Review Sugar At Chelsea Bay - Auckland Central

First time trying this place. Was recommended the dessert slices such as caramel slice and he marshmallow slice and they were very good. Coffee was just ok here. Also ordered 2 mains, the tarakihi taco and the fish and chips. The taco was perfectly cooked, slightly crisp and tasted amazing, quantity not too much however. The fish and chips to me was quite average and over priced. Overall not a bad meal though. Would probably come next time just for cabinet food.

Our first time visit to Sugar at chelsea BAy was amazing , the food was yummy and coffee was awesome, we had chocolate cake as well , it was tasty and very rich . Staff service was awesome as well .

Delicious food, lovely vibe and friendly staff. There's an impressive range of cabinet "sweet treats" which we were too full to try, after our brunches. We'll definitely go back for coffee and cake!

Great atmosphere at this place. The lady at the reception was very nice. Tables are usually full so booking is recommended. Views around this place is good. Would recommend a tour too. Cabinet food has such a variety. We had lunch and cane home with desserts. Even though the place was pretty packed, service was fast.

Went here for sit down meal but was so crazy busy decided to order out of the windows.... probably some of the yummiest windows food I've ever had. Update 23/10/23 Again, It was very busy but managed to get a table this time. Delicious dine in food. Had the fried chicken, the Moroccan Lamb, and the Kids fish and chips. All very delicious. Service was fast and friendly. Got some cabinet sweets to go.

Have a very happy birthday lunch with my son's family during this winter time, cold outside but feeling so good as setting besides the big window with view and lights, delicious food and warm service.

Me and my hubby went there to have breakfast , the cafe and the view is really nice , the place is spacious and cute and pinky pinky interior, food is amazing too 👍🏻

The girl with piercings was lovely, enjoyed talking to customers. Though we all have sore tummies from the food - it was all quite heavy and not good value for money in my opinion - $6 coffee is quite dare. Nice location though I guess that’s what you’re paying for.

A friend gave me an address, and I didn't realise it was at the Chelsea Sugar factory and thought I missed a turn. Came to the end and found a handicapp parking space that was convenient. Went inside and saw they did tours of the factory. Had coffee and lunch the coffee was pretty decent and my lunch was fried chicken was good . The views were nice and definitely would go back

Such beautiful hidden places, beautiful people, delicious food ,great coffee with our brunch, no booked but lucky have table for us .

Went there every Wednesday with daughters new mum's group. Food ,staff and atmosphere 5 star. Loved my decaf iced coffees. Just now need an indoor area now that all bubs starting to crawl. That would top off your place. Best place in Auckland area. Miss my morning tea's there. Back in Aus now. 5 star in my book.

Amazing location. Beautiful views. Yummy food. Recommend to book. Will be back.

This is my second visit on this trip. The manager is very kind. There are some people who enjoy relaxing. It is a place where you can see the big bridge across to the beach, sea, yacht, and downtown while drinking coffee.

It is convenient to book here in google maps. The food is great as well as the crew is very friendly. My son and wife love's it. We will surely be back along with our friends next time. 😃

an absolutely Heavenly food/ambience/Service...been here twice...always colorful feeling...thsnks Sugar team..

My friends and I visited Sugar on a Saturday and luckily we managed to get a table fairly quickly. Love the selection available on the lunch menu, and if you're after a sweet treat, the cabinet is full of yummy looking cakes and slices. We ordered three items from the menu: Soft Shell Crab Benedict, Pork Belly Benedict and Chicken & Waffles. All were well received and polished off. The coffee took longer than the food but it was decent. Would have loved a filter option but i resorted to a long black. Service was okay. You order at the counter and the food comes quickly. It does get really busy during the weekend so be prepared to wait for a table. Great playground outside if you have kids. Also a nice outdoor seating area!

Beautiful cafe tucked away on the edge of the harbour. Excellent atmosphere and friendly staff. Plenty of space, whether inside or outside, with a playground for the kids. The coffee was divine and the food was reasonably good with respectively fair prices. Plenty of parking available. Well worth checking this cafe out!

Lovely cafe, with amazing view. Downside is the only way to pay is spilting by number of people (and not by what each person ordered) which is super inconvenient.

Awesome experience, amazing staff and location to die for. Can't wait for the cafe to open

A bit over hyped, that doesn’t really deliver. Coffee tasted bitter, the mushroom dish barely had any mushrooms with a very dense crumpet. The French toast was quite nice, the price was a bit steep especially without having added bacon yet. The corn fritters would be better if it came with a poached egg, or some sort of sauce as the dish can be quite dry. The cabinet food might be a better call when coming here rather than going for something off the menu. It is a lovely cafe though, nice location and staff are always lovely too!

Came for the location, beautiful spots. But that’s all, no returning.

Above average food with a fantastic matcha latte. So many people waiting for seats but guess it's worth it. Great view. Recommended. 👍

Our new favourite cafe. The eggs Benedict is the best in Auckland. You'll have to wait around 40 minutes for a table but it's worth it.

The foods are delish and they have big servings. The waitress who was assigned to us was very accommodating and friendly. The place is also relaxing. Will definitely come back to try their other foods!

Beautiful food, place and service. Couldn’t fault anything here, yes we did have to 40 mins to get a table but this is without a booking and have to say it was well worth the wait. Great variety on the menu, good portion sizes and food came out speedily despite a packed lunch crowd. Great little playground for the kids and right next to the bay with awesome views. Bean bags on the lawn for the adults? Also nice little interactive sugar musuem and shop for all to enjoy. Lets talk food, the southern fried chicken with french toast wasn’t too heavy or greasy and liked the hint of chilli to the dish, fish and chips were battered and fried perfectly and the fish literally melts in your mouth. The corn fritters were the best thing especially with corn still being in season. And the star of the whole meal was the Lemon lamington/sponge cake. Lemony, fluffy and creamy, absolutely to die for and look at the size of the thing, worth the $8. Sugar at Chelsea Bay was definitely a hidden gem for us and we’ll definitely be back.

