Vudu Cafe & Larder
Vudu Cafe & Larder Photos
Vudu Cafe & Larder Popular Desserts
VUDU CAFE & LARDER ATMOSPHERE
Recommended Reviews - Vudu Cafe & Larder
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
What a darling little spot! I stopped in here for a little midday break as I waited for my partner to arrive, and gladly treated myself to some goodies here. This is a small, unassuming and narrow cafe that is easy to walk by - their signage for the front door is easy to miss. But inside, it's a stunning space with greenery, two floors, and a surprising amount of seating. They had a pastry and dessert case that I simply could not resist, and I got this delicious millionare bar-esque treat that was sinful. I got a matcha as well that paired well with the chocolate deliciousness. You can find a sparkling and still water station here as well, plus wifi.
Cute little cafe with plenty of seating both inside and outside where you can enjoy your meal overlooking the water. They have a full menu as well as a well stocked cabinet, with plenty of vegan options. Most of the vegan cabinet items were desserts and sweet pastries, except for a daily salad and a veggie fritter. I had the fritter, which was delicious. It is pretty busy and a little crowded in the ordering area, but there is lots of space outside.
Love love loved it! It's a counter order kind of place where you place your order and then take a seat with a card with you number. The wait isn't too long and the cafe offers free half hour of WiFi while you wait so it's nice for tourists. We ordered the Piña colada French toast and vudu Benedict and both were greatly enjoyed. My pina colada French toast was phenomenally executed with interesting and unexpected flavor combinations of spiced rum pouring cream, orange and pineapple chunks and fluffy and moist brioche French toast. I thoroughly enjoyed every single bite! They have indoor and outdoor seating and everything moves fairly fast . Highly recommend for Queenstown brunch!!
Researching early morning, pre-9am, breakfast spots in the area, I found myself drooling over photos of Vudu's breakfast platters and stopped by to try them for ourselves. Inside the place is quite small & narrow, with limited seating, and an order at the counter-take a number to your seat-table service process. While ordering, though we were the only ones in line, we felt super rushed- I attempted to inquire about some menu items and ingredients, but the responses weren't friendly nor welcoming from staff. For example, I wanted to know the difference between a salmon frittata and the salmon fritter, I was just told, 'they're two different things.'...'I know, but do the ingredients differ or just shapes?'...'they're different options, are you ready to order?' I felt stressed out and just picked quickly, feeling limited on time to fully look over the pre-made bakery items. We settled on a pork belly benedict, winter carrot cake granola yogurt bowl, salmon frittata, and a side of haloumi. After ordering, the crowd picked up, and it seemed food preparation took a back seat to immediate coffee orders, so we waited awhile before we were served. The food presentation was absolutely gorgeous, all the woes initially immediately melted away, as I was ready to dive in and enjoy. However everything sort of missed the mark because of one issue or another. The pork belly benedict was super salty, the winter granola bowl lacked yogurt to balance out the granola, and the frittata was overwhelmed with capers- to the point I had to pick out capers, smother in sauce, and try to cut the flavor profile. Prices were ok, not as reasonable as some other eateries in the area, and for the quality I would say meh. Overall, they were beautifully plated meals, I'm glad to have the opportunity to try on my own, but wouldn't try again. Demeanor and dishes need some improvement.
Wanted to get some breakfast & coffee, and although there is a Starbucks around the corner, I wanted to give a local place a go. The layout of the cafe is a bit cramped and there is a lot of coming and going, but once you place your order, you can sit back and appreciate the ambience. I had a lot of time to sit back and appreciate, so much that my husband got and ate his breakfast as I sadly watched my food being delivered to another customer. Eventually I got my food, the eggs Benedict, and it was great. The dude that got my food didn't even touch it and he has no idea what he missed.
Came year three years ago and fell in love. Avocado toast with chia pudding and a green shot were amazing. They don't serve it altogether anymore, so ordered individual items separately and did not disappoint! All yum. Love their coffee, quality food, creamy avocado, and best chia pudding I've had. Bespoke is a sister place of it, which I shall try next. Friendly service, fast, ambiance is nice, outdoor patio seating available, quality food. My fave brekkie place thus far in Queenstown until I discover another. Happy to report, three years post pandemic, and quality food still stands :). Kia Ora, Queenstown!
