I stopped in for lunch here with my boyfriend on our way to Hobbiton one sunny Sunday. It was busy…read morebut we were able to snag a table outside. The service was attentive but not necessarily friendly. I ordered a kombucha and the grain bowl, my boyfriend ordered a burger. I was happy to find a place that catered to both of us, as I'm vegan and my boyfriend will eat anything. It's rare to find a place where we can both get something we want. The food and drinks came out quickly and everything was really good. The grain bowl was hearty and filling, and my boyfriend ate his burger in like 2 minutes. The restaurant is really cute, I loved the casual beach vibes. It's very Raglan :) We paid inside before we left and I bought a raw caramel slice for the road. It didn't make it too far down the road, I ended up eating it only 5 minutes after we got in the car. It was rich as, super caramelly and chocolatey. Absolutely 1000% amazing and exactly what I needed to finish off a great meal. My boyfriend and I split the bar, which was a great idea as I couldn't down something that intense after a huge grain bowl. We were both full for like 7 hours after our meal here, it was so good and that raw bar really hit the spot. I think the food was fab, but we didn't get the excellent service that it seems others got here :( Still, I'd go back if I was in Raglan!

One of the best cafes in Raglan. Great coffee and food and a light, relaxing decor and good street…read moreseating if you're into that.

We had an adequate dinner here. Nancy very much liked her arugula salad (I didn;t get a taste) and…read moreher pumpkin risotto. I had whjat purported to be a Thai beef salad, and although the greens where very nice and the beef well prepared, it was not discernibly Thai -- no lime juice, no fish sauce, no spiciness, and no cilantro. Nice salad, but not an accurate menu listing

This was a great place for us to stop at while visiting the Waitomo Gloworm Caves. We got here…read moreright as the cafe was opening, which was probably a good thing since we didn't make a reservation but we were still able to get a table since we were early. I would recommend either making a reservation, or getting there early because it's a pretty small cafe and the dining room can fill up really quickly. Their parking spots out front is also pretty limited, so getting there early ensures that you have a place to park without having to circle around and find street parking. We got one of their salads and their fish and chips and both were absolutely divine. I loved the freshness of their salad and their flavor combination. The citrus dressing really tied it all together. The fish and chips, as a staple in NZ was so fresh and crispy here! I truly enjoyed it. The table next to us got the mini lamb burgers, and if I had more stomach space, I would have loved to try that too since it looked juicy and mouthwatering. The views in this place was also really great and and I truly enjoyed my visit.

Nice setting with large interior, coveted balcony and lovely garden area. Right on the main read…read morenext to Alexandra Hotel and Five Stags restaurant. With the awning around the balcony down it looked closed and sign hard to see. Worth stopping to make sure. Very bubbly friendly staff. Delicious banana and fudge muffin and good coffee, but could have been hotter. Recommend it as a good stop off. Opposite is the small heritage and visitors centre. And just along the road is a walkway down to and looping back along the river (45 mins) taking in the remains of the Redoubt (fort)

On our way from Karuma to Waitomo, we stopped for breakfast in Pirongia on Franklin road…read more We tried the first roadside cafe, we came upon (don't remember the name), but we weren't impressed with the menu or the seating. It was only then that we noticed "the Nest" next door. Not a very attractive building, we would have easily overlooked it and we were hesitating to enter. But once inside, we were pleasantly surprised by the cheerful, slightly hipster vibe. The seating areas with ample room for small and bigger groups, comfy chairs and couches for having espressos and a pleasant sunroom. There even appeared to be some kind of picnic area complete with blankets and so on. We ordered our food at the counter and then seated ourselves in the sunroom. With the decor between antique, vintage and eclectic, the statement piece was definitely the giant antique copper / brass espresso machine by Elektra. A real beauty that I wouldn't mind owning myself. The business owner himself served at the counter and was good for conversation and interested in his customers. My husband ordered the scrambled eggs and I had the poached egg with avocado and the most delicious hashbrowns I have ever had. We both had capucinos too. The only thing I would have liked to see is a little more generous servings of bread. Maybe 2 slices per person instead of one. But, I have to say that when my husband asked for extra bread, the owner didn't charge him for it. The breakfast was served on warm plates (YES!!!!), tastefully plated, capucinos presented with coffee art. Both eggs and bread fresh and flavorful. We wanted to come back here the next morning, before driving back to Auckland to catch our flight, but why oh why weren't you open yet at 8 AM??? I had so much looked forward to a repeat of the day before, but alas, it was not in the cards..... Perfect breakfast place!

After a great surf along the coastline, stop off at Rock-It-Cafe and Surf Shop for Raglan's local…read morebreakfast and surf shop. The plating presentation of the food was breathtaking. The Staff was friendly and responsive. And baked goods (muffins and banana bread) and pastries (cronut) was delicious. Poached eggs were over done and Creamy Portabello Mushroom Turkish plate was very salty. Chai Latte and Flat white was delicious with great foam presentation.

