Review A & J Cafe - Auckland Central

Simonie Lam

This place is so nice for a sunny morning brunch! We had a quick lunch here and the view was stunning. we got the chicken pot pie as well as the seafood pot pie. the seafood one was definitely more yum but both are nice with a crispy top. We then got a thai beef salad which had perfect flavours and nice textures. Overall lovely place would recommend!!

Liz Scott

Full marks for Ara Tai! There wasn’t one thing I didn’t love about my time at Ara Tai. Getting there was easy, parking was easy to find. There are parks for boats or marina folk but they are separated from public parks by a mechanical arm. The cafe is large and spacious inside, and has plenty of outdoor seating as well. Cabinet is well stocked. The menu had a wide range (which I personally like). Coffee was great. Now let’s talk about the pancakes… 😱🤩🥳 they are AMAZING! Surrounded by fruit and compote, drizzled with chocolate sauce, a nice dollop of whipped cream and a huge slab of French vanilla ice cream. Wow. It was so good the birds were jealous. My mother had the bagel and that was also amazing. The girls that work there are lovely, one of them even gave me a recommendation for next time. Definitely will be going back.

William Lin

Lovely views looking over Half Moon Bay Marina. Plenty of parking around in the weekends. Best to book a table for large groups as it can get quite busy. Has cooked meals, as well as cabinet food. Great coffee and the food came out reasonably fast. Indoor and outdoor seating.

ren g

okay cafe, though quite pricy. Their pork belly sandwich was bland and definitely needed some seasoning, and their matcha latte wasn't that good, but their eggs benedict was quite nice! We ordered around 3+ dishes that had poached eggs and they were cooked perfectly. Nonetheless, too pricey for the quality of food.

Fiesole Marks

Came for lunch on a weekday and it was busy enough to have a buzz but not packed. Service was quick and attentive. My flat white was really good and I'm quite picky with my coffees. I ordered the chicken burger with fries. The fries were crunchy and tasty and came with tomato sauce. The chicken burger was generous with a whole chicken thigh and fresh salad. My only suggestion for the chef is to replace the pickles (which in my opinion are more suited to beef burgers) with something with some sweetness like cranberry sauce or a tomato relish. The oiliness of the chicken and aioli had nothing to balance it out so the burger didn't have a lot of flavour. Also as the chicken is grilled the outside was a bit tough - not terribly but as the bun was a very soft brioche bun, everything was easy to bite except the chicken so with each bite the burger was falling apart as I had to tear the chicken with my teeth. I would recommend either making the chicken softer on the outside (it was actually juicy and delicious in the middle) or using a more structured bun. Overall I enjoyed my visit and think they deserve 4 stars - I'm sad to see they got so many bad reviews recently, I think they are working on it. Hopefully constructive reviews are helpful for them in this process!

TheNZLILY

Excellent location with a lovely view. Good food and options.

Henry Gao

Great cafe near the marina, popular with the locals. I have been here many times and always enjoy the vibes and views in summer. Prices are reasonable for a cafe and the coffee hasn’t disappointed me yet. I recommend it if you’re in the area.

Slaine NZ

Great service and food. Gluten free options available

Wilson Shum

Tried their matcha green tea frappe and also their iced latte today. The iced latte tasted good at the beginning, but near the middle and end had some not so pleasant after taste. The frappe was just ok for me as well. Havent tried their cabinet food so might give this place a second chance next time. Second visit. Had the iced americano and also the mocha frappe. Also tried their chicken and seafood pot pie. Then ended the meal with a caramel slice. The coffee was definitely a lot better this time. The pot pie inside was pretty good. They could probably make the pastry crispier, such as put in oven longer or use a kitchen torch, since this pot pie was premade. The caramel slice was excellent and the caramel was gooey inside. Service is just ok, I think staffs don't like working here as I see lack of energy in a lot of them. Overall, fold here improved since last time I visited

Chele Maxwell

Recently organised a group brunch here, great service with friendly staff, good food selection, and an excellent view over the marina.

Ayman Franso

Well deserved 5 stars. The food and coffee is great, great service and atmosphere. We will most definitely visit again.

Tracy X

Very tasty egg bene, will come back trying out more items on the menu!

Shima

Not recommended at all. We have ordered some food from cabinet which was Horrendous!!! Definitely old & not freshly cooked salmon, poor quality & tasteless veggie Salad, my husband had a chicken & mushroom fillo which made him sick right away 🤢 coffee was bad too. Will def not going back there. 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

Barista Champ

Awful coffee, milk was ok but the shot was so bad I stopped after a few sips. Customer service was appaling rather very rude. Very bad experience, wouldn't recommend it to anyone. The only thing you will like about this place is that it's at the water front.

Nadia

Recommend by my friend, and the date scone was really yummy, cafe also very nice. Very busy on the weekend, wanna try more food next time. Will definitely go back. My friend also recommended seafood chowder and fish n chips. Good place for catching up with friends.

Nyasha Makunga

Went for a hot chocolate which tasted really nice. The view is very pretty as it located near the marina. The downside is that it was quite packed. Have yet to try the food menu from them.

