Review Twentythree - Auckland Central

Nancy Trotta

We had a wonderful breakfast here this morning. They use fresh, high-quality ingredients. Great eggs, tea, and coffee.

Sophia Reeves

Twenty three is a little bit of peace in the city! The courtyard is lovely, complete with a cosy fire and relaxing music. The cakes and food are always fresh and made with love. Emma and her team are always so welcoming and make extremely good coffees 💎

Philipp P

The food was very good although kinda pricy. They offered me some vegan options even so there are nit many. I can't recommend the cupcakes enough. God the texture was so good. Appearently they get their bread from the wild wheat bakery and damn is it good.

Clament Wong

Had my team Christmas breakfast celebration here. Good atmosphere at the back of the cafe.

Sterling Arnet

Beautiful flat white had this morning at Twenty Three. Overlooking the traffic on a busy Monday. Great service and a smile and a gorgeous sunny setting made my morning. Thanks for coffee! Sterling Arnet Kakapo Business Sales

Julian Garthwaite

Fantastic local cafe, from the entrance you might assume it's on the smallee side but when you walk out to the back it opens up to a large sheltered outdoor dining area and even more indoor setting. Coffee is on point, and service is always fast and friendly. Great selection of cabinet food, and a solid cafe menu with the mince on toast being exceptionally great. Great local vibe, and must include in your Eden Terrace cafe go to's.

Darren Davis

A favourite weekend café spot in Eden Terrace. Great service and great food options from the classics like eggs benedict through to my personal favourite, the smoked fish.

William Torkington

Brilliant cafe, with beautiful indoor and outdoor seating. Lovely staff, pretty decor, clean bathrooms, and of course delicious, aesthetic food. Both me and my girlfriend enjoyed our coffee. I got the eggs bene, which they have an interesting take on, serving the eggs on hash brown instead of bread, with a deep yellow, viscous hollandaise sauce. I enjoyed it, but without the absorption of the bread, it became a bit of a mushy mess. There is no WiFi available.

Vernon Gates

Nice food and friendly staff. Pricing a little bit above average.

Amelia Motuliki

Lovely staff these guys have the best coffees and muffins in Auckland the food here is beautifully made. The layout is awesome outside I've definitely become a regular. Thank you

Mannan Maqsood (Mannan Khan)

It's good for a quick bite, excellent service.

Shan Sunny

Fresh food, cooked to home made levels of hygiene and taste(don't expect mind blowing levels of spice/flavours), presented like something you'd see in a french restaurant. The place has a pleasant vibe. I didn't come across much of a racial mix of people, so yeah I had to go with takeaway and may not come again, prefer a more mix/international setting. Staff were pleasant and simple to deal with. Their EFTPOS was broken that day, so keep in mind alternative payment methods(bank transfer, or cash). Food was prepared relative quickly(poached egg and bacon doesn't take much time anyway). Keep in mind its a bit expensive but for that you are getting clean-mildly-flavoured--well-presented food.

Sean M

Really beautiful cafe. Much bigger than it looks from the front with a large outdoor seating area at the rear. Service was friendly and fast, food was great, good vegan/veggie options. Will definitely be back.

Ria Matia

Always love going here, the food is yummy and the coffee is fab. Highlighly recommend the friendly staff and cozy courtyard.

Stephen Barnett

Alway's enjoy my coffee at 23 cafe. Great place to visit, great staff, great service.

Luis Rodriguez

Great place to have breakfast, the food here is very tasty. The service is fast and very polite.

Anil Kunjunny

As I posted today on FB, barista make days for millions across the world, today I had this very happy barista making mine! Coffee at its best!