Really nice location and was nice to drive there and see the scenery. Food was delicious and coffee was even better. Recommend making booking as they are always busy and we had to wait 30 mins to be seated but as I said the scenes is beautiful so you don’t really mind

My friends and I visited Sugar on a Saturday and luckily we managed to get a table fairly quickly.<br/><br/>Love the selection available on the lunch menu, and if you're after a sweet treat, the cabinet is full of yummy looking cakes and slices.<br/><br/>We ordered three items from the menu: Soft Shell Crab Benedict, Pork Belly Benedict and Chicken & Waffles. All were well received and polished off. <br/><br/>The coffee took longer than the food but it was decent. Would have loved a filter option but i resorted to a long black. <br/><br/>Service was okay. You order at the counter and the food comes quickly. It does get really busy during the weekend so be prepared to wait for a table.

Came on a Saturday for brunch and ended up waiting 20 minutes, although we didn't mind since it is a popular time for families to eat during weekends. I ordered the roast pork Benedict which was delicious. The pork was super tender and the meal came with a thick slice of potato which balanced out the saltiness of the pork. Although the poached eggs made the meal too rich and I only finished one of the eggs. I tried a bit of the crab Benedict and French toast with fried chicken too. French toast was super heavy as it came with corn bread and Brioche. I found the crab Benedict to be a weird combination and didn’t enjoy it. The cabinet food looked amazing so I had the Victoria sponge and the orange and blueberry muffin which had an amazing light coconuty frosting- both were great and not too sweet. Good portions too!<br/><br/>The service was great, staff were friendly and loved the location and ambiance (we were sat by the bay). No complaints

To be honest. I was disappointed. The service left much to be desired and there was a mix up with our bill. The sink in the disabled toilet was full of sand and pretty gross. The food was all so big. But also expensive. The $8 lamington was yummy but I couldn’t eat it all. A half size would have been nice. Great play area for the kids so I will come again maybe just for coffee.

A m a z i n g ....Best cakes I've had in Auckland for a long while. Loved the berry tart with custard, wanted to have two! Had an amazing rose latte, was so special.

Went here with my sister's kids and my dogs earlier this week. Wasn't sure if they would have something to fit us all in, including our large dog, but the staff were extremely helpful in finding something for us! There was a ten minute wait for a table during which the staff were very helpful and updated us on the wait so we didn't feel forgotten. My sister and I ordered off the menu and the kids got cabinet food. It was all amazing! Five star service, unparalleled food quality! Would highly recommend, and will be doing so to all my work mates!

Came here for a family dinner and ordered the beef cheese burger. The meat had too much flavor and was over cooked. For a $26 burger I was very disappointed and I think that burger fuel or better burger would have been better. My mother ordered the market fish which had a sessional price and when she asked the waitress, she had no clue of what type of fish it was or the price. When the fish arrived it was over cooked and over seasoned and tasted like salt. The lamb rump however was not a disappointment, and was cooked perfectly, ordered it with a side of salad but instead got broccoli which was disappointing. Also ordered a chocolate milkshake for $9 which was a huge disappointment and tasted like Milo and milk. In total I thought the meals were over priced and over seasoned. <br/>Service- 3/10<br/>Food quality- 5/10<br/>Menu options- 3/10 <br/>Price of meals- 3/10<br/>Overall would not go back

This cafe has good environment with modern decoration. Many empty seats but no staff bring you to the seat, we have to wait outside. I think they have labor shortage and they cannot take care the customers. We are unhappy to wait more than 10 minutes. In Australia, sometimes we have to wait the seats as well. But they will record your name at first time. They will call you when the seats are available. I feel they do not care customers here. The presentation of the food is fashion but I don't like the taste of the food.

Nice environment especially great for kids to play around. Food is nice and staffs are friendly 😊

Terrible slow service. Plenty of staff and not many patrons, yet the wait time for food was nearly an hour. Even worse for people waiting to be seated - they waited for service for 15 minutes yet there were plenty of free tables. Would not come back.

Had a long waiting time on Labour Day and food is quite pricey but it’s a good place if you want to treat yourself to a nice breakfast with a view.

The food is really disappointing. But the staff are lovely and the setting is beautiful. Great place to bring children 😊

We called in for brunch yesterday. I had the Kimchi Scrambled Eggs and my husband had the Creamy Mushrooms. We both enjoyed our meals. The service was great, the food was great and the view was lovely. We got some cakes to takeaway for afternoon tea. We will be back.

Love the cabinet food and the taco is the best thing I have eaten here! Wish there was a little more savoury options in cabinet as scones and sausage rolls sell out quick. Lemon lamington is also to die for! Must try!

Definitely will come back for brunch again

I loved the flavours of the salad and the presentation. I did find it a little pricey to pay $8 extra for just to get 2 pieces of chicken (might just be me though). The staff where so friendly and even though there was a lot of people we didn’t have to wait long for our food and drinks to be served.

Came in to try the marshmallow slice yesterday afternoon with Michelle. Loved the atmosphere there. We had to wait for a table but that was understandable because the place was amazing Prices were kind of expensive because it was a tourist destination. Food was served at a good pace and service was friendly.

Came for a coffee and sweet treat from the cabinet. Great location down near the harbour. Coffee was strong and slightly bitter, passionfruit slice was delicious, cheesecake taste and consistency, not too sweet. Service was great, one of the best I’ve experienced at a cafe. Comfy seating and nice view, big glass windows overlooking the playground. Busy on a Saturday, had a half hour wait but that was easily spent wandering the grounds and playing a game in the Chelsea factory interactive zone.

Love the location, the view , the service , ambient and lastly.. the food. Amazing. The portion for each dish is just nice and honestly, my favourite dish is the Mexican Benedict ~ a little bit of spice but blends well with the creamy sauce :) <br/><br/>Highly recommend you to try other dishes or better, keep coming back and try all dishes! :) <br/><br/>Will definitely come back another time. <br/><br/>Also, definitely go for the sugar factory tour. 👍🏻👍🏻

Fourth visit to Sugar,great outlook,friendly staff,ideal for families and the kids with a playground within view of the dining area.Food well presented,heavily weighted towards breakfast ,brunch.Some items on the menu however dont cut it! A burger for example should not cost $26.00 ,average at best considering other options around,salads high on presentation but lacking in substance,tipping the till at $27.00 for very little and add your protein to push it even higher,menu options could do with a refresh,overall great for coffee and a cake!

Great location to have brunch with good views. Place is kid friendly as well. Foods presentation are so aesthetic. Can’t help to not take pictures. From the plates that they use till ingredients are colourful. <br/><br/>Good thing is foods are not just pretty but taste good as well. Cakes are amazingly delicious too!

