Goldmine

Goldmine (171 Willis Street) Prepare yourself for a somewhat mixed review. I think my high expectations are what let me down, because overall I suppose you could say the place was pretty good. Owned by the masters at Lamason, Goldmine is yet another CBD venture that has recently opened its doors. It has a very…

Olaf’s Artisan Bakery

Olaf’s (1 Stokes Road, Mt Eden) Tucked off Mt Eden’s main street, Olaf’s is an artisan bakery serving a range of baked goods and coffee to eat in or take away. The cabinet has a range of fancy and not so fancy cakes, tarts and baguettes, and the shelving behind the till is stacked high…

Pickle and Pie

Pickle and Pie (2 Lombard Street) Described by the place itself as a ‘take on a NYC delicatessen’, Pickle and Pie admittedly doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Located on Lombard Lane (oppose La Maison coffee), a small alley way whose development has been severely hindered by the continual scaffolding that seems to surround…

Franks

Franks (116 The Terrace) Oh how I do love Franks. It’s exactly the sort of place I picture when I want to go somewhere spacious, light and zen-feeling to blog. Unfortunately for me, it’s at the opposite end of town to where I work so I don’t often make it here (Lucky for me though,…

Beach House and Kiosk

The Beach House and Kiosk (410 The Esplanade, Island Bay) Formerly known as The Bach, this sea-side spot has beautiful views of the South Coast, which even stretch as far as the South Island on a good day. A great stop off before or after visiting the Red Rocks, The Beach House and Kiosk has…

Ekor Bookshop & Cafe

Ekor Bookshop & Cafe (17b College Street) What a discovery. Tucked away a few metres along from Cafe L’affare (on the same street as Moore Wilsons) the Ekor Bookshop & Cafe is an absolute gem, just waiting to be found. It caught our eye as we were walking out to Newtown recently, and at our…

Plum Cafe

Plum Cafe (103 Cuba Street) One of the few cafes and restaurants on Cuba Street that doesn’t specialise in a particular cuisine, rather it has a focus on producing classic Western food with a side of class. It has a decadent cabinet, a yummy menu, and a kitchen that rivals the size of your broom…

The Riddiford Bar & Bistro

The Riddiford Bar & Bistro (16 Riddiford Street, Newtown) With a prime location of across the road from the hospital, business here should be booming. Unfortunately, I think The Riddiford probably needs a bit of a revamp before this happens. It took me a while to visit here because I’d heard extremely mixed things about…

House Cafe

House Cafe (corner of Crosses Road and Napier Road) Avoiding some of the more popular spots on a long weekend in the Bay, Dad suggested that we head along to House Cafe which is tucked away on the corner of Crosses Road and Napier Road. It’s not that obvious a spot; one of those places…

The Bach

The Bach (108 Maunganui Road) A super beachy looking place in the hub of the Mount township; I’ve always been attracted to it purely by its interior decor. It’s spacious, with large tables, menus on the wall and a cabinet + low counter across from which you order. The coffee is tasty, the brownie is…