TLDR: Better places available. Came here this morning just after opening and got a latte and the burger. The coffee came out fast and was ok (but not amazing). The burger took nearly 25 minutes to arrive (it comes with wedges, not fries). It was tasty and juicy (and it should be for the cost), but nothing special. There were several deliveries in and out of the main entrance which wasn't particularly pleasant, but it is a nice space.
My dad and I decided to try this place as it was only one of the few places that open before noon. It was packed so we had to wait. Their process was a little unique in that there's a person that gives you a number, you go and wait in line to order at the counter, and then you go to another line and wait for the first person to call your number to be seated. Once you are seated, they let people behind the counter know so they can prepare the food and drinks. We got the super bowl and the fritter and a macha latte. The super bowl, which contains two different types of rice, tofu, beetroot kraut, sweet potato and a peanut/ginger sauce. For extra, you can add either chicken or salmon. We got the salmon. The fritter is a cauliflower and tumeric fritter with kale and onions as well as tomato. The bowl was pretty good and hearty. A unique healthy way to get all your nutritients. The fritter was borderline ok for me. The first few bites were good, especially with the berry compote that it came with. However, the berry compote was not enough and I really needed it. Without the compote, I was only able to eat a few bites because it was heavy and rich and I needed something to cut the richness out, so I couldn't finish it. The matcha latte was ok, nothing special. Price was decent, not cheap, but not expensive either. Service could be a little better but it was crowded so that is some what understandable. Overall, it was just ok, nothing extraordinary.
DATE OF VISIT: end of February 2020 A great stop for breakfast! We stopped here on the morning before one of our tours and enjoyed our coffees and pastry by the beautiful view of Lake Wakatipu. We did not order off of the menu, as you can see by the many photos they have a entire case of pastries that vary. We had a savory pastry that was absolutely delicious! So even though their posted menu may not sound all that enticing, I highly recommend trying this place to see what's in their case! Seating is very limited indoors and outdoors but on par with a lot of the other restaurants in the area. There is also a front and back entrance that people can come in/out of which made it a little confusing for us at first, but everyone's friendly and will help out. They are known for their Vegan food and I think those are most of their high ratings - so if you're vegan, I think this would be a great stop for you. Would I return here when we come back to Queenstown? No. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. The food is decent, but I always rate based on have I thought about them nonstop since we left and would I return.
They do not clean the silverware/cutlery. I watched the staff collect the forks and spoons and soak them in a bucket. Normal if they they went through a dishwasher but NO! I watched a server pull each piece out and wipe them with the same wet cloth and return them to the bin for reuse. Gross. Not to mention the service was slow, the seating was limited and the process to order take out lacking organization. People were lined up all which ways.
5 months ago
Perfect start to my first trip here with a strong vanilla latte and a mocha. They have wonderful outdoor seating and inside seating. We were seated fast and ordered 2 coffees and pancakes with a pastry. My biggest standout were the pancakes, I'm a simple guy who likes my pancakes and they were oh so fluffy, chewy, dense and honestly that filled me up surprisingly a lot because I wasn't expecting them to be so big. They put real cherries and cream on top. The serving sizes are definitely generous. I recommend them for their breakfast and coffee, especially for the central location, great view and seating areas. read more
A friend recommended this place to me so on one of the mornings I got up to try it out. I came in around 7:30am and there were only a few other tables occupied. I ordered my go-to breakfast item, which is their Vudu Benedict ($30NZD), along with a cup of their Housemade Lemon Honey Ginger ($6). You order at their counter in the middle of the shop, and then they give you a number to take to your table. The tea came out pretty quickly, and the benedict followed maybe about 10 minutes after. The benedict was good, and while there was only 1 egg, the whole thing stuffed me for hours afterwards. The bread at the bottom was definitely the most filling part, and I was struggling to finish it all. They had a glass display with various bakery items, and they looked so good I was so tempted to get something even though I was stuffed from the benedict. If I ever come back to Queenstown I would definitely be coming back here to try some of those bakery items. read more
2 years ago
What a darling little spot! I stopped in here for a little midday break as I waited for my partner to arrive, and gladly treated myself to some goodies here. This is a small, unassuming and narrow cafe that is easy to walk by - their signage for the front door is easy to miss. But inside, it's a stunning space with greenery, two floors, and a surprising amount of seating. They had a pastry and dessert case that I simply could not resist, and I got this delicious millionare bar-esque treat that was sinful. I got a matcha as well that paired well with the chocolate deliciousness. You can find a sparkling and still water station here as well, plus wifi. read more
