Kent & Rachel make great bagel sandwiches with unique toppings and condiments. And good coffee…read more Their prices are very fair. Try their kingfisher on toasted bagel.

Great hole in the wall place with delicious bagels! The BLAT we had was amazing and we wish we had…read moregotten 2. Very creative bagels - for breakfast or lunch or as a snack in between. Don't forget to add a long black to your order ;)

This cute restaurant is right opposite the Russell ferry. There are tables on the grassy area under…read morethe trees where we ate (so I can't speak for the inside) the menu is sweet and savoury waffles which I am usually not a fan of but I chose the mushroom option and it was YUM! the waffles were infused with herbs as well - we also had the salmon and the big breakfast options which were also good. The service was good - they were attentive and really friendly. I would suggest taking a light jumper as the wind can get up on the waterfront if your sitting outside. I think they do dinner as well so next time I'll have to try that too.

Is 15mins for a Spanish omelette too long?…read more That's my question after sitting down to order this plus a coffee. The coffee came pretty quickly but alas my omelette did not. After 15mins I decided not to wait any longer, wanted to pay for my coffee and leave. Miraculously the omelette appeared as I did at the bar to pay where I was promptly told that 15mins is standard. Not in my book. It is a shame as Russell is crying out for a great cafe that offers good food & coffee, served year round all with a smile.

The food was fine, but the very nasty woman at the counter made our breakfast unpleasant. Not sure…read morewhy she was so angry at life but really uncomfortable. Maybe just try to smile?

I got a vanilla latte and it was delicious! I got the huevos rancheros with chorizo and they were…read morepretty good;however, the tortillas were not mixed with the huevos "eggs." I'm Mexican and in Mexico the tortillas and eggs are on the same plate. Don't get me wrong it was good but if they mix the tortillas it will be better. P.S. They are missing a portrait from Mexico. :)

Good coffee. Great location opposite beach. Food looked ok…read morebut lots of pre prepared sandwiches and pies that they re heat. Didn't see a lot of fresh stuff.

Really great spot right across from the beach with good coffees and a big menu with breakfast And…read morelunch items. The burgers look really good!

We booked a table for 6 30 on a Friday, and then place was packed and very noisywhen we arrived…read more We shared the Haku Kingfish sashimi starter, which had a yummy ponzu sauce and some interesting tapioca crackers, which were black with small white blisters - really unusual. Main course was the market fish, a bl we fin tuna variant on a wonderful green sauce that's apparently a local delicacy, although we passed on the beef lardons that normally go with it. Even without the lardons, it was fantastic For desert, they named to Manchester a vegan chocolate cheesecake option. That, and a couple of glasses of port, rounded off the evening nicely

We had a short time for a light lunch and decided to stop in. Our server was very friendly and…read morehelpful. When I asked what she recommended, she said that the Aglio and the Te Ika Mata are great paired together - so that what we went for. The Aglio is Confit garlic, Rosemary salt and Truffle Mascarpone. The Te Ika Mata is raw market fish (cod today), coconut, coriander, chili and lime. The Aglio was warm and fresh and the the confit garlic had a great flavor without being overpowering and was very good. The Te Ika Mata had a wonderful flavor - a hint of lime mixed with the coriander (cilantro for those from the U.S. in a liquid with subtle coconut flavor. The flavors worked so well together - I was very pleasantly surprised and our server was right - the two (Aglio and Te Ika Mata) worked very well together. It was light yet satisfying and I would absolutely order it again!

Just checked into Edgewater Palm, and this restaurant was just right beside it. The staffs were all…read morevery friendly and responsive with their service, however the food takes awhile to serve. Overall, it was a very good experience with the food and the service. I would totally recommend it for a group and food to share, especially the seafood platter.

We ate dinner there on a Sunday night. I ordered the scotch steak, it came with a salad and fries…read more It was delish. The steak was cooked perfect and the steak and fries were hot. The salad was the best I've had in NZ. You won't be disappointed and the view is perfect.

Stopped in just for a coffee before leaving on a big tour, but I was definitely satisfied with my…read morecoffee! Cute local spot right in the middle of things in Paihia. They have enough of a selection that I feel a little bad even rating them when all I had was coffee - there were some sandwiches and other savory items available as well as sweet baked goods and gelato. This strikes me as having local appeal, which is exactly what I hope for as a tourist! The person who helped me was VERY friendly and I would love the opportunity to return and try more of their offerings.

I came here for a coffee on the first day of 2018 just before heading off for a dolphin tour of the…read moreBay of Islands. I got a coffee to go, and the barista was great about using my own cup (I'm an environmentalist freak). The ambiance is alright, but there aren't a lot of coffee shops in Paihia (that would be a great biz opportunity) and especially not cute coffee shops. But this one does the job. They had soy so I could get my fave drink, a soy capp, and my boyfriend got a hot chocolate. He got his in a to go cup and we headed on our way (the cafe is super close to the pier). The people working here were friendly and really helpful. The service was good and the coffee was fab as well. I'd come here again and definitely recommend it to friends.

Excellent food but service very slow as it was really busy and there were only two people working…read morethe floor. Hats off to the wonderful Marion who did most of the heavy lifting and was uber-efficient at keeping things together all evening.

We came here for lunch and ate on the dock at table under a big umbrella. It was a cold and rainy…read moreday, but the food was hot and delicious., the fish, moist and tender, and the chips hot and crispy. The views of the water, the other islands, and the ships are absolutely breathtaking.

We stopped in for a quick lunch here yesterday. The pizzas were good, and my friend Ian marveled…read moreat the quality of his calzone

So slow. This place is just so slow…read more They are in an awesome location right across from the beach, in the middle of the action, but could have SUCH better and faster service! We waited over 15 minutes for 4 beers to be poured! Good thing we weren't hungry or we might've starved to death. Seems like there were plenty of customers, so maybe the food was known to be good, but I was too hungry to wait and find out. GET MORE STAFF, FOLKS! There was no food coming out of the kitchen, and there were two cooks back there. The girl behind the front counter was greeting customers, taking payments, making coffee, pouring beer, writing down orders, bussing tables, and answering the phone. Seems a little unbalanced. I wanted to jump in and give her a hand , poor thing! I hope I can give them another chance someday...

Some of the best coffee in town served by some of the best friendliest people ever in a tiny…read moreunassuming lot that you could be forgiven for driving straight past. You'll always find plenty of locals lounging outside in good weather at the makeshift tables or stopping by on the run for their morning cup of joe. Chat with the super friendly long-term resident expat Brits who run this joint. They can also give you great tips whether you are here on holiday or have moved permanently. They drive their coffee mobile right up to the shack and serve a wide range of hot drinks. Check out their amazing baking. Their gluten-free cookies are to die for (often lemon or lime flavoured). They also have a small range of vegan products available most days and I'm keen to try their pies sometime soon. They are open early morning to around 3ish next to the Caltex service station.