Jan Deng

We both end up with a sore tummy and have to rush to toilet as our tummy keep rumbling. We didn’t have anything in the morning, and this is our first meal we have for today. Here is what happened. Came over today with a friend, she haven’t been here for a while and so I insisted she to try the pot pie out which I think it’s nice from my last visit. So I ordered a seafood pot pie, a passion fruit cheese cake and a latte, she ordered a creamy mushroom and a latte too. The seafood pie for me it’s a bit salty, but its not a bad taste as we both like it. However, after the creamy mushroom arrived, and my friend tried. She notice the taste is a bit weird and taste sour like something wrong with it. I tried a mushroom and notice the weird taste and we ask a staff to see why is taste weird, she is kind and went over to the kitchen and asked the chief what’s in it. She came back with an answer that the mushrooms was marinated with wine. However we would not like to continue to finish that dish, so my friend went over to the order table and change to a egg Benedict instead and she checked with the same staff that the mushroom in it is not the same marinated one as from the creamy mushroom. The egg Benedict taste alright, and everything is ok. After we leave the cafe, not too long out tummy starts to rumble and pain. So we both need to rush to toilet. We are happy about the service but we both think the creamy mushroom is not up to standard. They need to check their food regularly I would suggest.

CRANE

First time trying the chicken pot pie, and it was quite nice! Though it was a bit salty than what I often enjoy. The beef thai salad is very nice, but I am not too sure about the drinks here.

Naziminator

We had a pleasant experience at this cafe in Half Moon Bay. Coffee was good, the beef burger was nice n two cakes were good as well. Hazelnut torte was better then the Black Forest cake though. It’s a nice clean cafe with plenty of sitting area. Service was friendly n had good selection of food in the cabinet. A good way to relax n spend a lazy Wednesday afternoon. Overall, based on this visit I would give this cafe a 3.5 out of 5

Gman

If I could give NO stars then that's what they would get. The Manager today at this Cafe has NO understanding of hospitality or EVEN how to be "nice" to paying customers, certainly the rudest Cafe "Manager" / Staff member in Auckland! Will never return to this Cafe and will tell EVERYONE I know to stay away - that said, after that treatment we went next door to the Cinnamon Cafe which was a ray of sunshine in comparison and provided awesome service - go there!!

Ellen May

Nice location and reasonable about of parking (depending on the time of day) but incredibly unsatisfied with the food. If you're after a good meal or nice coffee this is NOT the place to go. If you're after rude staff and microwaved food then it's the place for you. I recently had surgery and asked if I could possibly get a glass of warm water to drink, was swiftly told no. When I explained the situation the server looked at me as if I was crazy for thinking she'd change her answer. Used to highly rank the cafe, but it has continued to decline over the years.

Sarah Wilson

Disgusting! Old fish and have gone away feeling really ill, for$41 what a waste of money. You can go to Meadow in meadowbank for the same price and have an amazing meal.

Navdeep

Such amazing cabinet range! I highly enjoyed their gluten free white chocolate brownie and almond piece. Satisfied my dessert cravings. Will defs be back to try their main breakfast menu.

Hope

My family and I use to come here every Sunday for Sunday morning breaky catch up's. We love'd the location and the atmosphere of this cafe. Food was average but remained consistent. We were your true Sunday regulars - until one Thursday we tried to make a reservation for Father's Day on Sunday guaranteeing it was going to be a busy Sunday morning - we were told they don't make reservations which was fine so we decided to go a lot earlier then usual just to secure ourselves a table in a nice spot - So we turned up early on a Sunday morning only to see there was a table with a RESERVED placard on it. As you can imagine the confusion - we asked the lady who was at the counter whom which I might add served us every Sunday morning we were there - "why is there a reserved sign, I thought you don't take reservations" the response was "oh they called early this morning to make the booking" our response " I called on Thursday to make the reservation and you said Arai tai doesn't take bookings" as you can probably imagine the blank response we got after that was just not good enough and so disappointing. we haven't been back since. Even though the food was average but consistent and it was always so horrendously busy - you became a family ritual to our Sunday mornings but sadly the inconsistency of your service didn't allow for this to continue at your cafe.

Tasha Rawiri

Had lunch here :) lovely spot looking out at the marina. Omelette was massive, tasty and chicken pot pie was yummy. Food arrived promptly and staff were very friendly. Thanks!

Suyeon Kim

Went here for morning tea. Got myself a long black and a lemon meringue. The lemon meringue tart was very hard. Yucky smell of egg white filled my mouth and I couldn't even finish a small tart. My friend got a brownie and it was very dried and found number of small flour chunks. The service was very low quality and rude. I enjoy long black because americano is too diluted and I like to add hot water and dilute the concentration on my taste. But when I asked a server for more hot water, he said due to the store policy he's not allowed to help the customers that way. I asked one of the staff making coffee (it was the boss - I later found out) and she said she doesn't serve hot water to customers as they're not "a Chinese restaurant" but a café. Her behaviour was very rude and treated me as if I asked her something too much or being a ridiculous customer. She told me to get americano next time if I'm going to ask for more hot water. She completely ignored me as a customer and my right to have a drink adjusting my taste. I totally wasted my money and time here today. The service they offered me here was absolutely disgusting and I was hardly respected as a customer. I am leaving my review for the first time here so people know what to expect from here at Ara-Tai Café.

Dailyfashion Plusnz

The hot Chocolate is toooo sweet , and the American breakfast taste very bad, too salty, but the dessert is quite good. Might won't have brunch here, but will defiantly come back for the coffee and dessert.

I_like_pickles

Have been here a few times and it's a fantastic place for a catch up or just to chill out. The cafe overlooks a scenic half moon bay. The dining area is clean, spacious and tidy. They have an outdoor dining space as well. Their menu is extensive and their cabinet has an endless display of food. The salads from their cabinet menu are generous and the pastas are delicious. Hot chocolates are so adorable and velvety. Would definitely recommend this place.

Troy Bilbrough

Date scone was top notch, bagel was great and coffee hit the spot. Nice location and views. Staff were friendly but under the pump as the cafe was so busy.