Cool location. The big breakfast was delicious but didn’t enjoy the waffle. Was hardly any waffle to soak up the load of sweet things they put on top. Felt like I paid just for waffle toppings. <br/>

The coffee is great, the food price very expensive, cabinet food is good and of many varities. But I think and feel racism is rife at this place. <br/>I have been waiting for table for a while but if you are of white skin European, you get a table after few 2-5 mins wait. If you are darker skin indian, you don’t get a table until 30 mins to 40mins. Unfortunately racisim does not have a place in my dictionary and I stand against it. Hence 1 star eventhough the food and coffee was great. There is huge unfairness when it comes to getting a table. If you friends of ushers and staff, you get table straight away. Very disappointed with it. <br/><br/>I hope the management stand against racisim at this place.

Sugar is nestled prettily between the sea, native bush and famous Chelsea Sugar Factory. <br/><br/>At our most recent visit, we were told it would be 45 minutes for a table and promptly joined the 3 person queue for takeaway cabinet food.<br/><br/>The ginger crunch was a thick, finger length treat generously layered with icing and crystallised ginger chunks. A towering banoffee cake was not-too-sweet and light but had a thyme garnish which left a weird aftertaste. For a cafe named Sugar, their savoury brioches and scones are so deliciously satisfying you could almost say no to dessert.<br/><br/>Be prepared for a lengthy wait for a table at peak times or take the cabinet food to-go and enjoy the view outside.

Great location at Chelsea bay with a kids playground & interactive displays linked to the refinery. We had heard that getting a table was a challenge on the weekend so we arrived early. <br/>Service was very friendly & efficient, coffee well made. Lots of amazing treats in the cabinet as well as a full menu.<br/>The eggs Benedict had a good twist with a Mexican option. The waffles were ok, not the best out there as it was overshadowed by so many toppings. having said that though the toppings by themselves were innovative & delicious. <br/>The bacon was really smoky so maybe only order if you’re a fan of that

Recommend all the pretty and fresh desserts from this place!!! Brilliant location, you can have a whole bridge-and-city view if your table is beside a glass.

Best place on Earth. So fantastic for kids. An all round amazing experience and makes me happy being here. Food is insanely good, whatever you order. The lady that works at the information desk is very grumpy but we just ignore her.

While I wait in front of the cabinet, one fly was playing around with the fancy sweets in it. It was very annoying to see that. I'm wondering why open type of cabinet which pose a rsk of food contamination is used.<br/><br/>It was on a weekday around 2:30pm, not crowded and only a couple of customers in front of me in a line. When it's my turn, I was left standing at the cashier for quite a while.<br/><br/>We got 2 kinds of cakes and both of them were really beautiful in looking & tasting.<br/>Latte was also nice.<br/><br/>I'm looking forward to trying other stuff in the corner seat area with a nice view next time.

Went here for my birthday brunch. My partner had the Kimchi Scrambled Eggs on Toast and I had the Mexican Eggs Benedict. Eggs Bene taken to the next level by throwing in some mex fried chicken, crispy jalapeños, charred cauliflower and chipotle hollandaise to top it all off. Everything was delicious, can’t fault it. Good service and amazing view of the harbour bridge. Good coffee and matcha latte. Their cabinet food looks amazing, I just wanna try everything! Definitely recommend ✨

presentation is well done, wasn’t the best meal i’ve had because the dark chocolate sauce was gross and overtook the whole taste of the meal, it should be milk chocolate not dark chocolate, other than that the rest was okay.

Sugar is amazing!!!! The view of the harbour bridge is amazing and there is a good amount of parking. A playground for the kids and the cafe is decorated so beautifully and super modern. The cabinet food looks SO GOOD it is so hard to pick just 1 thing, everything looks so tasty. Came in with sister and her friend for morning tea/brunch. It was super busy but we got seated fairly quickly. We went for some cakes first of all - my sister got a slice, I got a black forest cake and her friend got a chocolate cake.  The cakes were to die for. Her friend also got the 'autumn chicken salad' which looked so good. Definitely wanna try that next time I come.  Everything about this cafe is amazing the only thing is the bees flying around are a little annoying but its a sugar factory so can't blame them. So eager to go back- thinking of those amazing cabinet cakes. 1000% RECOMMEND :)))))

I was over from Melbourne visiting my folks and came here on a sunny spring day and sat at the long table by the cabinet full of lovely sweet treats. Ultra modern space with floor to ceiling glass looking out over playgrounds and views of the Auckland harbour bridge. Certainly a good place to come to other people... I always find it amazing to see how busy a place like this can be on a weekday morning with mothers groups, walking groups and retirees seeming to fill up the place nicely. Food wise we all had coffee and cake and cake selection was tough because they all looked so good. I ended up going for the passionfruit cheesecake ;not your typical cheesecake more of a slice). Coffee was strong, a little too strong for me, although my father loved his long black he it’s strength. While there we explored a little bit of the interactive history centre and I was interested to see they run baking classes and sugar works tours too if you ever want to entertain the kids or avid bakers.

Excellent food. Very friendly and accommodating staff. They replaced eggs un our dish with avocado at no charge. Very attractive presentation. Have to wait too long for a table.

Sugar has great potential however we were a disappointed by the service levels (waited 20 minutes just to be served after sitting down) and lack of warmth from the staff. We also had a few plates with really uncooked eggs at the table which were sent back, but came back still undercooked. For the menu prices and wait time to get a table, probably not worth it. We were also disappointed to be asked when we were leaving and felt hurried along. However the views and cabinet food are really good.

Beautiful location and nice layout help compensate for a few annoying issues. Filter coffee is on the menu but on 3 visits I've been unable to get one: either I'm the unluckiest customer or, as I suspect, they don't serve it but haven't updated their menu. Food offerings from the menu are conservative with only the kimchi scrambled eggs offering excitement. However all the breakfast items we tried were well executed. Service was good but the bearded manager floating around in a dirty black tunic get up was quite curt in his interactions, in contrast to the friendly service from the waitstaff.