Cute little cafe with plenty of seating both inside and outside where you can enjoy your meal overlooking the water. They have a full menu as well as a well stocked cabinet, with plenty of vegan options. Most of the vegan cabinet items were desserts and sweet pastries, except for a daily salad and a veggie fritter. I had the fritter, which was delicious. It is pretty busy and a little crowded in the ordering area, but there is lots of space outside. read more
Love love loved it! It's a counter order kind of place where you place your order and then take a seat with a card with you number. The wait isn't too long and the cafe offers free half hour of WiFi while you wait so it's nice for tourists. We ordered the Piña colada French toast and vudu Benedict and both were greatly enjoyed. My pina colada French toast was phenomenally executed with interesting and unexpected flavor combinations of spiced rum pouring cream, orange and pineapple chunks and fluffy and moist brioche French toast. I thoroughly enjoyed every single bite! They have indoor and outdoor seating and everything moves fairly fast . Highly recommend for Queenstown brunch!! read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
Researching early morning, pre-9am, breakfast spots in the area, I found myself drooling over photos of Vudu's breakfast platters and stopped by to try them for ourselves. Inside the place is quite small & narrow, with limited seating, and an order at the counter-take a number to your seat-table service process. While ordering, though we were the only ones in line, we felt super rushed- I attempted to inquire about some menu items and ingredients, but the responses weren't friendly nor welcoming from staff. For example, I wanted to know the difference between a salmon frittata and the salmon fritter, I was just told, 'they're two different things.'...'I know, but do the ingredients differ or just shapes?'...'they're different options, are you ready to order?' I felt stressed out and just picked quickly, feeling limited on time to fully look over the pre-made bakery items. We settled on a pork belly benedict, winter carrot cake granola yogurt bowl, salmon frittata, and a side of haloumi. After ordering, the crowd picked up, and it seemed food preparation took a back seat to immediate coffee orders, so we waited awhile before we were served. The food presentation was absolutely gorgeous, all the woes initially immediately melted away, as I was ready to dive in and enjoy. However everything sort of missed the mark because of one issue or another. The pork belly benedict was super salty, the winter granola bowl lacked yogurt to balance out the granola, and the frittata was overwhelmed with capers- to the point I had to pick out capers, smother in sauce, and try to cut the flavor profile. Prices were ok, not as reasonable as some other eateries in the area, and for the quality I would say meh. Overall, they were beautifully plated meals, I'm glad to have the opportunity to try on my own, but wouldn't try again. Demeanor and dishes need some improvement. read more
3 years ago
Wanted to get some breakfast & coffee, and although there is a Starbucks around the corner, I wanted to give a local place a go. The layout of the cafe is a bit cramped and there is a lot of coming and going, but once you place your order, you can sit back and appreciate the ambience. I had a lot of time to sit back and appreciate, so much that my husband got and ate his breakfast as I sadly watched my food being delivered to another customer. Eventually I got my food, the eggs Benedict, and it was great. The dude that got my food didn't even touch it and he has no idea what he missed. read more
Came year three years ago and fell in love. Avocado toast with chia pudding and a green shot were amazing. They don't serve it altogether anymore, so ordered individual items separately and did not disappoint! All yum. Love their coffee, quality food, creamy avocado, and best chia pudding I've had. Bespoke is a sister place of it, which I shall try next. Friendly service, fast, ambiance is nice, outdoor patio seating available, quality food. My fave brekkie place thus far in Queenstown until I discover another. Happy to report, three years post pandemic, and quality food still stands :). Kia Ora, Queenstown! read more
3 years ago
TLDR: Better places available. Came here this morning just after opening and got a latte and the burger. The coffee came out fast and was ok (but not amazing). The burger took nearly 25 minutes to arrive (it comes with wedges, not fries). It was tasty and juicy (and it should be for the cost), but nothing special. There were several deliveries in and out of the main entrance which wasn't particularly pleasant, but it is a nice space. read more
Funky stylish cafe. If entering off waterfront it looks a bit grim squashed in but worthwhile once inside. Great selection of fresh delicious counter food. Good coffee and had a very tasty spinach, olive and cheese scone - fresh baked. Friendly staff. read more