This was my second visit to Raglan from Hawaii and the Rock-it Kitchen was a must on both…read moreoccasions! I love the food and the coffee. And the service is always friendly. Their menu online is a bit unclear as to when they stop serving breakfast (which when you call they say noon, but it's really more like 11:30am). That was the only thing I found bothersome with many of the restaurants in NZ in general. If you say you're going to stop doing breakfast at a certain time then it should be at that time. I would come again and again, thank you!

I had the Sourdough toast with portobello mushrooms and my wife had the Eggs Benedict with bacon…read more She really enjoyed hers, I thought my mushrooms were a little undercooked for my liking. Still we both enjoyed out breakfast. My coffee was OK, a shame as I was quite looking forward to it. There was a minor issue between diners over the opening of a window, one of the staff gave the go ahead, the group opened the window fully, and it took another diner to go up to the group and request the shut the majority of it. I felt the staff should have spoken to the group or requested a limitation when it was opened.. There was a marked chilliness on the fully opened window. Apart from that it was a pleasant breakfast.

For lunch my sister, her husband and I checked out this cute cafe in Raglan…read more I ordered the Hoki Fish Burger which came with French Fries and a sweet Aioli sauce for the fish burger which came on a seed bun. Everything would have been perfect if they served it on a soft bun. They toasted the bun too long that my burger was practically a cracker bun making it very difficult to eat so we had to eat it seperate. Other then that, the fish was very soft and tender. My Sister ordered the Seafood Chowder and her husband the Fish and chips with poached eggs. They seemed to have enjoyed their meals, besides the two milkshakes they ordered in Mango and Caramel flavor. Took one sip and pushed to the side of the table. Cafes are suppose to be pretty much perfectionist at drinks they offer.. Guess they need more work on their shakes.

This neighborhood eatery is owned by the folks who run the Night Owl Restaurant, Owl's Nest Motel,…read moreand some other local businesses...I think they pretty much own the entire of 400? Regardless of the near monopoly, the Fat Pigeon serves up wonderful meals and bakes up perfect pastries...all for very reasonable prices. $21 Fat Pigeon breakfast $2: eggs cooked the way you like, crispy bacon, breakfast sausages, mushies, fried potatoes, roasted tomato & toasted ciabatta...a Hobbit's perfect breakfast $18 Bacon Banana Waffle Tower...a true tower representing breakfast! $21 Green lip mussels: savory steamed mussels in a delicious chorizo & tomato sauce, and garlic ciabatta...go good! We enjoyed some other divine dishes as well..be sure to eat here if you're nearby!

Still great. Friendly staff. Excellent array of food. Lamination especially good and beautifully…read morepresented.

This was our first stop in Lake Taupo. I really loved the atmosphere. We had breakfast and amazing…read morecoffee. I highly recommend.

Amazing vibe, great staff, the pancakes were so delectable and light, but not too filling. Would…read morehighly recommend this spot for brunch!

My new favourite local eatery…read more Oozing with charm and tranquility, St Margaret's Cafe is a perfect way to unwind with a stunning garden outlook (I imagine especially so in Spring), warm and inviting service and the food..., the food was just amazing! So good in fact, that I had to have dessert with my breakfast (and I would totally recommend the season fruits with mango sorbet and nut brittle to all).

A friend of mine recommended this place, and since I was on holiday, a drive out to the Karaka…read morecountryside sounded like a nice lunch excursion. And WOW! Am I glad I made the effort! This place is seriously one of Auckland's hidden gems. The name "Country Cafe" does it no favours. We turned up on a stunning spring Friday, and discovered the most gorgeous country garden setting, complete with lake - St Margarets is apparently such a popular wedding venue during the summer months that Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays are mostly fully booked. I can see why. Entranced by the scenery, we sat down & got just as engrossed in the menu! A delicious selection of salads & more substantial main dishes made it really difficult to choose. We opted for the Chargrilled Smoked Chicken & Candied Walnut Salad with potato & bacon & dressed with maple aioli, as well as the Oriental Sticky Slow-Cooked Pork Belly Sandwich with salad & spiced pineapple chutney. I learnt a while ago never to go past pork belly on a menu, and I haven't been disappointed yet. Both meals were stunning - visually gorgeous & utterly delicious. Well worth the drive, and with such picturesque surroundings to walk off your meal, you can bet I'll be making the drive again.

A bit pricey for what you get, but much better quality food than you will find in the area. Decent…read morecoffee & wide assortment of baked goods. Food can sometimes be hit or miss. Broight friends in that ordered gluten free toast and got regular toast. Thankfully, she caught it before taking a bite (allergy). Have had overcooked eggs once or twice, but still worth a stop! Eggs Benedict is one of my favorites!

This looked like a good stop on the way to Auckland from New Plymouth. Plenty of parking, good…read morerestrooms and a good breakfast. I had hot cakes with Bacon. It came in a short time and was good. They have good coffee!

The staff are very nice, the coffee was really good and the banana bread was the best I've ever had!read more

Great food and service. We had the omelet and all day breakfast pie…read moreAll very good Prices seemed a bit high but idk as a foreigner.