We went there to have small bites/dessert. Very nice view and vibe! Cabinet desserts look amazingly pretty. Staff is friendly. Would recommend book a table if you’re going during weekends/holidays. Cheese cake and long black ~$11 and coffee was bad (took 1 star of rating)

Only stopped by for some cabinet food to takeaway. All the food looked amazing the thing that let them down was the service. It took over 10mins to box two items and give them to us. I think they could implement better procedures for takeaway items i.e the girl who took our order could of easily just boxed our items at the time of ordering.

arrived Sunday 1:50pm to find the place full and a queue ahead of us. Joined the queue, asked the person in charge of table allocation for an indication of wait time once seated. Did not provide wait time after placing order: first negative point. Good cafes provide this without customers asking as a matter of courtesy. People behind us were given table ahead of us: second negative point. Finally shown to table, asked again re wait time. Were told 20 minutes at 3:08. Ordered coffees. Asked for sweetener, were told "We don't provide sweetener". Really? We know this place is run by the Chelsea Sugar works, but come one! When we said: what if someone has diabetes?, a male waiter came and started what sounded like a rather aggressive interrogation as to what we could eat: fourth negative point (did not even attempt to sound friendly and courteous). Food finally arrived at 2:38pm, and was overpriced but nothing exceptional, the portions were very small: fifth negative point. "Background music" was very loud, so it was virtually impossible to talk to table companions. Sixth negative point. When we went to pay for our meals, there was a queue to pay as well: Seventh negative point. Vowed never to return ever. There are plenty of places where none of the above ever happens, because it is just plain bad customer service, so spreading the word about our experience and not recommending at all.

Food was delicious and cakes something else, however customer service while waiting for our table was not good. Having booked a table two weeks in advance, we were not seated for half an hour being told "there's only so much we can do". That was disappointing.

Been here twice and we had to wait for at least 20-30 minutes. There are always empty tables seen (usually by the sides) and I'm not sure why customers are not getting seated promptly. Once, we were told the kitchen was dealing with too many orders.<br/><br/>There are many very sunny tables in the cafe which is absolutely horrible to dine in in the summer. We were once offered a table right in the sunlight which we declined and was sat outside at a long table with another group. Staff were not very attentive. We were not given water at first and has to wait a long time for someone to notice us and take our orders.<br/><br/>Food is ok. Not something that is worth the wait and queue. The shelf food, however, looks very appealing.<br/><br/>The plus point for me is being able to dog-watch when we were seated at the outside table. Other than that, tables are closely packed together. We contemplated doing the high tea set which looked good. However, these must be booked online in advance with a 50% payment paid prior to your visit.<br/><br/>A good place to hang for families as there's a playground and nice grass for kids and fur-kids.

You have to wait in an inexplicably long queue for this cafe while seats sit empty. There’s no system in place where they take your name and call you when your table is available so you have to just stand in the queue which stretches out across the front door. Here confused and hungry punters try to navigate their way into and outside of the space through the queue while a front of house dude does the most eye opening job of making the situation worse. Of course, I may be a person who is impatient or whinges so let me put a few measurable points here: waited in the queue across the door for an hour (like a moron), older people were bringing seating to the queue (bear in mind that we are all desperate at this point), waited 25 minutes for take away hot drinks after that (even more moronic), they’d run out of soya milk by 11am on a Sunday morning, they’d run out of takeaway cutlery and they had no coffee trays for seven hot drinks....that’s cool, the three years olds can carry their own fluffys. Oh and staff were rude. So yeah, take a picnic and eat in the grounds instead. It’s very beautifully placed and there’s a playground for the kids.

Oh man this place is terrible. After waiting an hour for a table we decided to get takeaways as our kids were hungry. Takeaways took 30 mins and when they came the order was incorrect. There wasn’t soy milk, there wasn’t water, there wasn’t a carry tray, there wasn’t cutlery & to top it all off the staff were so rude they were borderline aggressive. Such a bum out as it’s such a pretty location. We’re an easy going bunch but this was just nuts. To top it all off while we queued for an hour half the restaurant sat empty.

Beautiful venue with good food and coffee but getting seated was a task.<br/><br/>Giving them only a 3 star review as there are still some issues regarding how they welcome customers. As there is no greeting staff and just a sign saying wait here, a big crowd just gathers around the front of the cafe without being told if there are tables or how long the wait is going to be.<br/><br/>This is made particularly awkward as the cafe is in the foyer of, and is very close to, the main entrance of their factory tour and bakery classes.<br/>We did notice a few people walking off because of this.<br/><br/>After our meal and headed to the entrance where there was another sign saying to pay here. Again because there was no staff, we weren't served and had to ask 2 different staff members if we could pay for our meal so we could leave. We very easily could have just walked out.<br/><br/>When they fix these issues, which seems easy to do with a dedicated staff member at the front, I would definitely rate them higher. Good food is important but is not the only thing for a good meal experience.

I’ve been here a few times now. Initially I put things down to teething problems, but with the number of cafes these guys run, I was surprised that they were having so many issues. I’ve been back a few times now, for both counter food and sit down menu, but won’t be back. My most recent visit was a Monday lunch, and the queue for a table was to the door. There was no acknowledgement of the queue or advice on how long the wait might be. Occasionally the waiter would look over with a look of sympathy, and then head off to do something else. Many tables left and were cleared, but they would still not seat anyone. When we eventually got a table (after a half hour wait) we were told to expect a half hour wait on the kitchen too. The burger I eventually ate was delicious, although the hashtag fries came as a clump all stuck together. My husband had the French toast which was delicious and decadent, but not filling. When we went to pay, the waiter asked how everything was, but when I mentioned the waits had been long, I was told that they can’t do anything about the queue for a table but they are telling the kitchen to be faster. A simple acknowledgement would have been better. It seems these guys are a victim of their own success, and just can’t handle the volume of people coming through. The cabinet food, like in all their cafes, is generous and delicious, but there are a lot of flies hanging around at Sugar so that’s a bit off putting.

A whole lot of style, unfortunately zero substance is the best I can describe this place.<br/><br/>Place looks great from the outside but the service is below average. Long wait and unfriendly cashier.<br/><br/>I thought about getting the kitchen food but i was quite unimpressed with the service so I thought id get the cabinet food instead.<br/><br/>The brioche, pastry and brownies we got was quite dry.<br/><br/>The coffee was a bit burnt too but its not that bad. Or maybe its different type of coffee. I dont really know<br/><br/>

The atmosphere is really good and as it's located in beautiful Chelsea Bay, you could have a little walk after the meal - that's not too bad! However, I found the food is average despite the plate looks fancy. A little bit disappointed to the taste. And we ordered cake as well as we think it should be outstanding as they got a baking school here. But it's just super sweet like the sugar is free (might be free, they got a factory).