Karen Lahman

This review is for the Corn fritter meal. Worst I have ever had. The corn fritters were mushy, and full of onion pieces. They were not freshly made. The salad was put between the fritters so left them looking very wilted. I spoke to waitress about the meal and she didn't say anything and nobody came back to be to discuss the complaint. Wouldn't recommend. It's a pity because this cafe used to cook lovely meals.

Jennifer King

Been there a few times. The environment was pretty nice, suitable for family with kids. However the food tasted just alright. A lot of deep fried food on menu. The coffee was on average as well.

Benedict Uy

Came by for brunch. The items in the cabinets all looked quite nice but went for the corn fritters on the menu. The fritters were ok since it didn't have a really big corn hit but the bacon was nice. Might try one of the cabinet items next time.

Cupy Dee

Been here for coffee and cake a few times enjoyed it so we decided to come here for lunch since it's a nice day . Big Mistake!! The chef took No effort into preparing, making and presenting the food. The food was bland and uninspiring. I ordered bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Everything was just "thrown" onto the plate with a packet of butter. Not even capers or salads on side. Mum ordered the chicken pumpkin pasta dish from the cabinet. Once again, someone just scooped it from the large container, microwaves it and serve it out ! The chicken was thinly sliced with skins and fat still attached to it. The pumpkin was super large compare to the other ingredients in the dish, made it awkward to eat. We we're genuinely disappointed with what was served! This cafe like most restaurants in the area, simply just taken advantage of the beautiful marina but not bother paying attention to their food! Maybe we'll just stick to the coffee next time !

Michelle Ma Belle

We absolutely ADORE this cafe. Definitely spoilt with the options in the cabinet and the amazing view of the marina! My sister ordered the pumpkin & chicken pasta. It was well flavored but unfortunately the serving size was quite pathetic and definitely not worth the $9.50. In contrast, their paninis and croissant sandwiches are the same price, and are served with salads. Definitely very filling. Love that they have vegetarian paninis too. Especially recommend their corn fritters and almond croissant. Coffee is good. The latte bowl is more on the milky side so would suggest ordering their flat white :) All in all its such a spacious, relaxing place with good food, that will make one want to return again and again.

SR

Great food but the worst service! certain staff here seem to have an attitude and make you feel very unwelcome... will not be coming back because of this.

Anna45452000

Mum said meet Ara-Tai over the phone so was thinking I was going to have Thai food. But it's a Asian cafe . Large cafe , nice outlook of marina. Coffee yum! I wasn't that hungry so just ordered a ham and tomato sandwich packed in a plastic container . It was nice , but no kiwi dijionaise mustard. 😞 I love the large cups/mugs you can have for a capacino , small cups are too quick to drink. Busy cafe being a Monday , probably because only cafe! Most people dining are over 60, probably locals. Would love to see more Kiwi food -like a salad range perhaps . (Go copy Farro Fresh in Lunn Ave ,best salad bar in Auckland). Service was a bit backwards .- they need a better system . My sandwich came out 15minutes after I ordered at the cafe till. they didn't give it to me !then 13 minutes later my coffee was delivered . I had to go up to the counter after 20 minutes to grab my parents salmon salads. They don't offer coffee cards unless you ask ! I ask the waitress from my table if I could have a coffee card for my 3 coffees , she bought me back a unstamped card! Dah! Will I return ...coffee .. Yes . Anna Food assessor

Glen Andrews

Great big breakfast. Nice location. Service was good. If they added black pudding it would be just about perfect :) and would get a 5 rating.

Avolette

A spacious, open and light filled cafe in the marina of half moon bay. Coffee is decent, but it was frustrating that they "don't serve lattes in small mugs", so I was forced to get a large sized coffee. Apparently the large sized lattes are a New Zealand thing. Tried a slice of Louise Cake, as that is apparently a kiwi thing to try. Wayyyyy too sweet but an interesting slice that I can now say I've tried. Also tried the kiwi famous Afghan cookie an something was so off about it that it was inedible and I had to throw it out. Along with a 15% surcharge on public holidays, I had to unfortunately change my review score.

ReetsNLots

The view- Amazing, nothing like sitting outside enjoying the boats and sea air The menu selection- Great, the cabinet selection is also good. Coffee- caramel latte, pretty good Smoothie- I ordered apple and fejoa, mmmm a bit too milky for my liking Ordered- from the cabinet, the chicken and mushroom filo with side salad, it should have read, chicken and mushroom filo with salad garnish. Filo itself was ok, nice and creamy although a tad under seasoned. Spicy Wedges were cooked perfectly, nice crunch and dipping sauce complimented it nicely Value for money?- about $25 for my meal and drinks, yeah I guess that was pretty good Service- mediocre, I like my plates to be cleared when I have finished eating, especially if I may order something else, or just to be checked upon, a top up with anything, not a biggie for some but definitely a biggie for me. Would I return? - yes but not in a hurry to.

Stephy_NakiGirl

Ara Tai is in the new shopping area built at Halfmoon Bay. Such a great location no matter what weather. Service is okay - like a good local cafe. Efficient & fairly prompt. It's popular amongst locals & has a menu as well as large cabinet selection. On previous visits I'd ordered from the menu - the Thai beef salad was nice. Today I decided to order from the cabinet & chose the roasted chicken & pumpkin with pasta. Not bad value at $9.50. It had a large amount of sliced seasoned roast chicken, pumpkin, leeks & spiral pasta. Herbs & garlic gave it some nice flavour. Being in the cabinet it was microwaved which was brought to a good temperature. Coffee was good - nicely flavoured, not too intense & no sugar required. Overall a nice reliable local cafe with reasonably priced food.