My dad and I decided to try this place as it was only one of the few places that open before noon. It was packed so we had to wait. Their process was a little unique in that there's a person that gives you a number, you go and wait in line to order at the counter, and then you go to another line and wait for the first person to call your number to be seated. Once you are seated, they let people behind the counter know so they can prepare the food and drinks. We got the super bowl and the fritter and a macha latte. The super bowl, which contains two different types of rice, tofu, beetroot kraut, sweet potato and a peanut/ginger sauce. For extra, you can add either chicken or salmon. We got the salmon. The fritter is a cauliflower and tumeric fritter with kale and onions as well as tomato. The bowl was pretty good and hearty. A unique healthy way to get all your nutritients. The fritter was borderline ok for me. The first few bites were good, especially with the berry compote that it came with. However, the berry compote was not enough and I really needed it. Without the compote, I was only able to eat a few bites because it was heavy and rich and I needed something to cut the richness out, so I couldn't finish it. The matcha latte was ok, nothing special. Price was decent, not cheap, but not expensive either. Service could be a little better but it was crowded so that is some what understandable. Overall, it was just ok, nothing extraordinary. read more
DATE OF VISIT: end of February 2020 A great stop for breakfast! We stopped here on the morning before one of our tours and enjoyed our coffees and pastry by the beautiful view of Lake Wakatipu. We did not order off of the menu, as you can see by the many photos they have a entire case of pastries that vary. We had a savory pastry that was absolutely delicious! So even though their posted menu may not sound all that enticing, I highly recommend trying this place to see what's in their case! Seating is very limited indoors and outdoors but on par with a lot of the other restaurants in the area. There is also a front and back entrance that people can come in/out of which made it a little confusing for us at first, but everyone's friendly and will help out. They are known for their Vegan food and I think those are most of their high ratings - so if you're vegan, I think this would be a great stop for you. Would I return here when we come back to Queenstown? No. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. The food is decent, but I always rate based on have I thought about them nonstop since we left and would I return. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
They do not clean the silverware/cutlery. I watched the staff collect the forks and spoons and soak them in a bucket. Normal if they they went through a dishwasher but NO! I watched a server pull each piece out and wipe them with the same wet cloth and return them to the bin for reuse. Gross. Not to mention the service was slow, the seating was limited and the process to order take out lacking organization. People were lined up all which ways. read more
Good stuff - didn't get phased by the line and waited for a seating inside. Tornado weather outdoors at the time, bagels will be rolling down the street if one's not careful. The avocado with smash was yummy as expected. Eggs were poached masterfully. Also had the pleasure to order a few things to go: the fruit tart cake was simply amazing and not overly sweetened so you can actually taste the fruit instead of mouthful of sugar. The carrot cake was moist and delicious. And the japalpenos scone was [fire emoji] read more
Created by the same trio as Bespoke, this establishment somehow has way better food and service than Bespoke. Location is nestled in the heart of downtown near the waterfront area and we didn't have to wait long for a table. We tried the Pie, Grain Bowl, and Pancakes. All of which were very good and arrived timely and accurately. The plating is also nicely done but not overdone. There's ample indoor and outdoor seating both separated and communal. The drinks taste the same as Bespoke so there is consistency. They offer tap and sparkling water, big plus for us sparkling water lovers. You only get 30 minutes of wifi here though compared to the 45 at Bespoke - important piece for the international travelers! read more
Fantastic breakfast! Service was great and fast. Line was a little long but moved pretty quickly. Food: Buttermilk and buckwheat pancakes - light and fluffy. the raspberry sauce that came with it is absolutely amazing! And it went so well with the sweetness of the syrup. Chocolate croissant - warm and gooey with good dark chocolate. so hard to resist Latte - Very tasty. good and strong This was one of the best meals we had on our trip. Absolutely delicious! read more
6 years ago
This was our fav breakfast we had in Queenstown. Everything was incredible! The french toast with the pear (I think seasonal) was so good! I got the board with the avo toast, egg, and chia cup. The coffees were great too! We didn't get anything from their dessert fridge but everything looks amazing!! read more
5 years ago
This place is great. I wandered around looking for somewhere to get lunch and this was my stand out option. Menu has lots of variety and although it's popular the wait time is not long at all. They have a great system. I enjoyed poached eggs, mushrooms, avocado and tomato. Very good. The coffee is great too, with sparkling water free on tap. I'd definitely come here again. read more
Everything I had here was excellent from the quality of the food to the presentation. I am not a vegetarian but I really enjoy exploring the different flavors when I have an opportunity. I was only in Queenstown for 3 days but I ended up coming here twice! read more
4 years ago
