Review The Apothecary - Howick

The Asylum is on the move in Howick on Wednesday for #fastfoodfriday as Friday we have famz coming. The Apothecary Licensed Eatery in Howick was the choice tonight as it's Rib night (normally $32 Wed night $22). Everyone had ribs. Only 2 finished 🤣. Outstanding ribs which were generously portioned. Cheese bread looked like 🍕👍. Sides were Mac and cheese tasty. Pan dried scallops cooked just right tender and juicy. Crispy fried calamari with a sweet sauced salad (think I tasted pomegranate). Dessert had by 3. Passionfruit Cheesecake had a thick gelatinous topping which I'm not used to and as for taste, well there was nothing left on the plate 🤣. Creme Brulee tasted tested by T was judged as really good (really good translates to outstanding) 😆. Finished with cappuccinos and mocha and flat white. This could be the first 5/5 for Fastfood Friday Foodie Bumz Big Upz to The Apothecary💯 and big shout to Abby our hostess with the mostest 👍🤙. Nice job Abz. 🍽 🤙🤙💯😁😁. Oh yeah the moose is called Murray 🤣🤣

Great restaurant with plenty of seating, good atmosphere and service. Food and coffee was excellent, highly recommended

Had a quick bite last Saturday. Food was amazing, great atmosphere, awesome service. Can't wait to come back on the next Saturday to try more food!!!🤩

This is our 2nd visit. Our first visit we brought our big family for Father's Day (us + 6 kids) and they took great care of us. Absolutely love the Eggs Benedict (I picked 🥓). Loved it so much my wife and I snuck out this morning so I could have it again!

Nice atmosphere and awesome decor inside with the massive Moose head. We attended a private function where it was booked out and had a great night. There are plenty of options on the Food menu and we ordered the Platter for Two to share. Great service

I ordered the scrambled eggs and mushrooms on Ciabatta. Highly recommended! No wonder I always return!

Popped in one morning for a coffee and scone. Coffee was perfectly strong & hot. Cheese scone was crusty on the outside and warm and fluffy inside. Very tasty with the addition of onion and rocket. Served with 2 portions of butter which is generous in these times. Lovely relaxed ambience, friendly staff. A unique & popular eatery in Howick. Keen to return for lunch or for one of their special dinner nights.

Wifey booked online through Google, all worked well. So happened to be here on the same day Howick was hosting a Hot Rod show in the main street (which was closed to traffic) so was quite busy. Food was great and despite being busy came out in good time. Wife and I had burgers while friend had a big breakfast. Toilets on premises and were nice and clean. Hand dryer was a bit weak but otherwise bathroom had soap, was clean and a good size.

Overall rating 88/100 A fantastic dining experience at this unique cafe in the heart of Howick. Unexpectedly, a simple order of toast with eggs delivered a world class menu item, and the standout was surely the jalapeño relish. I am not local to NZ and have tried to recreate it as best as I can but have failed. This stuff is extremely tasty and I will revisit for sure when back in NZ. Coffee quality is also top notch, the best I had in my 3 day stay in AKL.

I don't like to look for criticism for the sake of it but when you find a place that gets so much right the tendency is to look for cracks. With Apothecary I simply dont see any. We went for breakfast this morning and I had the Big Breakfast. It arrived stupidly fast, piping hot and beautifully presented. The scrambled eggs are done American style and they were creamy and the perfect silky texture. The sausage is that rarity these days- a real, butcher styled sausage and utterly delicious. The bacon is equally impressive- thick cut and incredible. Add in sourdough toast, sweet red tomatoes, a crispy rosti, simple but perfect mushrooms and a very tasty relish this is easily one of the best breakfasts I've tried. No surprises that the coffee is also great. Best of all though- the service is amazing- friendly and attentive without being remotely intrusive. Five stars all the way and totally worth the 40 minute drive from where I live.

Went to the Apothecary today for Brunch after a 10km race out that way, with five others. The food, as usual was great, the service was atrocious! Yes, they were busy but they had 5 or 6 waiting staff which should have been sufficient. Firstly, we waited about 20 minutes and then went and got our own water and glasses.....that wasn't so bad, however things deteriorated when the food arrived. Two of our group received their meals first and they felt obliged to wait for the rest to receive ours before starting, however the next three meals arrived a good 10 or 15 minutes later. The first two meals arrived with cutlery, not so for the next lot and after trying unsuccessfully to flag down a waiter, I went and got them myself. A waitress came over while I was there and I said "I am taking these to our table as we have received our meals but no cutlery" she responded with "that's fine". Wrong answer love! When I got back to the table I noticed that one of our group still hadn't received her meal, which was strange as 5 of the 6 of us had ordered the same dish (full breakfast) and hers was one of the 5. I asked another waitress to check that there was still a dish to come from the kitchen and she confirmed that it was being plated however it was another good 5 minutes after that before it was brought over. After we had finished our mains some of our group went back up to the counter to buy some sweet dishes to finish off our meal. A waitress came over and started clearing away - there was a wine glass in front of an empty chair that still had wine in it, which she cleared on to her tray - we had to ask her to please put it back as the person hadn't finished drinking it yet. Although the service resembled a "comedy of errors" the food was lovely and we would definitely eat there again. I am posting this in the hopes that some staff training might be able to take place in the meantime.