Kendra Jane Fraser

So good!! Accommodated for our needs and whipped up some eggs and hash. Great coffee and great service! Thanks guys :)

Summer Berry Pie

So disapointing. Never got to try the food, waited an hour and a half for unripe fruit salad and one coffee and the food order was never taken so we gave up. It wasn't even busy! We felt like we were imposing

Malcolm William Santa Dixon

I went to "Twenty Three" Cafe for the first time, about a week ago. I really enjoyed it, the service excellent, with a very capable Manager, Jazmine Ioane. I met the owner also. I was shown the extra seating in the rear, warmed by a lovely fire, and the next door Bar that has the same owner as the Cafe. (This very busy Cafe is open, 7am-4pm, 7 days a week; the Bar, 4pm-late.)

Kate Mckegg

Lovely cafe except for the smoking section... Totally awful... Reminded me of the old days of smoking sections on planes where everyone suffered.

Ruth Riding

Delicious food and great coffee!

Mat

This is a great local cafe, particularly for those who work around the area. Some particular food options could be a bit more tasty. Staff are friendly, particularly sina who shows good work ethic and always makes an effort to remember regular customer names!

Sez U

Have only had coffee here and it’s been consistently good! very friendly staff. Good relaxing atmosphere in the area out the back. Will have to try a meal sometime

Raymond Tiong

Stopped by here to grab a quick bite with a client. Enjoyed their great service, and I like that they have a few outdoor seats as well. My avocado smash was filling and I liked the texture of the meal. Prices were average and I don’t remember their menu having an extensive range, but I’d be happy to go back.

Abbi Pritchardjones

Lovely, friendly , young and DEDICATED staff- quite innovative menu . Slightly ruined by a woman (who turned out to be THE OWNER )… holding court at the table next to me . Her booming / thunderous voice , with a volume to put a 1980's hairdo to shame , ceaselessly pierced my relaxation and enjoyment . Her lack of insight and bluster impacted what could have been a thoroughly enjoyable experience .Go there , but first find out when the owner is on a break or day off ..

TheMʌverick

I work 2 minutes away from here, it’s a popular choice amongst staff not only because it’s convenient but also because of their friendly service. I’ve only ever sampled their muffins & various pastries from the platter they provide for The Nation every Saturday morning, today was the first time I’d dined in & ordered a proper meal. The place was fairly busy, they’ve got a beautiful outdoor canopy area at the back complete with outdoor heating, sound system & bar which opens from 4pm - late. The staff were accomodating, quick to pump out food from the kitchen, the menu has changed from the one uploaded here - I ordered the eggs bene w/ crab & the hand-cut, twice cooked fries with aioli. The food basically ticked every box for me - taste, presentation, portion size. The cabinet selection looked quite tasty, I would’ve sampled a slice or 2 if I hadn’t eaten like such a pig! 4/5 from me. And a special thanks to Anderson for taking care of us 😊

Niamh Slattery

Nice outdoor area for groups and friendly staff . sometimes orders for groups are a bit slow but great coffee and yummy fresh food to choose from

Tavita Milford

After doing a little workout at the nearby gym (Ludus Magnus) decided to get something hot to drink despite being winter at the time I was there. So what better to get than some nice Hot Chocolate. It was very warm, not too hot just the way I like it and the sweetness that went along with it. But it was some energy I needed after burning so much calories. The person who served me was very quick when making my order so I didn't have to wait that long. The service was great and very friendly as well. Inside has that very authentic somewhat classic style vibe. It may be the decor and layout of the cafe or if that's just me. But they do have an outdoor dining area that is heavily shaded with a large shade sail. And I think that's pretty clever.

Justinelaboisse

The eggs Benedict with bacon are fantastic! I really recommend this place, perfect for breakfast and brunch and the staff is super friendly. They have a really nice area in the back where you can eat in the sun without having to suffer from the wind. Their fruit salad is also delicious

Kayla H

I will brace the Mt Eden road traffic just to pass and stop at this cafe! Great service, cafe ambience, quality coffee. Customer service is fantastic, special thanks to Dasol who always has a huge smile on her face. Bliss balls are fantastic as a DF and GF option!