Another popular place for breakfast here in Queenstown. Keep in mind if the seating outside aren't available due to weather you might wait a while. It's a counter service so you need to order first then grab a table. I gave it 4 stars because they have a lot of variety in their menu and the pastry looks yummy even though what we ordered was average. We came here with to satisfy our sweet tooth so we ordered the French toast and the crepe to share. Unfortunately they didn't satisfy our sweet tooth because they were using "healthy" ingredients which I'm guessing constrains less sugar. If someone is ordering French toast or crepe it shouldn't be healthy that's the whole point of ordering them or at least that's the way I think about it. read more
The food I got here was much better than I had expected going in! My partner and I got a slow roasted pork belly burger and the vegan oat and quinoa porridge and we loved them both! The burger was juicy and flavourful and the porridge was delicious with maple roast banana and fruits. It can get pretty busy inside and the wait can get quite long, but I think it's worth the wait. You can sip on some amazing coffee while you wait for your meal. The service here is pretty good - they have specials that you can ask the waiters about. If you have the time, definitely come and try this cafe! read more
Great little place to grab a bite to eat and relax. Vudu cafe has a great urban-style feel and has a lovely aesthetic. We stoped here last minute with a group of 4 people to try some of the popular local spots to eat - Vudu and recommended to us by some friends who had been through before and I was not disappointed. I ordered the meat pie (see the photo) which came with a chutney style sauce as well. Even though it was the end of the day when ingredients are normally not the best - this was delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed the pot pie. The crust was light and flaky, the inside rich and flavorful - a real popular item for sure! The prices here were fair and I think I spent less than $10 USD on the pot pie item, and was quite pleased at what I got for the value. This is a great place to stop and would definitely recommend the many delicious items here! read more
Sister property of Bespoke, this place has a great casual vibe and has tons of options for vegans, vegetarians and gluten free folk. We went around lunch time which was jam packed and the line was long but moved quite fast. The trouble was trying to find a table to sit because of the confined space. The baked goods case has so many amazing choices that it's impossible to chose as you love through the line to make your way to the counter. We ordered the burger with fries which came on a black bun and made a fun burger to look at and tasted great. The fries were thick cut fries and can't really have bad fries - even soggy fries are good fries. The chicken pie was flakey and resembled a pot pie with curried chicken inside and steaming and bubbly which my husband enjoyed thoroughly. I Ordered the black rice pudding which was awful and rice is hard, has no sweetness and tastes like a mish mosh of random things thrown into a jar. I would say skip it. For my main meal, I got the pumpkin hash which was perfectly warm and filling and the dish is something I def recommend ordering! This dish can also be made vegan minus the egg! read more
7 years ago
We stoped here for a late breakfast/early lunch and boy did we make the right call! The place was really busy but the staff was super friendly and professional and told us that there was a 15-20 min waiting for the tables but we could order food in the registrar and wait in the mean time. When they had a table for us they forwarded the food and it went really quickly from the moment we sat down. We ordered a juice, a chia-pudding, the vegan pancakes and the vegan mushroom-dish and it was AMAZING! Can not stress enough how good the food and drinks were. Would and will highly recommend this place! read more
I am fortunate enough to be in NZ for a second time (as an European). But being here, a definite must is VUDU! No stay in kiwiland without being in Vudu. This restaurant is the absolute best i've ever been in downunder! The food is so delicious, you just want to bite in everything you see, the staff is passionate and friendly about their work. Your meals are represented very nice with love to details. There is a bit of powder sugar, a dried orange on top of your pancakes, things like that make your stay here to a superspecial experience. Also at my current stay in queenstown, every breakfast i have enjoyed in Vudu, today i am going to add the third to my count. MUST-do when you are around!!!!!! read more
11 years ago
Beautiful lake views from the patio with blankets for cool days. Flat white was delicious. I had the daily special open faced quesadilla with bacon and eggs. Really tasty. Overall ambience and taste would bring me back again. read more
7 years ago
They have a great selection of vegan, df, gf desserts here. I don't like chocolate but my coworker got a chocolate fudge from here and it wasn't very sweet. I usually cringe at sweet desserts but their chocolate was so delicious. read more
7 years ago
Fun, casual place where food doesn't just taste sooooo good but made to look really pretty! They have a different take on their food that makes healthy eating more fun. Coffee & fresh juices are really good as well. It's by the lake & there's communal seating outside. Love coming back here again & again every time we're in town. read more
Page 1 of 4
More info about Vudu Cafe & Larder
Vudu Cafe & Larder Reviews in Other Languages
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
3 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
10 years ago
2 years ago
9 years ago