The beautiful brunch spread was amazing. The eggs Benedict (10/10) is the best we have ever had. Our eggs bennie adventure just gets better. The Blueberry Danish (7/10) was a bit dense and not as fluffy as Amanos pastry. The caramel coconut slice (7/10) is so popular but too sweet. The French toast presentation was 10/10 but taste 7/10 was very fluffy with many components but not enough flavour.

I give this place a 3 star review. I ordered the big breakfast with scrambled egg and was disappointed to get a round omlette type egg, definitely not scrambled eggs, the bacon was not crisp, it was soggy, the sausages were nice , mushrooms and tomato also good. My friend had the eggs bene and also served with soggy bacon. Hot chocolates were really good. Luckily they weren't too busy so we got a table straight away, the waitress was lovely and friendly. On walking out to pay we had to step around squashed food on the floor, which could have taken a minute to clean up. Was taken to an ipad to pay but we were paying cash and eftpos, so then had to go back to counter for the cash part - couldn't they just take payment at the till? <br/>The play ground for the kids looked great, although it was a very hot day and maybe a sunshade would be needed as there was only a little bit of shade along the side of the building. I thought on the grass bit next to the cafe they could have put some outdoor tables and umbrellas there as the view is stunning  and on a hot day parents with kids could sit there while the kids are playing - just a thought.<br/>I may have gone for a tour of the factory but at $25 I thought it was over priced and wasn't in to the sugar factory that much. I think with all the "hype" I read about the opening of this place and how good the food was going to be I'm not in a rush to go back.

My first time here today and despite the queue, it was surprising how short the wait time was. I had eggs on toast with a side of haloumi which was quite a generous serving and I only got through half of it! Presentation on the meals is lovely and they look beautiful on the plate. I’m looking forward to trying the high tea!

Came here for the factory tour, very informative and definitely a place to visit. When we arrived, the place was so full with lunch crowd. Afterwards we decided to have an arvo tea, passionfruit cheesecake and salted caramel slice are quite nice. They have a delectable range of desserts, so spoilt for choices. Priced at about $7ish. They make great coffee too. Couldn’t say the same with the service though, the lady with the glasses wasn’t friendly and abit grumpy! But will be back next time to try their high tea. Lovely place with amazing view.

This review is just for few takeaways cabinet food because I’ve been there couple times on weekend and there were always long queue and I didn’t want to wait. They need to come up with better way for queueing rather than let people standing there for ages and wait for their turn. The cabinet food looked ridiculously gorgeous! I wish I could buy all of them but my wallet wasn’t big enough. I got blueberries danish which was really disappointing. The pastry was light and good but the center part had no taste - like they forgot to add sugar! I’m not that sweet tooth type of person but this danish really had no taste! I bough veg brioche (but didn’t take photo) and it was really good. Brioche bun was so yummy! Might go back there again and try other cabinet food since it’s like impossible to get a table there.

Wanted to visit Sugar for a while and thought today would be a good day to visit as the buzz may have died down a little. However as we arrived there was still quite a line which was surprising. <br/><br/>We eventually got seated after a 15-20 min wait, even though it was after lunch peak hours. We were fortunate to be seated outside, it is quite a lovely space with a lot of seating and a gorgeous view. <br/><br/>I ordered the smoked bacon Benedict and it is quite a generous serving with really good quality bacon. The rosti was a little disappointing as the outside was over cooked and the inside wasn’t seasoned however bacon was spot on and they give you a lot of it! Eggs were perfect and the hollandaise is creamy. Overall I feel $19 is fair but the rosti could be improved. <br/><br/>Would come back again to enjoy their cabinet treats and their view!

Fast and efficient, bought taco mushrooms yum!<br/>A must go place and the view is awesome.<br/>I can see why everyone comes here<br/>My partner had cream cheese scrambled eggs which also looked and tasted absolutely marvelous

Was disappointed in the wait to receive a table however seems to be a common problem? Not sure if this is done for hype or just not equipped to take so many people as there were plenty of empty tables.<br/><br/>Staff seemed much more interested in setting tables than serving us and taking our order.<br/><br/>Food was nice but not worth the wait for the table.<br/><br/>

I’ve never written a review for Zomato but felt it necessary to do so after our experience here. <br/>This place is a complete shambles. <br/>Firstly, the whole process of actually getting a table needs to change. We stood in line for around 40 mins with a few elderly ladies and a man with a walking stick in front of us - the fact that they were forced to stand for that long is slightly appalling. Why they haven’t clued onto what is just common hospitality practise these days of taking someone’s name and number down or giving people a buzzer and then giving them a bell when a table becomes free bets me. Also means people can utilise the huge space outside to wait and relax rather than standing in a line in the lobby getting grumpy and fed up. BUT the fact we even needed to wait in a line for so long was odd when you could clearly see that the place was only half full?! <br/>Now onto the food... I ordered one of the $9 smoothies which was listed on the menu as berries, pear, and a few different things... what I actually received was a glass of milk with a few berries blended in there. I say a few berries and even then that’s probably an exaggeration as it was the weakest smoothie I’ve ever tasted. It wouldn’t even have passed as a berry milkshake it was just straight up milk. For $9 that’s just daylight robbery. Oh, plus they forgot a juice at our table also. I thought it must be a freshly squeezed juice for it to be taking so long to arrive, but no, no, it was just a bottle from the fridge. <br/>I’ve given it 2 stars as the food itself was actually good and beautifully presented so I might be tempted to come back if they sort out their waiting system, but I’ll be sticking to the water next time 😂

I came here with my grandma and aunty last Sunday morning for high tea. We had been looking forward to this as it was their christmas present and our expectations were exceeded! <br/><br/>There was a bit of a line for tables, but because we had prebooked we were seated straight away (note: they are having some hiccups with their new online booking system, but took full responsibility for this). We were seated quickly in a corner booth and given menus for tea. As noted in some other reviews, it was quite noisy, but I'd expect that at any cafe that busy on a Sunday morning. <br/><br/>A waitress explained how the high tea would work, we were to be given scones and tea followed by tiered plates of savories and sweet foods. The food was delicious, both the sweets and savories were made with great attention to detail, they were beautifully presented and there was far more than I could eat. Contrary to a previous review, we were given a cake box to take home the food we didn't eat. <br/><br/>The service again was amazing. We were well looked after by our waitress, who kept checking in to make sure everything was alright and that we were happy with the food and teas. There was only one issue, I had specified a vegetarian plate on the online booking form, however, this had got lost in the system. I was planning to just make do (as I've worked in hospitality for a long time and didn't want to be a pain), but my aunt mentioned it to the waitress. After realising their mistake, the manager came over very apologetic and explained about the online system. A replacement plate of vegetarian savories was also quickly made up (and very tasty). <br/><br/>Overall, really enjoyed the experience and they seem to be working through some of the teething issues that arose when they first opened. Would definitely go again!