Lulu Padotan

I am very dissapointed at the service and manner we were treated at Ara Tai Cafe . We ordered breakfast but lost in conversation my tea went a bit cold so I asked thewaiter if I could get a small Jug/pot of hot water to warm my tea .. HIS REPLY was " my Boss asked that we charge $1.00 for hot water "" I actually thought he was joking and I did not hear him correctly, My husband confirmed the conversation .After a few minutes my husband went over to the counter and asked for a small pot of water . The waiter/ person at the counter asked at which table we were sitting at. That stunned my husband- is it because we were the only people of COLOR and it felt as if we had walked off the street to ask for a pot of water . Sorry Ara Tai management and staff - I work in the area and will be telling my colleagues and friends of the way were treated -

ʕ⁎̯͡⁎ʔ༄

Came here on a Saturday afternoon after the lunch-time rush. It was quiet, so we ordered two coffees and a chocolate mousse to share. The coffees were good HOWEVER the mousse was awful! It was hard as; the cream on top was even hard enough that you could touch it and reform it without it getting stuck in your fingers! I don't know if this was yesterday's leftovers but we didn't even bother finishing it because it was so tough, definitely NOT what a mousse is supposed to be like. Not sure what their other food is like but not jumping at the chance to try it either.

John N Janice Cook

What a great place for Brunch! After a morning of taking family photographs at Eastern Beach we all headed for Ara-Tai Café for Brunch on the recommendation of one of the party. A total of 8 people aged from 4 Months to 70+ and took all our own orders and provided a list to the Cashier with drinks and within 10 min we had all our orders delivered including drinks with no errors and we were very impressed by the quality and taste of the food. Coffee great Iced Coffee fantastic. The roominess of the café was excellent especially with a baby buggy.Well done to you all we will be back especially as a family.

SS

The view is phenomenal! Theres something about the marina that is just super peaceful. It is definitely a tranquil place to grab a coffee and relax or grab a bite with friends (and your dog, it has water trays too!!) Its a modern looking cafe with great in and out flow - the two entrances work well and keeps it bright and well lit. The menu here is pretty limited - but the cabinet makes up for it in terms on options. I feel like although the food is fresh, it lacks creativity and taste. Slightly underwhelmed each time. I do recommend a visit to Ara Tai on a sunny day though. The view is definitely worth it :-)

STRADS

Ara-Tai at Half Moon Bay has established as a popular spot among local people, not just because of its food, but of the beautiful view. I was there for lunch & unsurprisingly I caught up with some friends who are living locally or in the nearby Bucklands Beach & Highland Park areas. I had a seafood chowder with toasts, plus a chicken kebab. Seafood chowder was creamy & cheesy, but surimi (the imitation crab meat) in it was something I couldn't stand. Coffee was always hot & good. (Food - 3/5; Service - 4/5; Ambience- 4/5)

Turkish Apple

Great location with perfect view, heaps of different choices of dessert and other cabinet food, would love to try their menu next time. But the caramel latte that I ordered is a bit too sweet :)

Lewola16

Nice cafe in a nice setting, staff were all friendly and served us quickly, had a pie and a Panini which were both good, coffee and hot chocolate also good.

Sam Hodgson

Slow service, food didn't come for 30mins, nice food overall and nice presentation. The service from the waitstaff was mediocre especially when asked about taking food as left overs.

Barb&Ted

Great atmosphere ,great parking.family friendly and spacious cafe with great views. Great quality food and priced ok. Best tasting Coffee a little cold though and please have REAL glasses for water. Please loose the plastic ones otherwise will be back again for sure!

Cheapster

The staff are pretty friendly, and the cafe is gorgeous, especially with the view. Ara-Tai has plenty of reviews already, so I think I'll move straight onto the food. The coffee is alright. Slightly on the bitter side, it has little other flavour, but otherwise it's not so bad. Beautifully presented. My family and I have tried several menu items, and have had various opinions on most of them. Ara Tai produces the most perfectly poached eggs I've had in a cafe, but their hollandaise is as average as most. The pot pies are great value, packed with filling and delicious, and the sweets/desserts selection is decent also. The value of some other dishes is hardly something to speak of... some are very expensive for what appears to be shop-bought products slapped (though very prettily) onto a large plate. Overall pretty good food, but average value.

Mun Clair

Came here for brunch with some friends one morning. It was quite busy for a Monday morning! I had the chicken and mushroom filo which was delicious and quite affordable at around $8. I also had the lemon meringue tart which was equally as yum. Will definitely return to try out more of their menu!

Cookingkenny

The food was nice, nothing spectacular but the environment and view are nice enough to make it pleasant. Room for a baby pram via the front door is a plus. The menu is a bit thin on gluten free meal options but a good range (and I remember them being tasty from an earlier visit) No coffee today but last time was good too

Karen Adams

We had been here once before quite some time ago, and to be honest, it was pretty average. Yesterday after spending a day working round the house, we thought (due to the location of Ara-Tai), we would go there for afternoon tea... never again. I got the Hazelnut Cake, our Son had the Chocolate Eclair and my Husband had the Passionfruit Cheesecake... The Hazelnut Cake was so dry that I could crumble it with the fork. After trying 2 bites, I took it back to the counter, only for them to say "it's dry because we cut it this morning and it's been sitting in the fridge", they said it in such a way that would make you think it's normal. I asked for it to be replaced with something that was fresh... they didn't have anything fresh that wouldn't be dry!! I ended up with the Passionfruit Cheesecake, although ok, it was tasteless. My Son said his Chocolate Eclair was hard, again, because its been sitting in the fridge. We won't be making the mistake of giving these guys a third chance.

