautéed snapper served on a very light tomato sauce and topped with some roasted tiny heirloom tomatoes and micro greens. And a small portion of mash potatoes. We ordered it and it arrived and we both commented on its beauty. And it was absolutely delicious. The grilled New Zealand Crawfish was beautiful and equally as good. We just kept sharing both. We had ordered the homemade focaccia and it was served with whipped browned butter - Oh my! Then there were the triple fried Agrio potatoes which were totally addictive. The food, the atmosphere and the service was some of the best of our five week stay in NZ/AUS. Highly recommend and will definitely return.

Great choice if you are having a special celebration Great service good food and a view over the…read morewater.

First time at this place and all I can say is 'divine'. Love the presentation. I had the 'Big…read moreBreakfast' and it was very filling. Lots to choose from the menu and they also have a cabinet too. Owners are friendly key to great service. Definitely will be back again to try something different. It's a quirky little place but has a great feel to it.

What a wonderful place to meet and eat. This "cozy" place takes coffee shops to the next level,…read morenot only offering great coffee but home cooked meals. I had the chicken omelet and not only did it meet my expectations, but the presentation and service was wonderful. I am from the US and it is the first meal I have had in New Zealand and it has made my morning.

Pastries are gorgeous,service minimal and rather unpleasant…read more This hard to find cafe is well situated but could do with signage,the food and coffee,when you eventually get it,are great,the staff ,why? Why do this to your chef it must be heartbreaking,as patronage lowers,the place nearly empty,because people just don't want to be treated badly.Spent $50 ,not talking a takeout coffee here.Up to you,we wouldn't do it again.

Fabulous coffee and French food every time we visit. Doggy friendly outside tables and there are…read moresome great wee tables inside too. The place always looks super clean and the food is cooked fresh on site.

My partner and I recently had our first experience at Caffe Massimo and was pleasantly surprised…read more It's a stone's throw from Takapuna Beach and there's a carpark just across the road, which made it the perfect location. The waitress that served us was friendly and to the point (in a good way) which I liked, as we were already hungry by the time we'd arrived! The layout is simple and I especially liked the flow of the outdoor area. There wasn't much foot traffic through the restaurant that night so our food came out fairly quickly. We'd ordered the risotto balls and half a dozen mussels with bacon and parmesan. Both were well priced and tasted amazing! I'm not usually one to order mussels at a restaurant, but I'd heard Massimo's ones were good and the decision definitely paid off. I ordered the King Prawn & Crispy Chicken Noodle Salad as my main, and its one of the best salads I've had in a long time. The tangy mango salsa they add to it is wonderful and brings all the ingredients together perfectly! I also got to try the Angus Eye Fillet; it was cooked a perfect medium rare and tasted great with the kumara and portobello mushrooms. We were too full for dessert but tried out their mochas, which tasted great and will definitely have us back to try out their all day menu. Caffe Massimo is easy to find and definitely worth a visit whether you're after a coffee, brunch or a three-course meal.

My friends and I stumbled upon this place while roaming around Takapuna trying to find a restaurant…read morethat was cheap but delicious - and boy did we stumble right! Apparently this place has only recently opened to evening hours and we were grateful for that. From the minute we walked in, we felt at home. The staff were relaxed and extremely friendly, the music playing was exciting but not too noisy and the decor was delightful - we felt like we were chilling out at a friends bach. Two of us ordered alcoholic drinks and they were both delicious. My friend purchased a lemon, lime and bitters with vodka and I ordered a G&T. They were nicely presented and were a great size (I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off!). Another friend ordered a mango frappe and not only did it look good, apparently it tasted good as well! She said that it was thick, which she prefers. For dinner, I ordered their salmon dish (gluten free) and some fries. I would recommend sharing fries next time I go here, as despite having a smaller main meal, I left feeling very full! My friends ordered a mixture of fries, bread and dips and a couple of their burgers. Overall, we left feeling satisfied. My total added up to $42. We stayed for an hour or so after finishing dinner and were not rushed out. Due to the atmosphere, we felt relaxed and enjoyed spending time there. After discussing our thoughts on the place, all my friends want to come back again - maybe to try their delicious dessert, or perhaps for breakfast!

