Review Espresso Workshop - Auckland Central

Nirmal Grewal

Nice, easy, simple. Small but spacious cafe, does exactly what you’d expect.

Suzy A

I haven’t had such a great coffee awhile! Busy cafe near the Britomart station. Due to short staff, coffee was serving in paper cup. Bagel was nicely toast and fresh!

Elaine Ang

Staff are always friendly, I love their ham & cheese croissants and funghi toastie!

Jo Ceyon

Good coffee for the morning. Loved the place and the friendly staff.

Gnip Weis

The flat white here is really velvety! My friends ordered Mocha and Hot chocolates! They loved it too!

James Dunwoody

Great coffees. V60s and siphon filter. Not many places offer that. Cold brew and tonic was refreshing.

David Heimer

I enjoyed a delicious coffee and a croissant. Nice atmosphere. Good people-watching.

Taylar W

Espresso Workshop Britomart has excellent staff and baristas with true integrity. I simply adore their coffees and am highly impressed when the service the provide. Highly recommended!

Grace Lim

Amazing service, the man who served us was so good and had a great smile. He even fixed our wobbly table for us! Great food/coffee and reasonably priced

Zoe Chen

My to go cafe in central Auckland!! Always taste good!! A sushi shop nearby is just a "could not be any better" combination for a quick n enjoyable lunch.

Shiyao Annie Tong

Probably the best little spot in town, they make honestly the best long black ever! Went with a flat white today. I love their coffee cups, specialty ceramic cups that you don’t get else where. Very sturdy and great to hold with a warm morning coffee. Their cheesy scone is also a cheeky tasty snack if you wish to fill your tummy and prolong your stay.

Andrew Johnson (AJ)

I love that every city has a few of this style of place scattered around, waiting to be discovered. Not so much cafes, as Temples To The Wonders of The Coffee Bean. This place has the full range - espresso, single origin, fancy brewing methods, fancy brewing gear for you to take home, and some of the best coffee in the CBD. Cold brew is particularly hard to find in Auckland, and these guys have a great one. Grab one, find a seat with a view, and watch Auckland bustle by while you worship the bean. Could do with a couple more varieties and brewing methods (siphon?) to earn the 5th star!

Lilian Monaghan

Love their ambience and coffee. Really enjoy grab a cup of coffee and sit outside watching people walking by. You gonna definitely love their unique porcelain cups really which totally are the bonus:)

Danielle Knowles

Awesome coffee, well worth the wait. A limited breakfast menu, but what they do have is delish.

Lost In Dawn

Have been here twice within one week. Love the croissant which smelt just like a piece of butter after being heated up!! Almond croissant was fine but little bit soggy in the middle due to the sweet paste. Flat white was above average.

Louise

If you're after a quick cup of coffee and a nice place to sit whilst in a busy CBD area, this is your place to go. The staff are super friendly and quick with their service. The tables are cleaned quite promptly and so the place is always very clean. They use paper straws (which are a blessing and a curse) so if thats not your cup of tea (or coffee rather), then I recommend bringing your own reusable straw! The coffee here isn't the cheapest but its definitely delicious!

Yana Petrenko

Stopped in here this morning with a friend to grab a quick coffee before we headed off to go have lunch and was quite surprised they didn't have any flavor shots for my flat white, so I was recommended the mocha which isn't usually fit for my liking. The taste of the mocha was quite off to be honest as I've tried them before but wasn't too happy with this one. My friend got a hot chocolate which she said was okay but after drinking about half of it she said tasted quite thick and too rich in chocolate and was quite unpleasant to drink.

Pig Cat

I quite enjoyed the coffee tasting here (recommend the seats inside). My friend who is coffee connoisseur recommended this place. They have single origin coffee from all over the world and serving only for a limited period of time.

Graham W

Had the smashed Avo good combination of avo, feta with pesto oil, and a few other bits and bobs, great coffee and staff friendly, good location as you walk to the city

Krystal Reyland

A busy little coffee shop which is perfect to grab a coffee before work or uni. Despite it being busy in the morning, the staff are always cheerful and remember their regular customers (definitely keeps me coming back). It’s amazing how fast they can get coffee out, and it is by far the best coffee in Auckland. Only recommendation would be to make a loyalty card!

Asianfoodie

A regular place to get quick coffee before work. It is always very busy but staff members provide really good service, and the coffee is also very good. It is also located in an area where the sunlight directly falls, producing a very warm and comfy vibe.