◾frendly staff<br/>◾Great Coffee<br/>◾A playground for kids<br/><br/>I am glad that I did not read the reviews before coming here :)<br/>We came her late afternoon so it was quieter, the service was super friendly and chilled.<br/><br/>The coffee was spot on! There was not a massive amount of counter food left, but then It was late and the scones we had were pretty much perfect.<br/><br/>The playground is great for kids and it has great views. I can imagine it gets pretty busy here at lunch<br/>

Came for high tea which was beautiful although taste & service could be improved...possibly teething issues?? First off you need to book for the high tea but it’s impossible to get through on the phone and they don’t return their emails. The high tea was pretty rich & tasty aside from the scones which were big and dry. Service was super patchy, staff have no idea what they’re doing or what tables they’re meant to be looking after. Ordered our tea but 2/4 came out & were not what we ordered. Last, they don’t let you takeaway the high tea items you can’t finish...even though you can buy their cabinet food to takeaway...my idea of annoying & wasteful so byo Tupperware or a spare napkin.

Where to even start?!  We arrived at 2.20pm, waited in the line that said table service, were ignored for 10 minutes by the grumpy guy with the earpiece, that was not an obvious staff member (I actually thought he was with the ladies in front of us).  He could clearly see I was disabled and using a walking stick, my friend eventually told me to sit at a random stool, he did not offer any other options at all.  After 15 minutes of waiting, I politely asked how long did he think the wait would be, only to be rudely told that he could not 'estimate to the nearest minute' how long it would take!  I told him as he worked there I figured he could possibly tell me if it was going to be 5 minutes or 50 minutes, and he simply said it was impossible to tell, there were no free tables.  I beg to differ, there were at least 5 visible at the front!  We were then informed that the kitchen was closed anyway, and only coffees etc were available.  So, why have a table service queue?!  And why let your customers, both able bodied and disabled, wait in line for something that apparently wasn't going to be available?!

This restaurant in northshore has nice ambience. I ordered a french toast and it has beautiful presentation. In addition it is tasty. However the customer service is not warm enough. Moreover it is a bit pricey.

We came near the Christmas break at 2.30 and queued for a while for table service. Only to be told that they had no idea when a table would be free and the kitchen was closed. Why ask customers to wait for table service if the kitchen is closed?The man was bordering on grumpy. I’m not sure why he took so long to acknowledge our presence. We decided to leave and noticed at least ten free tables, so why were we told along with other customers that nothing was available. We meet another lady on the way out who commented that she had eaten but the service from that gentleman was terrible and he was in fact quite rude. We left and went to cafe in Birkenhead and ran into a friend who had had a similar experience an hour earlier.<br/><br/>Changes need to be made. The staff need a proper uniform and when the kitchen is closed and it’s only counter service,why not pop a sign up. Don’t tell customers their are no available tables when they can clearly see on arrival and departure how many tables are available. Tables and chairs need to outside for eating and what about giving customers the buzzers to let them know when there table is a available so that parents with young kids can use the playground while waiting. There are no sitting areas for people waiting. My friend had a walking stick. The to do fixed list goes on and on and we didn’t even eat or sit down!!!!!!

I was really excited to try Sugar and I had recently got out of hospital and it was to be a treat. It was rather confusing as there were two signs one “tables” on left and “cabinet” on right. We waited in what we thought was the table line with what I’d call a line manager who totally ignored us, after 10 mins of observation we asked if we were going to be seated as tables were clearly visible and he said there was only one line for tables and cabinet service. I was on crutches and the fact he didn’t even have the manners and courtesy to correct and let us know that there was only one line was utterly rude. was a real shame as I can not rate the food as we couldn’t even enter the premises. Will not go back.

Food presentation was amazing, if only the food itself tasted as great as it looked though. We ordered the burger and the french toast; the burger patty was quite dry and hard to chew while the brioche (?) bread used for the french toast did not taste fresh. Service, atmosphere and decor were all great but a big let down on the food quality.

This cafe is so noisy.  If you want a quiet spot avoid it.  I was told by the manager where exactly I had to sit which was a bit rude.  There were free tables in the conservatory space but it appears that these are reserved for people who order a meal.  The coffee was lukewarm and when we asked for a hot coffee the manager said we should have asked for a hot coffee!!!

Great local spot. We went opening weekend so was quite busy waiting to get in but but not a noticeably long wait for food. Cabinet food is beautiful and delicious! We waited on one coffee for most of our breakfast, but it was worth the wait. The meals were quite small but I will be back to order brunch and a side for the counter :)

I had been looking forward to visiting this cafe but... <br/>As we arrived I noticed that the man at the 'gate' used his body to' block' people who went to enter the cafe. We struggled to find much on the menu that asked to be chosen.  The summer Bruschetto was a plate fill of tomatoes with zero taste and one piece of bread. It was no problem for the wait staff to bring more ciabatta to accompany the load of tomatoes. The summer salad wasn't sensational but the Eggs Benedict went down a treat. Waiting staff were friendly and helpful. Our experience was saved by the two lovely cakes we treated ourselves to, in hope of saving the day. A lovely venue that needs some work to live up to it's potential.

Over priced and bland... really lovely location with a playground to keep the little ones amused. The food however - bland! The chilli eggs were scrambled eggs overdone - no real flavour or spice. My brother order a big breakfast which was a bit of a small one - what made it worst was when another order came out for a different table - it was still small but had more on it than the order we got. When we talked to the head waiter about it, he wasn’t interested, said he’d do something and then did nothing. So overall, the food was disappointing! Defo go for a look, but that’s about it.