Olivia Barnett - Naghshineh

This is hands down my favourite cafe in Auckland. The soy flat white is the best in my opinion and I have done the research! Always friendly and accommodating staff plus all of the food is beautifully presented and delicious. Great to have glutenfree options and dairy free/raw options often too. An unassuming and comfortable place to be, family, hippy, hipster and everyone else friendly.

S B

Great service, coffee and breakfast menu. Qaulity ingredients, flavour and plate layout. Also recommend the lemon slice for a sweet treat-delish! There are 3 areas to choose to sit at; either the cafe area at the front, the covered courtyard with fireplace at the back, or small lounge/dining room with fireplace to the side at the back, so there is plenty of seating choice. A great cafe, with plenty of pokemon at this place also for pokemon chasers :)

Roanne Cochrane

I'm suprised this place doesn't have a higher rating. We just went for lunch and thought it was amazing. Service was great, lovely servers. The food was amazing and healthy. Bf had the grill and I had a board special pasta and omg it was to die for! Thanks so much guys we will be back. Feel like I found a hidden gem! To those not overly impressed I reckon go back and give it another go

Charlotte

Came here as we were walking past and looking for a brunch spot! As you walk through the cafe, it opens to a gorgeous courtyard which is where we sat, highly recommend! Got menus straight away and ordered pretty soon after! Our waitress was friendly and attentive but didn't have much to say when we asked for recommendations / didn't seem to know the menu very well. The fresh salads and cabinet food all looked really tasty! Food was great! I had the almond and chia porridge - was very yum! Being both gluten and dairy intolerant it can be hard to find good brunch spots but this was fab for anyone who's gluten or dairy free! My other mates at the grill - big breakfast, and eggs bene which was nice, not amazing but overall a good feed! Their juices were nice and coffee was okay! Overall: Good experience and will be back if in the area. Recommend to anyone passing by!

Chris Anthony

Breakfast always cooked to perfection, eggs and bacon do not taste of plastic and coffee tastes great. When I need a place to chill or rejuvenate my energy stores I make an effort to stop here. Just because they do it right.

Anna Lambert

I won't speak about the food since that's not the reason I'm posting a review. Visited this place with my boyfriend and when we go out to eat we always share our meals, and to make sharing easier we sit on the same side of the table. We did exactly that here at twenty three, however, once our meals arrived one of the waitresses (dark red/purple hair??) blatantly started 'bitching' about us how we were sitting on the same side of the table. I heard every word she said and she looked me dead in the eye while bitching about it to her friend. Not sure why us sitting on the same side of the table is a problem for her? Maybe she's had bad experiences?? Not professional at all to talk badly about your customers only a metre away from them. Get some manners.

Alysha Bower

A group of us went here the other day for brunch as we were in the neighbourhood. The cafe itself is quite simple at the front but opens into a beautiful courtyard! We got a table out there and our waitress gave us water and menus straight away. Service from then onwards was a little slow but it looked like she was the only waitress on at that time. We ordered drinks first then maybe 10-15mins later food. The food was amazing, really cool menu and delicious food! I highly recommend the French Toast! The portions are quite small though so check with the waitress before you order if you are overly hungry. Definitely would come back again and would recommend it to anyone with some time on their hands wanting some delicious food :)

Aabhas Dole

This cafe is located in a very nice place and the overall layout is appealing. Today - this place looked decently busy and there were about 6-7 staff members visible. I went to place my order and was asked to take a seat so that then can bring the breakfast menu to me. This never happened as possibly the staff member forgot about it - which can happen and I'm not marking them down for this as its a small genuine mistake. I went back to the counter to remind them about the menu which was placed on my table quickly this time. I then ordered a Cappuccino and a scrambled egg dish. When this order was placed on my table I asked if I can have some ketchup and the staff said yes but never got it back. 🤔 The coffee was good but the food tasted mediocre and the overall experience was not very nice. ( Sorry ) I don't think I'll want to come back here again.