Anastasia Matiatos

Damn Espresso Workshop is alright mayn. Came here for a quick bite to eat in the weekend with my parents. I got the protein bowl which was average I've never actually tried a protein bowl before so I didn't really know what to expect but I ate it and enjoyed it. My parents got bagels which they both really loved BUT the bagels came and then we had to wait a hot 7 ish mins for my bowl to come which is weird because the bowl would be easier and quicker to make but that's okay!! I wanna go back here and try an iced mocha because they look so damn good sis. x

LilianMonaghan

Love their ambience and coffee. Really enjoy grab a cup of coffee and sit outside watching people walking by. You gonna definitely love their unique porcelain cups really which totally are the bonus:)

Georgina Wang

Probably the best coffee place in town :) Always order the cappuccino or latte never disappointed. Their coffee range is varied and of good quality.

Flames And Skewers

Espresso Workshop has beautiful ambience and is very well designed, other than that, nothing will not impress you. The coffee is just amazing, I usually go for the large Americano, and it certainly has the consistency that I'd like my coffee to have at all times. The place is reliable when it comes to coffee and the service is really quick as well. I definitely recommend it for a quick cup if you're in the area. The only reason I take away a star is due to the fact that outdoor seating is in middle of a pathway and has the road in front of it. It's just the location that may be appealing to some people but it unfortunately doesn't work for me.

SpoonMe

In need for a coffee desperately I decided to pop in here to give their coffee a try. Got my usual Americano with a bit of almond milk. I’m not good at describing coffee flavours but it was flavourful, good temperature and gets a tick from me:) Staff were friendly and really nice location too!

G1k

I usually grab something from the cabinet on my way into work, or if I'm early usually have coffee with my breakfast and read a book. The place is surprisingly quiet and has a calm atmosphere even though the place itself is actually busy with their usual customers. I like their date scone which has brown sugar coated on top, their croissants are also nice. And of course their coffee is amazing! Lovely staff too

Kelly Luo

Espresso Workshop is nice place for coffee, very rich. Bagels are nothing that stands out too much. Would recommend place for coffee and not entirely a place to have a fancy eat.

Annie Tong

Probably the best little spot in town, they make honestly the best long black ever! Went with a flat white today. I love their coffee cups, specialty ceramic cups that you don’t get else where. Very sturdy and great to hold with a warm morning coffee. Their cheesy scone is also a cheeky tasty snack if you wish to fill your tummy and prolong your stay.

Ash

I’ve been coming to Espresso Workshop for around 10 years. Firstly when they had premises in Epsom, and now that they’re conveniently opposite my gym in Britomart. I adore coffee and I can safely say that they consistently serve the best in Auckland (if not NZ). They always have really great staff, in particular one cool chick I remember from the Epsom days. This place makes me happy :)

Vita

If you're looking for a decent place for a coffee around Britomart, I recommend coming here. Their coffee range is varied and of good quality. Haven't tried their food but from what I've seen, they offer a mixture of sweet pastries and slices as well as sandwiches and frittatas. I got a batch brew which is great if you're on-the-go as it has already been pre-brewed. My only cavil is that the tables can be a bit dirty from not being cleaned quickly enough and seating can be limited at busy times.

Ayaan Shaikh

absolutely love this cafe, they go above and beyond with their syphon coffee. it's the best way I've ever been served coffee, I haven't seen this creativity in many other places, and on top of that it comes with a fact sheet about the type of bean and tasting notes. It was amazing, all the tasting notes came together so well and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Their setup is also very artsy! Make sure you try their syphon coffee if you come by! its quite cheap as well, around 7 dollars for 2 cups.

Dani

Such a cool, neat little caf. Ordered the smashed avocado with bacon and the double bacon croissant. Both were surprisingly filling and the quality of the food was definitely worth the money. Loved the aesthetics of this place too. Would defined recommend if you’re around britomart!

Superfoodie

I ordered a breakfast bagel and soy cappuccino takeaway. The service was friendly and they brought it out promptly which was great, but when I was halfway across town I tried the coffee and realised it was regular milk instead of the soy I had asked for. I know I should have checked when I was still near the store, but it was super hot at the time and I was in a hurry to get to work. I have a dairy allergy and had to pour the rest of the coffee down the sink, as I’m working today and had no time to go back and ask for a new one. I’ve also had a painful allergic reaction to the milk. The bagel is pretty good, but this is the first time I’ve had a barista give me regular milk instead and it’s a potentially dangerous screw up. Waste of an otherwise good coffee and my money, and I’m going to be sore the rest of the day. Lucky thing I’m not anaphylactic otherwise I might be in hospital.