This is the best cafe on the street of Howick. There is a reason it is always busy. Father Ted is running a fine operation with great coffee, service and food. The staff are very warm and it is a great place to be on a Saturday or Sunday morning for your weekend brunch/coffee. Likewise, there have been many afternoons where plans have been made to pop in for a beer but I tend to find myself there until late in the night tucking into either the famous battered fish, huge pizzas or beef burgers. The antique atmosphere and bright lights make you feel as if you are in the comfort of your own living room. Always a welcoming place to be in.

Great atmosphere, super friendly staff..... This place serves up the best fries around!!! Service was Gd and all the food was scrummy. Thanks Apothecary for a great night

Planning a surprise birthday for 20 guests is no party in the park but working with Ted and his team definitely made last night a party to remember. The staff on duty went above and beyond to ensure all our guests were taken care of and the food was lovely and beautifully presented. I would whole heartedly recommend spending your special occasions here for sure.

We ordered the dips and breads and asked for gluten free bread. We were charged $8 for the gluten free toast!!!!!! So a wine, beer and dips cost us $35!! A man next to us was ignored so got up and left. Really disappointing - won’t be coming back sorry!

An excellent menu and service. A real gem of a place. I come to the cafe quite often for the early bird brekkie deal. Recommended.

Great Atmosphere, Great Service and fantastic. Its rustic with modern additions, I highly recommend this to people who want to have a amazing coffee, awesome meal and fantastic service !!!

Ribs are to die for! Such a huge serving and great service and staff so happy

Offers a great range of food from breakfast through to dinner. If you live out east or visiting Howick it’s well worth a visit.

Absolute dog shit bo. Would not recommend to any human living on this earth. Or animal.

No better way to start (or end) your day than a coffee or meal from The Apothecary. Outstanding atmosphere and service provided by Ted and his team. Great community feel!

I mean this review as an intent to improve. Maybe it was the time of the day we visited as there are many good reviews on tripadvisor however service was not the best in terms of how understaffed it was. It took a while before some one sat us, which yes the cafe was busy but they had the bar section that was left unattended. We sat for 10 mins before we ordered up at the counter as no one came over and then we were told it was a 20min wait on coffee, baring in mind the lunch rush was dying off and it definitely was not the busiest i have seen a cafe. We only ordered 1coffee, a glass of wine and a brownie. Food ordered by people after us got their food and not their drinks....we however were still waiting. 45mins to be precise. The coffee came, the rest didn't much to our surprise, we then had to ask where it was. The staff were running around like headless chooks so you have to give them credit but something else was clearly going amiss out the back. Ive never waited 45mins for drinks ever. Not too sure we will be returning which is a shame.

I was a regular for breakfast past few months usually on a Monday it seems the chef has changed or something is different... eggs bene no where near as good. Hollandaise was perfect its not now

Had a lovely lunch, food and drinks were great. Amazing atmosphere and our waitress amazing!

Great morning at the apothecary today! The duty manager went above and beyond to get the sky tv working so our French friend could watch the rugby. Great service and good breakfast foods! Definitely will be back. Thank you! ��

Had a private function at The Apothecary today and we couldn't be happier with our choice of venue. Nothing was a problem and the staff were fantastic. We would highly recommend this venue if anyone is looking around for a place to celebrate your special event. Thank you to the team at The Apothecary, we will seen you again soon.

Great food and service. We both had the apothecary breakfast which is delicious. Lovely that they use free range sausages, eggs and bacon. I would have happily given a 5 star but where we sat was freezing. A draft blasts up through the back entrance and 3 lots of people sitting next to us asked to move. One man was told they couldnt shut the door. Think it needs to be addressed especially with winter coming.

Richie and I had our engagement party here last night. Ted and the staff were amazing! We could not of asked for better service and ease. Food was incredible (as always) music system fantastic, and just simply an incredible night. Perfect place. Thank you x

Coffee was way too strong for me and my friends. Tables weren't clean and sticky.

First impressions were great, interesting decor, staff seemed friendly but it ended there. Coffee arrived barely warm and sweet??? Found ourselves waiting a long time despite the cafe not being particularly busy (Manager wasn’t particularly apologetic about the long wait). Food was disappointing and lacked flavour for the price they are charging. Won’t be in a rush to go back

Came around 9am on Saturday, a good amount of people were already seated. <br/>Ordered the crepes and big breakfast. Service was a bit brisk but polite.<br/>Crepes were nice, but not the most substantial. Big breakfast was tasty as well, the highlight being the bratwurst sausage.