Jacqui Alo

We've frequented this Cafe ever since my husband recommended it. So just this afternoon I decided to take my son there for what we thought was going to be a nice afternoon tea together. We ordered our usual: fruit tarts, hot chocolate and smoothies. My son also wanted some chips however but to my surprise, I was told their kitchen was already closed (at 4:30PM when they close at 5PM???). So my son bought chips from the shop next door to eat. We carried on but was rudely interrupted just before we left that we are not allowed to bring food from other restaurants in. Despite my effort to explain why we had to buy chips on the adjacent shop, I got nothing but rudeness from this lady and the guy on the cashier was no better. Needless to say what was thought to be a nice afternoon tea with my son was ruined! While our first few experiences have been nice, my most recent one has made us decide NEVER to come back here again. Worst customer service I've had!

Candii Cao

A nice cafe by the water. Spacious, clean and tidy. Came on a weekend lunch time, the queue to order the food was very long but the wait for the food was not bad. Fish and chips from the lunch menu was good and quite big. My favourites were the seafood pot pie and the fruit tart.

Susan Chant

Had a really nice lunch, really nice front line staff. Two hours after we left we realised we had left a small container on the table. My husband rung first to ask if it had been put to one side and if so we would pick it up. This staff member found English difficult and after a minute or two came back after asking the kitchen staff if they had found a green takeaway container which is not the description my husband gave her and she did not seem very helpful. Then I rung back I spoke to a very rude woman (who later I found out was the Owner!) who said she looked through the rubbish for a minute or two and came back and said she could not find it, I tried to ask her if it could be somewhere else or perhaps put in another place, she started raising her voice and told me if you do not believe me come and look through the rubbish yourself! I rung the following day as I was not happy with the way I was spoken to etc. and to my surprise the person I spoke to the day before was the owner. II told her I was unhappy with the way she spoke to me and she once again went on in the same manner and told me I was an idiot. This cafe has lovely food and lovely front line staff and good service. But when you are unhappy about something and have already paid look out for the owner who is semi aggressive and has no idea on how to speak to people. Will never return to this cafe. You really find out how good a place is when something goes wrong and this owner needs to learn some new skills when running a cafe in Auckland.

Suzanne

Today was the second time I have eaten here. It is a great location next to the marina and has wonderful veiws, also there are plenty of places to sit either inside or out. Although because of the open doors sparrows fly around inside which doesn't appeal to me for hygeine reasons. For breakfast I ordered poached eggs on toast and a mocchachino which cost $15.50 I imagined perhaps a specialty bread may be served for that price. When it arrived I was quite disappointed there were two very small eggs, half a tomato and two pieces of cheap looking bread on an oversized plate, the cutlery was warm but the plate and food was cold and the eggs were not cooked properly and had that slimey, watery texture. I wouldn't order that again. Eggs should really be a safe bet! It is great that they offer free water with lemon but the glasses look very worn and unappealing to use. I did enjoy the coffee though it was hot and strong. It is obviously a very popular place to meet as both times it has been very busy. I found the staff to be friendly and efficient but they didn't look very happy.

Alexandra Perkins

Have been here several times, always enjoyed it. Great place - sometimes very busy. I would recommend choosing something out of the huge range of display options. Much better value than the menu options, $8 for a great size, great portion salad/pie/panini something amazing and unique sounding (that tastes great), vs a $16 meal s ordered off the menu - will take a lot longer, and usually aren't too big portions, on an enormous plate. The cakes and slices are great too :) Good choice for breakfast or lunch :) my breakfast pick would be the fruit salad (that comes with yoghurt) and a yummy enormous berry and chocolate muffin!

C & J

Busy Saturday as we went during the peak hour for brunch. Place was buzzing but we managed to find a table. Ordered the creamy mushroom and rosti stack with a side of scrambled eggs! Creamy mushrooms were delicious, very saucy and tasty. J's Rosti stack was good however it had a small portion of mushrooms. Hashbrown was nice and crispy; wasnt oily. Very friendly service as we felt very welcomed even though they were busy. Great spot for a nice brunch by the seaside.

Joli Wong

Coffee was really bad, it tasted burnt and rough. Got an iced mocha and it had so much vanilla powder that it was thick and too sweet. On the other hand, the food is so good. !

EatsByZee

Ended up here on a rainy Saturday afternoon as our first choice cafe was full. Ara-Tai Cafe is probably located in one of the most beautiful and tranquil settings in Auckland City. The calming water and berthed boats in the marina are lovely to watch as you settle in for brunch. Unfortunately for us the food did not match the views. While the coffee was strong and hot, the food was quite a disappointment. The potato rosti came with store-bought hash browns, the eggs benedict on store-bought English McMuffins/hamburger buns and the omelet came with one slice of wholewheat toast. The only dish that was completely home-made was the corn fritters which while tasty, were flat and a little soggy. To be honest, the menu didn't exactly state that all the ingredients were house-made so the store-bought items shouldn't have been too much of a surprise or disappointment. The food we ordered was nothing special and something that could have been easily whipped up at home. There was a fabulous display of cabinet food on offer and this may have been a better choice based on other reviews. Perhaps this is a lesson that to experience a truly good cooked brunch then a trip into central Auckland may be the smarter option.