This place is so great for breakfast/brunch/lunch and coffee! I went with a friend and we sat at…read moreone of the table outside where you could see the water. I got a soy Capp and we got the smashed avo on toast to share as a light brekky. It was so good, they added toasted quinoa to the top which was new for me. We had such a good time hanging out and talking that I ended up ordering another coffee . This time I ordered a soy flat white and asked if they could do some cool latte art for me (I'm a photography nerd and also coffee is like the best thing in the world to me). They tried but when they brought it out they told me it's hard to do latte art with soy milk. I appreciate the effort! I would totally come back here for a meal, I think it would be a great place to come in the afternoon for wine and dinner. The inside is SO. CUTE. It's cozy but comfortable, casual but nice. I really appreciate the decor and the LIGHTS! (See my photos). I would definitely recommend! Also the service was fantastic - the people were super nice and accommodating. Thanks Porch

This is a great location with great sharing food and a nice environment. A long Lunch on a sunny…read moreafternoon looking out at the sea. This place can't be beaten.

Everytime I visit the Fridge, it is for a creative meeting funnily enough: to discuss theatre…read moreprojects or media interviews. I would have the say the staff are transactional, not that friendly so this does not fare well with me. The Fridge offers a cooked menu with all the normal contenders: Eggs Benedict, hash browns, paninis and so forth. Apparently the gourmet pies are die for, sadly I didn't feel like one. They also do scrummy salads and homemade sweets including rocky road and lamingtons. This time I had a mammoth banana and chocolate-chip muffin that I couldn't finish, with a triple shot coffee. The coffee was average and the experience sitting outside in the courtyard was pleasant. The Fridge is mad busy with locals so be prepared to wait in line! :)

About a month ago, my Mum and I ventured to Kingsland to try out The Fridge Cafe. I had received a…read morevoucher from a friend and was very excited, as I have wanted to go to The Fridge for ages! (Sadly, probably due to the fact that I do not hang out in Kingsland as often as I would like). We arrived at The Fridge around 2.30pm on a Saturday. We decided on a hot drink and a sweet cake. [Side note: I had previously read every review of The Fridge online, so thought it would be interesting to go for afternoon tea instead of breakfast/brunch as this is what most of the reviewers had wrote about]. Service was friendly when we walked in. Not overly attentive, but not distant either. The first thing you notice is the large cabinet by the till - except when we arrived, there was very little food left. The cabinet looked tired and unorganised. My Mum pointed out that as the food dwindles throughout the day, they should still make sure the rest of it looks good. I totally agreed. Nothing looked highly appealing, except for a few sweet cakes. We ordered a an extra hot, trim flat white ($4), an extra hot, trim hot chocolate ($4.50) and a Sticky Date Pudding Cake served warm with cream ($5.50). We also bought two chocolate chip cookies ($3.50 each), to take away. Both drinks were perfect - extra hot and strong! I do find at most cafes that there will be a 50/50 chance whether they will make it extra hot or not. Usually I just take it back if it is not hot enough. If you do come to The Fridge, I recommend ordering a hot chocolate as it is sweet and comes with marshmallows and a chocolate fish! One of the few places in Auckland that gives you both! However, the highlight of our afternoon tea was definitely the Sticky Date Pudding Cake! It was delicious! It was warm the whole way through, very moist and had a good serving of dates inside the cake. It was just like eating the real dessert! As for the décor, well it was a bit too casual and alternative for my liking. The Fridge has many different seating areas with odd chairs. Personally, I think it is a bit of a waste of space. Overall, The Fridge had great coffee and sweet treats. Just a shame about the décor and funny seating... May go back to try one of their pies - I have heard they are pretty good!

Best Breakfast in Ponsonby!…read more I've been here a lot over the last few years and this place is great. It's small so it gets crowded at times (which might explain a review about being asked not to linger forever.) The food is outstanding, my favorite being the "Veggie Brekky". I've found the staff to be very friendly and with quite a good dry sense of humour. At least for me a trip to Auckland isn't complete without a breakfast here.

There's something about Café Cezanne that I just absolutely adore…read more Whether it be the large murals decorating the space or the laid-back, no-frills, "chilling in your own den" feeling, there's a definite sense of comfort here. They offer a variety of cuisine choices (including vegetarian and gluten free options!). And their desserts do not disappoint. Portions are also larger than your average kiwi café, which is a nice change of pace for this American ;) Prices are reasonable and they have outdoor seating (or outdoor/indoor combination depending on where you choose to sit in relation to their open air arrangement). Bonus points (as always) for being open past 6PM as well as for convenience to public transport (specifically the outer link). I will definitely be back.