Not enough stars for this place, +5 should be a category in this app. Food is amazing, coffee is perfect, the view is stunning and you can take a walk after all that food. A bit pricey but totally worth it.<br/>

so disappointed with the service. Came here on a Sunday after lunch and didn’t book, although we were happy to wait a little to get a table! I could see through the window that there was two or so tables free when we arrived, however we stood in the foyer while a manager of some description with an ear piece ignored us for about 15 minutes, meanwhile directing others into the cafe. The fact that we weren’t even greeted at all was disappointing, let alone a ‘are you here for lunch?’ Or ‘table for two?’. We witnessed other people walk past this man to look at the cabinet food and he immediately stopped them to ask what they were doing. Straight up it was rude in the way he was ‘managing’ the few people in the foyer, and it felt overall disorganised and uninterested. I can’t review the food because we didn’t have any, but based on the experience we had upon entry, I certainly won’t be back.

Place: Just a few minutes walk from the Highbury’s shop and it’s definitely worth walking from rawene road to enjoy the nature (overlooks the city tower). I really enjoyed the place, as it has modern/contemporary design + the view.<br/><br/>Food: Great food and good value! I recommend the triple cooked fries and oh, the sauce that comes with it, so delicious! <br/><br/>Service: Awesome people and lots of smile :) <br/><br/>Definitely will come back soon! <br/><br/>

I ordered the Chicken Schnitzel and was quite disappointed as soon as it got brought to our table to be quite honest. The portion of the meal was tiny, about half of what I expected my $24 to reap. The chicken itself was alright, nothing too exciting but at least it wasn’t dry. The vegetables were extremely bland, I couldn’t taste any flavour whatsoever. The carrot and fennel were rock hard and a struggle to cut through let alone chew. I was still starving after I finished my plate which was a bit sad considering the meal was more on the pricey side.<br/><br/>My friend however, ordered the Eggs Benedict w/ Salmon and said that she thoroughly enjoyed it. <br/><br/>Service was very friendly but the entire cafe was so loud, maybe because it was packed and enclosed in glass, but we had to raise our voices significantly to carry a conversation.

After hearing mixed reviews I was a bit nervous bringing a large group of in laws here. The man who greeted us was friendly, and kindly told us there would be a wait of around 20 minutes, which he was correct. Staff were friendly, minus the guy working the counter who was rude to practically everybody who ordered from our table. We even witnessed his rudeness move on to the woman after us, who complained that he’d given her false details about the fillings in her bagel. Perhaps this guy was put in the wrong area... In regard to food, I ordered the summer salad off the menu. This was tasty, and the dressing was bright and added a zing to the dish. I also shared the chocolate creme donut and the passionfruit slice, both were fine but not enough to wow. I am keen to return to try the high tea, if they fix their staff issues I would happily recommend cafe to others.

We came here on Tuesday morning. It was busy and we waited 20 minutes for our seats. The atmosphere was great. We are three ordered 3 different dishes. But unfortunately nothing outstanding. Our service staff wasn't friendly. The kitchen missed some ingredients in our dishes with no any apology. Very disappointed with this food challenge. Don't trust the advertisement on newspapers .

So we arrived at Chelsea Bay (what a name, what a place) and although waiting 20 minutes in the queue, pre coffee, might I add, we were happy to wait. The staff were on their best behaviour, greeted us as soon as we entered the doors, said thank you for waiting and top notch banter - I don’t know about you, but that was an instant star level up for me. We were accompanied by anotheR very polite team member to our table and the water was filled instantly, without asking - another star. Drinks and food were super duper speedy and v scrumptious. Now for the yolks, this here is the reason I have put a 4 star rating instead of a 5. All together we had 7 eggs, 2/7 of the poached egg yolks on the table were literally hard boiled. HOWEVER, there is always room for improvement and being only their 3rd week open, I will give them another chance!! Lads, I think we have a winner in the making here. P.s we got a brownie to takeaway and whoooooley, best god damn brownie. THANKQ JESUS.

A wonderful location for sure.....the food was good.  Not much more than that.Poor service, smarty pants waiter, they probably went to Colombia to get the grains to make our coffee.Also, would like to know who designed this building as there are outdoor seating with a water bowl for dogs but there's not a way to get there unless you walk with the dog INSIDE the cafe what is not a hygienic practice.  Who is the idiot who had this idea ?Please fix your operations procedures, the attitude of your waiter and a few other things and definitely this place has a huge potential to be one of the best cafes in town.

Came here for brunch today and have nothing but good things to say. There was a queue for tables which I expected as it’s a new eatery and you can clearly see how busy they were. <br/><br/>After being seated we were told there would be a wait for coffees and food which is fine. Everything came really fast and service was great. My sister and I got the burger and market fish. The food was good. <br/><br/>Honestly don’t understand all the bad reviews. I work in hospo and bless the staff as they were so busy. If you really want to eat here I suggest coming early or booking a table especially if you’re a big group.

Be wary of the negative reviews. These guys had a bumpy couple of weeks when opening, but they should be afforded some grace for that - they were settling in and had an onslaught of loyal locals trying it out. I went back today after a disappointing first visit and it was like a different cafe. Slick systems, ear pieces and each waiter/waitress with a clear job/area. We were seated promptly and Del (?) provided fast, attentive and friendly service. The big breakfast and raspberry smoothie were excellent and the cabinet (as always) looked amazing. The setting sets this place up for a win, and today the team delivered. We'll be back, it's too good to not be.

I’m guilty of eating with my eyes and as soon as I saw the cabinets filled with the colours and shapes of delicious I was feasting. <br/>I could not possibly eat it all at once so am heading back to have a second helping off the menu with no hesitation. Stunning setting, modern building with the opportunity to tour New Zealand’s very own sugar factory. Fantastic views, it’s certainly a hidden jewel of a spot. It’s all win win.

We had to wait over an hour (after being told it would be a 30 min wait) and watched people walking straight in and going ahead of us. We were so happy to finally be seated, but thoroughly disappointed by the staff who (bless them) had no clue what they were doing. On top of that the meals were average, with the exception of a donut which was delicious. Coffee was also good, to be fair, but I won't be returning or recommending.