Epicure

This is my go to place for coffees in morning. Their coffees are really good and they customise it very well as per your taste. Staff is really good and you never felt doomed even if it is super busy.

K Al Nuaimi

The best coffee I’ve had ever, it’s a blind 5. Ooh their Brownies is on game. I went at two different times, two different Baristas, still tasted as good

888bing888

Good chai latte, very friendly staff and fast service. First time to try this busy cafe and it didn’t disappoint me. Very convenient location from work.

Kirsten

Heard they make nice coffee here, and ordered an iced coffee and my friend had the iced americano. The iced coffee was not too bitter and not too sweet either! Really great for a hot summer's day! Will be back!

Eatwithmyfoodsafari

A cafe located in Britomart. Weather was a bit damp and getting much colder. What better than to take a break and stop by for a hot beverage? Make your order and payment at the counter. Take a seat and they’ll bring out the order to you. Service was very friendly. I had a Mocha and served as coffee art which I always enjoy. The taste of the coffee was pretty good too.

Jim Tomato

Jus went here for a takeaway flat white. 15 minutes.. people coming in well after me walking away with their coffee... think they forgot about me

Dxlche

Amazing iced chocolate here. $5.50 for an iced chocolate I believe was done with dark chocolate. Really creamy dark chocolate cut through with the ice. One of the best iced chocolates I’ve had to be honest. My fiancé got their flat white. Check this place out if you ever go past Britomart.

Quintin Buckley

Tried the Workshop three times with three different baristas (weeks apart) and got to say the coffee is basically meh grade. The location is great and so are the staff but really the beans are fairly ordinary and far better at alternative outlets in most directions (umm not the sea, not the sea). The food is good but the place is running one legged without a great beverage.

Mark

Right in the heart of Britomart lovely coffee awesome environment for perfect morning metting.Lot of choices for type of coffee bean u like.worth to visit.

Hungry Zombie

I'm regular coffee addicted customer to this shop. Double shot flat white always wake me up every working morning. The coffee not always has the same consistency but I like the barista remember my name and what last order. Not going to quit from coffee for awhile as long as they still served me well. Voila!

NYNB

Definitely one of the best cafes to grab a coffee from. I've rated it a 4.5 as sometimes the quality of the coffee is inconsistent when the regular baristas aren't making it. The soy flat whites are perfect. I've ordered one almost every day for the past 9 months when I worked in Britomart & no matter the time 8am ~ 2pm, the quality - when made by my preferred baristas were 10/10. I've tried the watercress & avocado sandwich (toasted) - which unfortunately for me had mozzarella cheese in it as well. Fortunately, I'm only mildly lactose intolerant so I could eat it & it tasted great! But for those who aren't, I would recommend asking if there's any cheese in other cabinet sandwiches as this one didn't have it stated in the label! I've also tried their best ugly bagels - I ordered the sesame bagel with cream cheese & jam to takeaway. I've never had a BUB before, but I LOVE bagels in general & it was pretty bomb..... plus they give you a hearty amount of cream cheese & jam in the takeaway pot! Service wise, I love them. Staff are super friendly & 98% attentive. Obviously when they are busy, it does take a little time to notice there's a new customer given the small space & amount of foot traffic especially in the AM. One of the girls was a super sweetheart because she asked my name, asked for my order & attempted to remember my face to my order the next time I came in. (She didn't remember too well, but the effort counts).

Sam Norris

Beautiful coffee, amazing bagels, great friendly multicultural team. Order the batch brew, or a filter coffee, they make it with such great care

FoodiePhysician

Great coffee, central location, chill vibes. Had the bagels- they are pretty good, a few different toppings to choose from. Fav drink here is the signature cold brew with orange slice - very refreshing first thing in the morning! 3.5 Yums

Vivi S

The day began with a rainbow, light split into colourful spectra through the train stop windows. A sign to a great day ahead? Right-o, let's start with a caffeine treat. . The Store would have been closer, but it's always surrounded with people in suits waiting for their morning fixes. I wanted a quieter, less stressful, less crowded service. Espresso Workshop offers just that, with a better experience for it. Look at that full cabinet. Makes me so happy.

Vikas Yadav

Pretty average. The coffee was slightly burnt but drinkable. The cheese pretzel I ordered was dry. Did not complaint coz wasn't that bad. Nothing really great about this cafe to be on the Urban List.