R

Amazing coffee! Staff are friendly but the service was a bit slow. Good selection of counter foods, the gluten free cakes were delicious. Perfect location and nice environment.

Amber

Good selection of healthy and fresh food, catering for all dietary requirements. Great versatile space, allowing for a range of purposes: you can have a formal business meeting, a relaxed catch up with friends or a date by the fire. Service could be improved on though, hence the rating

Sean

Missing the basics, food needs an extra ingredient or two to make it decent. Also prices are through the roof for this part of town. Average coffee.

Ellaura O'Brien

Bad service at the counter made me feel like I was asking the biggest deal when asked the different sizes of takeaway salads. I had Caesar salad which wasn't bad then other half chilli chicken cabbage and coriander which was flavourless.

ShoRt

My favourite part of this cafe is the outdoor courtyard. The cool thing is that the courtyard is shared with the bar next door! At night, the cafe (Front area) closes and the bar next door opens and uses the same courtyard! Loving this shared space concept. The courtyard has nice wooden wall panels and outdoor fireplace! Anyways, I come here if I need a good coffee as they make a proper dry cappuccino! :) Brunch food wise, it didn't blow me away. But I do remember having a curried pumpkin soup for lunch once (see picture) and it was delicious! Overall, I come here for good coffee, good open space and nice covered courtyard area. A trusty neighbourhood cafe.

Ness Sharpe

Love they do rice milk coffee! So amazing to see that on the menu! A shame the manager is so horrible to her staff! Was shocking to hear her speak so rudely to her staff working there. I was embarrassed for her!

Tian Tian Zhang

Was at church next door and went for lunch with some friends. Was quite busy when we went, but there is a back room which has a more relaxed ambiance. The food was enjoyable, and their selection of smoothies are interesting and new, supposedly organic too.

Ben Kaino

Best coffee in town and great food with friendly staff 👌 had nothing but friendly smiles from cafe twenty three. Always inviting but most important great food and coffee

Food Adventures With AnnaJ

Absolutely loved my first visit to Twenty three. The outdoor area was amazing even when the weather was terrible. Started with some fantastic coffee and I had the mixed grill for brunch. So nice to see a bit if a twist on a classic big breakfast, loved the big portion of avocado and the chorizo was so yum. Needed a dressing or sauce of some kind, my only fault. Everything on the menu looked so good as did the cabinet food. Staff were friendly and helpful. Will definitely be returning!!

KAINO

Twenty Three...where to start? Firstly the staff there are amazing. So friendly and very welcoming. Always a smile on their face when I walk in. Even though I'm there pretty much every day, the girls are always really efficient as if I were some sort of restaurant reviewer. Second of all, the food, my goodness me...TASTY!!! Nothing to flash but just the simple things done really well. Good job kitchen. Last of all, the coffee...who says you should only have two cups a day! Not me, especially when the lovely barista there makes the best in Auckland. But on a whole, I just wanted to let people know how good this place is. I read a couple weeks ago somebody bagging them, give them a break. The staff at twenty three are always happy, even when they are being slammed during the busy morning flow or even a crazy lunchtime rush. They try their best to get to you as soon as you enter even when they have ten billion other things on their minds. So big ups to the girls (and guys in the kitchen) at twenty three for being such a cool local for me and my buddies...KEEP IT UP!!!

Bizzy Bobbit

I love Auckland cafés, and I've visited many! That said, I'm not much of a foodie. Mostly I want decent food, serious coffee, nice people - somewhere interesting. It's so easy in Auckland to forget how spoiled for choice we are, and while I'm not keen to drive too far for good coffee, I'm fortunate that Twenty Three is on a road that I drive often. Do you remember that old TV show, Cheers? It had a line in the opening song "...where everyone knows your name." From small-town origins - were everyone DID know my name - I now know that Auckland, like everywhere, is what you make it, and that there are many friendly people here. People like you find at Twenty Three, where they all know me, and of that I'm very appreciative. I walk in and sit down with a Herald. Without asking, a flat white appears along with my usual breakfast soon after, and I get to do the Sudoku and watch the world walk by. For years I thought I'd need to go to the south of France for this, and here we have it in our own neighbourhood. Spill the beans time - the why of me writing this. A friend said they found this site and found negative comments. For those folk, I'm sorry, but I felt a need to offer some balance. Me, I have a nice time at Twenty Three. I would suggest that the same be true for the many regulars who come in every day. Like me, these are people with other café choices who vote with their feet.