Whilst being a beautiful café with amazing looking food, this place didn’t impress. I guess it’s mainly due to its popularity and only just opened. <br/>Our food came 20 min apart (my partners burger straight away shortly after we ordered and my cabinet food didn’t arrive until he already finished his) - that’s just not a nice experience. Cabinet food was great but burger was too dry. My “large” latte literally came in a 250ml glass. I asked twice whether this is actually large as ordered which they confirmed. Wonder what the regular size would be then? Also not sure if they gave me decaf as ordered. Will try again in a few months to see if we’ll be lucky next time.

VERY DISAPPOINTED! told the wait time was 30 mins. waited over an hour. to walk in to the dining area and there were empty tables. 2+2=4? people arrived after us and eat and left before us. we were a party of 4.very standard size for brunch the food needed seasoning. chilly eggs had no chilly... food was just average. the wait staff would go looking for something and never come back... i was sipping my coffee and my saucer was taken away lol! very obvious no one knew what they were doing... so ill never be back and will never recommend. such a shame as i was so so excited for a lovely time.

This cafe has got so many things right - location, ambiance, food and well meaning staff. Birkenhead has waited so long for a cafe of this standard that perhaps the staff team had not expected the full force of the locals patronage from day 1. No warm- ups could prepare a new cafe for it ! Yes, it’s full with a long wait time for coffee and food ( we waited 40 mins for food and 45 mins for coffee) Staff are lovely but show a lack of experience under constant pressure ( after repeated requests we sourced our own menus + water and trying to pay our bill at the end was an exercise in patience and persistence). Things are being missed and not everyone is happy ( the table next to us walked out after no service for a long period of time). Given a bit more time though this cafe will be as terrific as the others by the same owners. Meantime we will continue to visit and cut them some slack if it’s not perfect. P.s- Look at this devine tomato burrata bruschetta.

Wonderful food in a fabulous setting. The cafe was busy (the newest in the area) but they seemed to be managing the crowds well. Will be back for sure

We went here today and had lovely food that was excellent. Friendly staff, great setting and the lemon meringue tart was fantastically scrumptious. Will definitely be back.

Very nice ambience but the service is just a chaos. You have to help yourself with water and menu because no staff would come to you. We chased our coffee several times but did't get it until we finished our meals. We ended up asking the staff to pour the coffee in the take away cup. I ordered the popular french toast. Don't be fooled by the presentation, the toast itself tasted like the one I made during my first baking, so dry and tasteless. My friend ordered egg benedict, he said it was the most saltiest one he ever had. They really need to hire more well trained staff. I will go again for the view, but I would rather just grab a cake and sit on the lawn outside.

I'm not even sure how to begin this review. I had such huge aspirations of having a cake and coffee in a truly inspiring place when instead what I got was chaos and snobbiness thrown in for good measure.<br/>The one star rating im giving is for the setting. Stunning location outside, sun shining, great play area for children. Just wonderful! People sitting on the lawn drinking their coffees. Now I know why.<br/>The minute we stepped inside chaos. Huge queue just to sit down. Stood in line for a few minutes. The very unfriendly greeter ( seriously in the wrong job) pointed to a dirty bench seat saying that's all that was available) and someone would be along to clean the table. Meanwhile we waited... and waited. Barista station was busy with a few people milling around. An empty table was cleared away. Meanwhile as we waited no one approached us. No menus present either. Mr unfriendly meanwhile seated a group of attractive girls to table which was empty when we were seated. We watched and waited and in the end got up and left. We purchased a pain au chocolate which was filled with a nutella spread like mousse and not the broken chocolate which melts. I had a pastry scroll which was stale. It took me all my effort to chew through the pastry. Swallowing was a mission. My stomach felt like it was full of lead s few bites later. My scroll found it's way to the nearest bin. Such a waste.<br/>I understand it's a new cafe and as such teething problems can occur. Will I be back? Unlikely. Do I recommend? Only if you wish to be treated with disdain by the hipster staff and like throwing away your money. So it's a NO from me.

Today went to Sugar with my friend.  We had Eggs Benedict and the French Toast - both delicious( as we like to share ). It was busy, staff were great.  We will be back to try out the cabinet food.  The cafe overlooks the water - what a view.  Well done Chelsea Sugar works such an asset to Birkenhead.  (Long time residence) and within walking distance.

No friendly payment staff. No sorry with wrong taking a money, need a staff training. But nice place with kids , beautiful sea view and sky tower.....

The owners of these restaurant delivered once again on taste, quality and overall presentation of the food. Congratulations guys on the new addition.<br/><br/>We checked it out on the opening weekend, the place was packed and the ambience is really nice.<br/><br/>Both of our order were spectacular in taste and presentation. The cabinet food looks equally scrumptious. I can't wait to dig in to the rest of the menu 😃

Such good food and good service loved it here, will definately be come back. The food was amazing as well as the tea such good vibes and a nice view to match

Awesome restaurant, family friendly. Staff very friendly - still working through a few teething issues, but still an outstanding dining experience. Food was amazing!

Came here the day after opening day and it's crazy hectic, but I think the servers handled it well under the circumstances. They are still finding thier feet but kudos to them trying to handle the sheer amount of people. In saying that, the food here is TO DIE FOR. We had the French toast, market fish and big breakfast and everything was simply perfect. The French toast wasn't too heavy and the panacotta on top had a hint of some sort of lychee taste. It was delicious. The mushrooms in the big breakfast really stood out. I could just eat a massive bowl of those to be honest. The market fish was crunchy and the sauce it came with was super flavourful and complimented the fish well. The hot chocolate kinda sucked, wasn't sweet at all but I REALLY don't care because the food was so good. Also had a plum tart from the cabinet and it was honestly the BEST TART I've ever fricken had. Defiantly going to come here again. I don't think the crowds will die down anytime soon so if you can book a table online!

Opening day, as to be expected, was quite chaotic, and the volume of customers coming in must’ve been overwhelming for the staff, but this is a lovely place and once the kinks are worked out, I think it will do fabulously. <br/>My french toast was divine and presented very prettily on the plate. The only hiccup was my coffee never arrived, so I spoke to one of the servers, a super nice guy who got it quickly sorted for me. We had to leave, so they gave it to me in a takeaway cup and it was very good. <br/>As the cafe is on the grounds of the Chelsea Sugar Factory, there are tours offered Monday through Friday, so we will definitely go back for that. Oh, and the views looking over the harbour towards the city are spectacular.