Vinny

A quick stop became more like a sleep over, me and my partner really enjoyed Ara-Tai Cafe. We went for the cabinet food, generous size i must say and oooh delish with a cup of Mocha mmmm. If i could buy each item from the cabinet i would. Apart from that i looooved looking out into the sea enjoying the crisp air, and lucky it was a sunny day. The girls behind the counter were well presented and never dropped their smile. Great customer service girls. Will deeeefinitely be coming back, and beat the crowd:-)

Andy Underwood

The best eggs-benny in HMB. Definitely worth visiting on a sunny day to sit outdoors and enjoy the scenery. Staff are always friendly and the coffee's always good!

Sonja Kempen

We absolutely loved it - I ordered Toast with sides chicken, Hash browns, mushrooms & bacon. The chicken was superb and the food done to a high standard. What I loved the most was sitting outside. When the sun came out, staff opened umbrellas for us and it made a great experience. Might be a bit pricey but it was worth it. Will def return again.

Jeremy W

Brought the family and the in laws here for brunch. First time trying out this place and was very impressed. Ordered the creamy mushroom and it was simply fantastic. With a large range of food, fasts service and a stunning view, what more could one ask for. Definitely will be back here again real soon.

Michelle

Went here with my mom and grandma and everything was just delicious. The view is just amazing. We just opted for cabinet food and they had a very large and interesting selection.

Maria

I absolutely love their burger and fries here!!! The mocha needed a bit of work but other than that the burger was so delicious even though it was so large. The view here is really nice because you can see the yachts and the bright blue sea on a really sunny day. I managed to finish the burger and fries even though it seemed massive!! The visuals of the food looked really appealing. You can also bring pets, there was mostly pet dogs brought by families/owners which is cool. A bit strong on the mocha but I still enjoyed my time here.

Amanda Heuvel

Took 2 family members (nanna & poppy) from overseas for brunch / lunch 12/11.We had chicken filo with salad, bit skimpy, but tasty, fish burger, bread roll a bit dry/stale & eggs benedict with bacon. Coffees all round.The main complaint that I have is that a waitress told me in a very dismissive tone (twice) to stack down 2 tables and move it to where there was a spot near the terrace. Granted, it was busy, but I was so shocked and EMBARRASSED. The elderly couple with tried to help me, but we struggled. Eventually we managed to manoeuvre the tables, but it was close to the entrance way and hence got cold and it started to rain. Eventually we moved inside, only to move 2 tables together ourselves again.The entire experience was soured by this nonsense and will be reluctant to go back. We usually enjoy brunch on a Sunday at your establishment, but now, will look to go somewhere else.I need to point out that it was 1 particular waitress only. The others were pleasant and friendly.

Chloe Yan Chen

the person taking the orders has no customer skills. no smile nothing. other floor staff was nice though. coffees are very nice and strong! food was average. kitchen food portion was abit small for the price.

Richard

Great location. Bad service English is a second language with most staff. Food is a little expensive and fairly average. The bread with the poached eggs is paper thin and of poor quality. Good coffee from the friendly English speaking staff.

Rachel

I came here for lunch with a friend. There were friendly staff however there wasn't as many options to choose from than I expected and it felt a bit overpriced. We did not have to wait too long for the food. The meal was filling, delicious and well-presented. It is a good place to enjoy a meal and look out to a great view of the marina.

Laura Hunt

I went with my dad to this cafe for Father's Day today. As expected I was super busy but we managed to get a nice table in the sun! We ordered a Caesar salad, fruit salad with yoghurt and a hot chocolate. The food came in good time despite being told it could be a 15 minute wait which was awesome. The only downside is the fact you have to wait in line to order, which today took forever. Dad enjoyed his salad. My fruit salad was okay. Some of the apple pieces were a bit floury, and my hot chocolate was yummy. Later on I decided I wanted a little more food so I ordered some wedges, which meant another long wait in line. They took about 20 minutes to arrive but it was okay because the scenery was nice and they were delicious. Overall it was a nice but average experience. Would go again for a drink and snacks but I'm undecided on meals.

Riley Rose Mercy

Fantastic location, but horrible coffee and average food on more than one visit... Extremely disappointed. Now I know never again lol.

Karen Adams

We had a very pleasant lunch here last Sunday (15th June). Hubby had corn fritters which he said were very good but could have done with some relish as well as the sour cream. I had the asian beef salad, which was really tasty and a heap of beef (what looked like a whole piece of sirloin thickly sliced) and a massive amount of cashew nuts - value for money on this dish! Our son had the meatlovers pizza which was nice but a bit floppy. Mochas were very nice and staff very pleasant, good to see them promptly clearing tables as customers left. Will be returning to taste the cabinet food as it look very appertising.

Alison S

We love coming here- it's our local. The coffee is consistently excellent (nice and strong) and yummy cabinet food (mmm caramel crumble slice). Haven't ordered off the menu yet, but it all sounds very nice. Service is very friendly. Always busy but never feels unpleasantly crowded as nice big open inside seating area with gorgeous views out to the marina.

Ash Freeman

I went here on Saturday for brunch how disappointing. I was asked at the till if we would like our drinks and food together we said yes. Our tea and coffee came first ..... then 10 minutes later my croissant then about 15 minutes later the big breakfast arrived ....... by this time the pot of tea was cold.... although had drunk half a cup while waiting. Asked for a fresh pot of tea to go with my breakfast the girl went away and came back stating I had to pay for another one as I had drunk some ..... I complained and she then came back with my same pot of tea with apparently some hot water in the SAME tea leaves!! Unbelievable !! Appalling customer service which could have so easily been rectified. We will not be going back .