Petra Rijnbeek

This Cafe is my go to almost every morning and sometimes lunch when I can. Every time I walk in im greeted with my name and a massive smile! They ask me if I want my usual or something new today - I peruse the cabinet or menu of all these wonderful dishes and fresh salads, chokka block sandwiches and sweet treats - and nine times outta ten I go for the perfectly balanced fruit salad with home made yoghurt - yum! But a few favourites are the pulled pork and slaw bap or the chilli zucchini fritters with smoked paprika!!! Yum-o!!! The owner is hilarious with a dry sense of humour and the staff are quick to serve unless their slammed so just sit back exhale and wait for the goodness to arrive!! GREAT coffee and I'm very picky and I simply adore the ginger loaf - so naughty but soooooo good!!! Great on the fly but awesome to sit with mates or work out the back! Great modern bustling cafe that get it right for people on the go with a discerning palette. Thanks twentythree!!!

Angelique Petersen

So everyday after class i'll head up to twenty three for my favourite fruit salad and coffee.......I enjoy going to the cafe and i would like to try more dishes but the fruit salad is just to good .

Jonnie Black

As a local resident, I've given Cafe Twenty Three many chances to perform. I've even had amazing food once or twice and the interior architecture is great and still relevant. But that's all the positives I'm afraid, as management and staff at Cafe Twenty Three seem to have left their customer service skills trapped behind the gate to Mount Eden! Grumpy and rude, and perhaps tired or hungover staff are the trend du jour at this cafe. Coffees are all too often slow to appear and poorly prepared, table service is appallingly slow and rude. Complain about anything and you'll get an evil look from one particularly "charming" girl behind the counter and an equally slow resolution.

Amy Webb

My first experience of 23 was so terrible, it was the worst customer service experience I've ever had, I actually made a complaint. It seems management may have changed as a few months after I received a couple of vouchers to apologise, which I really appreciate. The frustrating thing is, the food here is amazing. I saw the chef bring out a dish and he actually looked proud. Unfortunately the counter staff are the opposite. We witnessed a staff member blow his nose in from of customers before making their coffee and they had to ask him to wash his hands (quickly put under water). The food was great. Both flat whites were excellent. I ordered the almond granola with yoghurt and vanilla rhubarb. A chicken pesto sandwich was also very nice. It really is a shame about the seemingly consistent staff issue here, because the food is very tasty! Would recommend if you can ignore the service and focus on the food.

Rosie Posie

The service was unfriendly and slow, it took a long time to be given a menu despite the cafe being almost empty. Both meals (a soup and an eggs benedict) were stone cold and tasteless, the 'toast' was uncooked and the hollandaise vinegary. Neither of us ate our food. Would not recommend to anyone.

Will Smal

Smallest portion of food I have ever eaten in my life. Unbelievable how something can be overpriced and undersized. Feels like a hipsters paradise in there. Nothing more to say... Smallest portion of food I have ever eaten in my life. Unbelievable how something can be overpriced and undersized. Feels like a hipsters paradise in there. Nothing more to say... Smallest portion of food I have ever eaten in my life. Unbelievable how something can be overpriced and undersized. Feels like a hipsters paradise in there. Nothing more to say...

Aarti Mistry

I work just down the road so am a regular for my caffeine fix. The coffee is lovely and my workmates and I often visit with our office order. I have never ordered from the menu but the muffins and other sweet treats are delicious! Big fan of the Caprese Salad....a little pricey but I guess this is reflective of the area.