Preeti Ramakrishnan Vikas

We tried their coffee as they are listed on the urban list for 10 best places in Auckland.... I have had better and they are not on the list... Very average

Jay

I had walked past this cafe several times in the past and finally got a chance to check it out. Since they are called Espresso "Workshop" and they brew their coffee, I decided to try their speciality coffee (cold brew+orange+tonic water). The first sip of the coffee was strange or unfamiliar with a strong orange taste. I didn't expect a strong taste of orange with a single piece of it in the coffee. Apparently they squeeze a piece of orange first into the coffee then put another slice for a garnish. However, it was quite addictive! Fizzy orange taste coffee! The actually coffee tasted really good and kinda balanced with orange's acidity and sweetness. carbonated cold brew refreshed my tired soul! I would definitely come back to try other menu but i will be most likely ordering this special cold brew again.

Rachelle S

Nice coffee, the only place I know to get a chocolate and almond croissant. Nice to pop in now and again, love sitting outside and watching the world go by, even on a rainy day!

Ash.

At one point this was one of the only places from where I would get my caffeine fix, however it was usually in a hurried rush so I've only had their cold brews (which can be easily be taken away) and espresso. The espresso does have a much stronger and bitter taste to them but I've always been more partial to a black and bitter coffee so I have no complaints. They also serve Best Ugly Bagels with a couple of different options if you want spreads/extras which were good. Service has always been friendly and quick.

Medium_Rare

Amongst the hustle and bustle of Auckland CBD, it's been strangely difficult getting a decent coffee. Being invited to Espresso Workshop, I was excited to try out their brew selection. Feeling a little adventurous, I had their cold brew speciality which tasted pretty funky and weird(a mixture of coffee shot, orange and carbonated water), but oddly enough, left me refreshed and revitalised. If you can get past the initial taste, I think this drink would be a brave try and you will have a surprisingly refreshed feeling. I also had a sip of my friend's coffee--can confirm that the coffee is legit here. Showstopper: Their coffee is really good. Overall Grade: B

Mary Underwood

Came here as I'd walked into l'assiette next door, stood there for several minutes while 2 waitresses scanned past me, a businessman walked in and they flocked over him. Eventually they greeted me but I walked out. Rude! Anyway I digress. This place caught my eye. Modern and a great selection. Best ugly bagels on the menu. Ordered my usual poison which tasted slightly charred. Chose the cinnamon bagel with peanut butter and jam. Not sure what happened but bagel wasn't even offered with butter. Was as hard as a rock and dry. When I had a bite my mouth felt it was on fire. Either whoever made the bagel tipped a vat of cinnamon in it or something was amiss. Surely a cinnamon bagel is not supposed to burn your mouth? I'm giving this rating due to the ambience. Would I come back? Probably not. Waitress not very friendly. Mumbled something as my plate was dropped down beside me. What is it with cafes in this vicinity? Is it too early to smile and greet people?

Catherine

Very disappointed experience with this café, ordered flat white on Sunday morning before my yoga class, no customer before me but have to wait for the staff that have the mood to make my coffee, and the coffee tasted warm milk water too.

A

Addictive coffee and donuts. Love the vibe and the staff. I've been ordering soy coffees recently and sometimes they can taste weird- but these guys did an amazing job.

Athena

Nice coffee. A bit on the strong side so not the faint hearted 😎 If you go there make sure to go for a flat white or a latte, as their cuppa is a bit too bitter

Rebecca MacDonald

Popped in here for some lunch to go and was pleasantly surprised to find they have best ugly bagels. I ordered one toasted with cream cheese and a salted caramel and vanilla doughnut. A delicious lunch! They had a very serious looking coffee menu but I had already had my coffee for the day so will come to come back and check that out!

Razelle Icaro

I'm currently on a hunt to find Auckland's best coffee and this one seems to be one of the best! It's relatively cheaper than other GOOD coffee shops and the blend is so smooth it's like gold- in coffee form. The cafe itself is pretty quiet for its location. It's located in one of the busiest areas in CBD-britomart. Which is a convenient spot for a quick coffee run before heading to school or work. They also serve Best Ugly Bagels- which is one of the best bagels in town. No need to walk all the way to Al's Deli or the actual Ugly Bagel shop in Wellesley Street West. ZomatoStudents

#1

A nice place that has different types of coffee. The cold brew is unique and presented in an interesting manner. Cool location and good ambience. Staff is friendly and courteous. Will go again.