Kelly Edwards

Unfortunately I personally had a bad experience here. First impressions were great. I ordered pancakes and forgive me if I'm wrong, but pancakes are meant to be soft and fluffy. The bricks that came out did not taste like pancakes are supposed to taste like. A hard 1cm crispy outer and practically dry inside left me having to drown them in maple syrup to stomach them. Ate 2/3 pancakes, couldn't hack it any longer. All other food in my group seemed to be fine, but you'd think pancakes aren't hard to mess up (I was making perfect pancakes at age 15, with a recipe I had memorised). You'd think a chef could get it right. Perhaps avoid ordering these. Needless to say, I won't be returning due to this experience.

Anna Mccrossan

Wondering if the negative reviews on here are from competition. They really don't stack up. We often visit Ara-Tai and the food and coffee are consistently great. The staff are super friendly and accommodating and as for the location.. how could you beat that? Today I had eggs bene on gluten free bread and it was fab. Hubby had his big brekkie which was made with great quality ingredients. The kids loved their french toast and pancakes. There was a constant stream of customers at the counter. The line never went below 10 people. Hundreds of customers and their wallets can't be wrong!!

Claire

We had breakfast here on a Saturday morning, in a group of 7. The service was reasonably quick, but we thought this cafe was a little overpriced - I suppose we were paying for the view and the location as well. I had corn fritters which were nicely presented and seemed good value for money. Hubby's omelette was disappointing and seemed expensive for the size of it. We ordered all together and we didn't like the fact that they would only accept one entertainment book voucher between the 7 of us. If we'd known this, we would have ordered separately. We won't race back, as there was nothing startling on the menu. We have to ask, what's with the fish cakes served with a thai beef sauce? That did not appeal!!

Brian Gilliland

As an ex restaurateur I was amazed at some of the reviews for this establishment. Such contrasts! All I can say that they must have addressed the issues mentioned because for us it was one of our best dining experiences and value for money in Auckland. I would describe it as an up market cafe with a twist - and a very tempting food cabinet. Just so difficult to choose... Despite being nearly packed when we were there, the service was prompt the food great, and the staff were friendly and professional. Excellent coffee too, and I'm pretty difficult to please !! The Maitre d' did what I regard as the essential 4 minute "is everything to your satisfaction" call after meals delivered whilst presenting an unsolicited glass of water to his clients - Nice!

Nola Griffiths

Lovely setting near windows - staff pleasant but the last two visits friend and myself not impressed with the food. Beef roll - beef very tough - the short crust pastry meringue was totally overcooked and the coffee extremely weak. It is rather difficult to order items as the menu board is overcrowded and difficult to read. When well patronized there is a lot of crowding around the board area with people trying to read the menu and patrons also paying at the till which is around the area near the board. Perhaps a separate menu at the tables would be a good idea, then patrons would need only to peruse the display cabinet for different choices.

Bev Lochead

Went to this Restaurant today with our Seniors from Church after a nice ferry ride from Britomaart. We phoned this morning to confirm a booking we had enquired about a week earlier. They were most obliging, having our tables all ready when we arrived. There was a wonderful selection of cabinet food plus menu if we wanted it, reasonably priced and served by a very friendly helpful staff. Lovely view out to the marina and Rangitoto. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting a lovely meal. Bev & Bruce

Halfpie Job

We came here for Sat breakfast around 10am! I ordered the bacon eggs and mushrooms on hash brown, Wifey had the mushrooms on toast, and my girl had chocolate cake! The food was very good still hot and presented well! The staff I found cheerful, polite n pleasant! The views were beautiful sitting sheltered from the sun just inside gazing out onto the boats and smelling the sea air! The assortment I thought was varied although the blackboard I thought could've been a bit more adventurous still though early days. My only disappointment was the coffee we'd ordered! It was mediocre not sure if it was the blend or a barista's skill? I scanned the other tables and many had gone for bottled drinks, smoothies etc. I may have caught them on an off day so lets see what happens next time! After we'd finished, every man and his dog seemed to come out of the woodwork ordering food! Great place to hang and chill

Elaine Salter

I booked a table for 12 people. I asked to talk to the manager as I wanted to have the seating in the inside/outside area. She said yes that would be fine. When I arrived our table was inside. I asked to talk to the same manager and told her I had asked for a table in the inside/outside area. Her answer was, Oh I thought it would be nicer here. I was not happy but was not offered any change so had to put up with what she had decided we would have. Very disappointed that no real apology was given. I don't think they care too much about customer satisfaction .

Samar Sobuh

This morning, I went to Ara-Tai Cafe with my friend and my 2 year old daughter. We ordered 2 dishes of breakfast, 2 sweet danishes, 2 coffees and 1 kids fluffy. The food was good and I can say nothing wrong about it. The story is; my 2 year old daughter broke the mini espresso cup. I went to say sorry to the people who were working at the counter, they asked me to pay the cost of the mini cup which was $5. I am really disappointed by the service, even they didn't look at the money we spent in their cafe.

Sharon Gabriel

We went to Ara-Tai for Sunday brunch a few weeks ago, after recommendation from a friend. My husband ordered eggs Benedict, I had full English. the food was excellent, served hot, the eggs perfect and the service was great and the menu very well priced, we waited slightly longer than anticipated as they were really busy. We sat in a sunny corner read the paper and enjoyed the atmosphere. Well behaved canines are welcome in the outside area, I would thoroughly recommend it for a lazy Sunday brunch, followed by a walk on the boardwalk to Bucklands Beach. Also lots of free parking. S Gabriel Cockle Bay

Patrick Shields

Have had lunch here with extended family. 2 x dishes came out 5 mins after we ordered, 2 x dishes 10 mins later & 2 dishes 5 mins later. Food was good but would have been nice to eat at the same time.