Peter Mattison

I used to go here regularly (about once a month) as I work in the neighbourhood. The coffee is good and the salads and other healthy (by Auckland take-away standards :)) choices are refreshing. It's always been a bit too cool for school, but until now the service has been friendly enough (again, by Auckland standards). Today that changed (lady serving up the take-away food was extra-surly) so I won't be back.

Phoebe Joiner

The staff are very friendly and approachable. I visited for breakfast once and was very satisfied with the coffee and eggs. Absolutely love the environment and decor, and have returned to grab a coffee every now and then. I also spied some delicious looking items in the cabinets that I will definitely have to try when I visit next. Big ups for these guys.

The Food Guy

I got served a burnt quiche from a very rude lady in the Kitchen (I think she must have been having a bad day). She refused to take the food back or swap it for something else after I politely requested an alternative.. I received a lot of attitude and her response was very condescending and unhelpful - "No, that is what you ordered". I felt rather nauseated from my experience and disgusted with the poor level of customer service. I've advised my friends and colleagues to never eat at this place.

Lj80 X

When we come to TwentyThree it's usually on a Sunday for brunch. The staff out in the courtyard (girl with tattoos and guy with a sweet fade haircut) are some of the loveliest waiters I've ever come across. I wish I could say the same for the staff working behind the counter inside - put a smile on your face and don't be openly rude to your staff in front of the customers! The menu is in desperate need of an update (unless *something* on toast is your thing) but the cabinet food always looks nice, although you always wonder on a Sunday just how long its been sitting there.

Juku

Pro: One of the few places which sell keepcups! Con: Lacking atmosphere. Staff could have been a bit friendlier. It’s great that they sell keepcups and there were also some other little items which were quite nice to see there (eg quince jelly). Unfortunately the atmosphere didn’t convince me. In the front part of the café, you have one table next to one another and in the back you find a bar room and patio, both with fireplaces. Staff could've been a bit more attentive and friendly to new clients entering the café. Needs to switch to more plantbased, sustainable options.

Chia80

Food was bland and tired looking cabinet food. The coffee was also bland no flavour and no kick to it. The cafe was like the deli section in a supermarket with chairs and tables. No atmosphere pretty sterile won't be back.

Joanna Ly

We passed Twenty Three whilst wandering down the street and it looked like a nice cafe. Although it appears to have limited seating inside, there is a back door that leads to a sheltered and warm outdoor area w/ fireplace (good for winter). Have been there a couple of times for coffee and food and have not been disappointed. They have a range of salads/sandwiches and paninis. But also, a good brunch menu. Service was very good - though the place was quiet at the time. But staff have been friendly both times.

Fraser Church

Poor customer service, overpriced menu, average coffee.

Eat.sleep.repeat

Service so appalling it leaves you with a bitter taste in your mouth. Definitely do not recommend.

Lisa Edgar

Average food, terrible customer service. Went here for brunch on a Sunday morning with pretty high expectations. We were utterly disappointed. As we walked in, we had a selection of 3 very close together tables that were all dirty and sprinkled with crumbs. No one came to wipe it down so we had to do it ourselves. We ordered our food with the waitress who I felt wasn't in the best of moods. I ordered the Caesar salad cabinet food and the hubby got the mixed grill main, (contrasting choices, I know) The lady seemed distracted and didn't ask about the size of my salad (defaulted to a large as we found out when we paid), the hubby didn't get asked on how his steak was going to be cooked or eggs done (defaulted to raw/cold steak and pan-fried) oh! Let's not forget the butter knife he got for his steak.... As for the food, the mixed grill portion size was small and undercooked. My salad was fine - crispy and full of bacon (yay! Good points) However, everything about the experience felt rushed and my coffee was carbony and bitter - was it over-extracted? Overall, Twentythree cafe's service/food simply didn't live up to the interior and funky courtyard of this place.