Alice Bayley

Had just been at the gym and was desperate for a pick me up coffee. I ordered a coffee and one of the marshmallow chocolate covered coffee puffs. It was approximately 2ish and staff weren't friendly or fast movers, giving them slack they'd probably just gotten over a busy lunch. However the barista took 5 minutes to even acknowledge my order had been made and before she stopped what she was doing to make my coffee which then proceeded to take another 5 minutes to pour the shot, have a chat to another staff member and then eventually heat the milk - making this take way to long. The coffee was warm, yuk ! The first person who took my order should've told this barista that she had a coffee order but the communication between the staff lacked it looked like no one wanted to be there - 4 staff were working. I'd never been here before but it looked cool every time I'd been past but don't think I would recommend this cafe in a hurry, the food looked good and tasted alright but if your after service or a coffee look elsewhere.

Christine

Had the cutest little latte here and it tasted fantastic. I loved the blend of beans they used, very smooth and nutty. Didn't try the food but would love to go back and try more.

Crumpet King

Chirpy staff pleasant vibe. Interesting magazines to read if you are on your own. Long black...not bad! Food looked good might have give it a whirl next visit!

Russell T

Fantastic coffee - best I've had in Auckland. Just finished a smoked salmon bagel too...hit the spot!

Jonathan Chen

Friendly service. Nice decor. Reasonable coffee. Will try some of their food next time; looked pretty good.

Sandri

Nice place for a break with an earl grey tea+ginger loaf ☕️?.

Yusoff Kamal

Great location...I had my usual cuppachino and this taste okay. (good but not great) The scone is yummy so its not totally disappointing. Max group for this place is up to 4. Any more than this... you will be waiting for seats.Busy during lunch hours esp. work week.I can't say much about this place but I definitely try it again next time.

Amy @ My Dining Journey

I'm a coffee addict. I adore great coffee culture and find any opportunity to get a cuppa coffee. I've been to Espresso Workshop since its beginning in Epsom (where parking is easy and free) but less frequent since its move to Parnell and Britomart. If I'm ordering a takeaway, I opt for a smooth soy flat white but if I'm dining in, I stay for a Chemex or V60 pour over. The baristas are careful with creating the perfect brew and if you're lucky, you can have a coffee made by the 2014 NZ National Barista Champion. I don't usually order any food so I can't comment on the taste but the cabinet food looks nice. Friendly staff and calm ambience. I enjoy stopping by at Espresso Workshop!

Alan Gordon

Great service, really nice Best Ugly bagel with ricotta and slow roasted tomatoes, but what lifted this experience above most others was the fantastic coffee. Just beautiful rich flavours, and its immaculately made. Well done Espresso Workshop.

Georgie @ Georgieats

I went to Espresso Workshop late morning (about 11:30) with two friends. We left feeling very disappointed. We ordered three takeaway drinks - 1x extra hot flat white with trim milk, 1x extra extra hot hot chocolate with trim millk and 1x non trim milk hot chocolate, extra hot. Drinks came after a long wait. I tried my extra extra hot hot chocolate which was lukewarm, as were the other two drinks. We told the coffee girl that they were not hot enough, bordering cold, and would she be able to heat the drinks up in the microwave, however she said she would make them again. Also the coffee girl made both the hot chocolates trim milk and did not understand when we told her that we only wanted one with trim milk! Second time round, all three drinks were a little bit warmer, but we all thought it was poorly made coffee/hot chocolate. However, as I started to drink it, I realised that it tasted different to the normal hot chocolates I have had. I am 100% sure the milk was off. My friend who ordered the flat white agreed also and did not finish her coffee. We were already on the road by this time and feeling very dissatisfied hence the need to write this review. I thought this place would be amazing, but I am really disappointed and unfortunately, Espresso Workshop will not be getting any praise.

Amy Webb

Popped into Espresso Workshop on a Saturday morning for a quick coffee before work. Walked in and first thing we noticed was how peaceful it was, very calming, no rushing around or loud music. The two staff working were both very attentive and polite. The coffee was perfect, just the right taste and temperature. Plus the prices were very decent for CBD. I was actually so impressed with the service and the coffee that I wrote in an email to the owner. He was very happy to receive the message, and I really look forward to making it a regular.

Heartshrooms

These people are serious about their coffee with numerous awards to back it up, including Auckland's no. 1 ranked Barista award for 5 years in a row. I'm not the best person to judge their coffee since I don't drink coffee, but their chai latte's are quite nice. They used to have choco-chai latte which was such a unique and amazing combination, I really wish they'd bring it back. They sell Ma Cherie macarons which are pretty average in my opinion, the problem with mass manufacturers is that sometimes it isn't fresh when it's sold as it's been sitting in the fridges for a while. The first time was nice (not as nice as others though), but the second and third times were drier and had hollow shells.