Andrea

I was expecting to take my family for a treat to this cafe today and really expected, due to the location etc, it to be top-notch as far as food, service and ambience was concerned. What I got was a disappointing experience that ruined the occasion. The food - smoked fish cakes, chicken caesar salad and fish burger - was something I would have expected from Cobb and Co from the 1980's. The fish cakes were deep fried (yuk) and the fish burger was a piece of battered deep fried fish you would expect to get from your local chippie stuck in an uninspiring white burger bun (yuk again). The caesar salad was SWIMMING in a mass produced ranch-style dressing and was a struggle to eat. Our coffees were disgusting. They were so bitter we had to get the staff to pour half out and put more boiling water in. Even then it seemed they weren't worried that we were not happy and made no effort to refund the cost of the coffees (although admittedly I couldn't be bothered asking). The staff, although trying their best I think, were young, inexperienced and hard to understand. What a shame these people have this prime position tied up with such a disappointing business. I have always loved taking visitors to the Marina for a coffee and something to eat while watching the comings and goings of the boaties. Never again - they have ruined it for me. I just wish I had had the nouse to look up the other reviews before we wasted our money.

Fiona

I really like this cafe for its coffee and date scones. I have never ordered more than that but many people do and always appear quite satisfied. The youngish guy at front is very friendly and obliging and I cannot fault the other staff - some lack experience but certainly not personality.

Roo Mowles

Sat Mar 9th. Just been to this place with friends from Canada and found the food dreadful, my wife had beef croissant the beef was awful and could not be eaten, when we complained we were told the beef was cut off the day before (what ) . I had the seafood chowder it as 90% liquid, guess what - no more visits there.

Petra Schendelaar Kemp

I have been there twice in the past 3 weeks both a weekday and weekend and have found the cafe to be exactly what a cafe should be. Comfortable, clean, with prompt service, reasonable prices and just an all round enjoyable experience. The views are to die for. If you are looking for a great place to catch up with friends and family for breakfast with a lovely view of the marina this place is perfect! Coffee is lovely and the food is delicious. Minus the madness off mission bay you can enjoy a breakfast/lunch with friends without stressing over getting to the venue or looking for parking. None of us had a single negative about any part of the experience either time and will visit often.

Pete F.

Disappointing. The chicken salad sandwich had smoked chicken in it (should have stated this), plastic cheese and an overpowering amount of mayo and salt. The bread was obviously a supermarket special. With so many amazing artisan ingredients available now I am amazed that these sandwiches still exist. I get the feeling that the owners are not willing to address the complaints on this site as there have been no improvements in the quality of food since they opened. This could be an amazing cafe as the location is wonderful; but while they continue to use plastic cheese in their sandwiches and provide cheap plastic glasses for their cold drinks this is not likely to happen. The food reminds me of a 1980's small-town cafe...without the flavour.

Helen French

Came here for breakfast yesterday morning with a team from work. (6 of us) Lovely young guy running the place, but seriously disappointed with the food and the 'follow up' to it. Rather expensive Eggs Benedict, so you'd expect it to be good, but the eggs were way over cooked and solid. Everyone else at the table was the same. Being kiwis and not wanting to moan, only 2 of us told the young guy we weren't happy. (She had the mushrooms which were good - but had asked for eggs with it) He said he agreed they should be runny and he'd cook us some new ones when he had time and should he just put them on the same plate. I said I'd like a new meal. He took our plates away and returned with fresh eggs - which were perfect...BUT all he'd done was scrape off the old ones and put the new ones on our now cold and soggy muffin, bacon and mushrooms. Not happy. Of course, should have said something. Coffee very average. Will not be going back. PS Oh, nearly forgot. When the eggs arrived second time around I said to the young waitress, "Oh yay! Are they runny?" and she mumbled, "I dunno, ask the cook." Rude!!!!

Annette Jenkins

A really nice cafe with good coffee & even water bowls for the dogs. Unfortunately nothing really for Gluten Free diners and no interest in providing it.

Dyann Calverley

Just had lunch at Ara-Tai Cafe - excellent service, and friendly staff. Coffee is wonderful - BUT the best item was the Corn Fritters - they were the best I have had, and I have eaten them in Australia and throughout NZ. I didnt eat the Chicken & Leek Pot Pie, but that also got great reviews. Sit outside in the Sunshine or inside - the ambience of the cafe is great. Do go and try Ara-Tai - I just hope you have a good an experience as we did. This is our 2nd visit in 2 weeks, we will be back.

Renee Li

My husband and I went to this new cafe for our lunch today.We ordered a french toast for $15.50,there is no bacon and cream on the side was over whipped.However ,the taste for the toast and caremerlized banana was fantastic.I orderd a corn fritters .There are only 2 pieaces fritters and I found out the bottom one was burned both side.Staff was not friendly at all.We really wish ,they could do better next time!

Lynn Lindsey

We went for Breakfast on Sunday and was quite disappointed with the meals. Firstly Bacon & Eggs with tomato for $14.50 I would expect something reasonable but was given something that I would of only paid $8.50 for. The waitress got our eggs order wrong - she didn't even know what Earl Grey Tea was. She had no experience of cafe work at all. The toast was unbuttered and didn't even look toasted, the tomato was unripe and sour. Being a local I really wanted a great experience and the owners should be using someone at the till that knows what they are doing, especially during a busy time if they want us to come back again. I do hope they drop the price of the basic breakfast considerably once the 20% discount for July finishes.