• Forgot to take a photo however have just arrived home after a lovely lunch here. First time visiting and definitely not the last. Ordered the Smoked Chicken Caesar Salad, as well as the Prime Cheeseburger GF. Both very tasty and really good portions. Wanting to try the breakfast menu next. <br/><br/>• The ambience is really cool too. The taxidermy art, layout of the bar and different decor is all very different yet unique. <br/><br/>• Shout out to the person who served my partner and I. Came back several times to inform my hangry self about the food in which contained gluten - noticed your patience. <br/><br/>Overall, really enjoyed my experience here.

I've been here on four different occasions. I think the food is quite good but one thing I don't like is that service is incredibly slow and sometimes the waiting staff are not attentive at all. We have walked out of this restaurant before because we were not served after 25 minutes of waiting. I don't recommend going to this place if you're starving. I've tried their "freak shakes" and it was such an overpriced disappointment. I was expecting a more sophisticated dessert but what came out was different to what was pictured all around the restuarant. My milkshake had nerd ropes and a rainbow lollipop in it, which was weird... I left the lollipop..

Such a cute cafe place. Perfect for a meal with your friends! Food was good and came fast 💨 but our drinks (ordered coffees) took 15 mins to come. Worth it though because the coffee tasted so good!

I ordered the smoked salmon bagel and a flat white when I came here with friends. The food was lovely but I was disappointed with how unclean the dishes they served on were. I'm not sure if this is just a one-off thing but my coffee cup and saucer as well as edges of my bagel plate were dirty. Not impressed, though the staff were friendly and helped us put the umbrella up for some shade. <br/><br/>Food - 4/5<br/>Ambience - 3/5<br/>Service - 3/5

This is a fav place for brunch/lunch and go quite often. Awesome coffee & food and day time service is great. Went for dinner tonight, took over 15 minutes for our drinks order to be taken, food is great, but no offer if a drinks refill and no offer of the dessert menu. No obvious matre’ d running the floor. Just a bit disappointing

The pasta of the day was amazing!! It was packed with bacon and mushroom. We got our food pretty fast but it wasn't too busy so I guess you'd hope that would be the case! Sometimes it takes a while to be noticed by staff but other than that I always enjoy coming here for a meal.

It looks like a normal restaurant from the outside but the inside is a whole different story. The first thing I notice after entering was the giant moose head on the wall. After sitting down you notice that little cupboard all contain interesting items reminiscent of an old-style pharmacy.<br/>The menu is a bit different from standard cafes, with a slight Asian twist to some items. They also have the super shakes available as well, the menu on a blackboard on the wall. The food is alright. Portions are decent. I didn't particularly like the flavour of the pork belly as it was a bit to bitter. The school prawns were good. The chocolate super shake was also really good, although they added so much candy toppings that it lasted a few days after.<br/>It did get hard to get the attention of the servers though after ordering.

I went to Apothecary this morning for breakfast. I had two bad experiences there but the owner told me he has new chefs, so I had to try it again. Well, my chai latte was lukewarm and not sweet and my breakfast was underwhelming and lukewarm. I have learned my lesson now and will never go back there. I hate spending money on something I did not enjoy.

Good food, albeit the service let us down when we visited for lunch on Sunday. Caucasian women with blonde/black streaks in a white/black lined shirt was too busy dancing to the music and had to repeat myself due to her being distracted. Otherwise, good food, atmosphere and service from others. Shame how service can taint your whole experience.

The Apothecary is a fabulous spot for brunch with a great selection to complement those with a sweet tooth or to find a savoury meal. The meals are fairly priced with vibrant looking dishes. The food was delivered within a reasonable time and the staff are friendly and great to chat with. Would definitely recommend to check this place out for brunch when you catch yourself in the Howick area.

Went here for lunch today and had an 'okay' experience. Customer service was excellent but the food and coffee took too long to get served even though it wasnt really that busy. We ordered pasta of the day which was supposed to be chicken and bacon carbonara but we only saw 1 tiny piece of bacon in the dish and pasta could use more salt. The 2nd dish was their open steak sandwich and i found a bit too hard to eat and was a bit bland.

This is one of my go-to places for a cute brunch date or a coffee with a friend. The Apothecary serves top notch coffee and have great pastries and bites to complement it. My favourite is their almond croissant! The place has a vintage yet lively touch to it and the staff are all friendly! The food is reasonably priced, but if I were to be picky I’d say I expected the serving size to be slightly larger. Would definitely recommend!

Have been here three times in recent months, two of which great visits with amazing food and service. Other time not so much, order was incorrect and was overcharged, ciabatta was stale and hashbrowns missing. Was in a rush so unfortunately couldn’t mention the issues to the manager, however I am sure he would’ve been helpful as he has been other times.

Do you like cold coffee, rude managers and flavourless food? Then this is the place for you! <br/>Coffee arrived barely warm, the manager was incredibly rude when taking our order, which then arrived incorrect and flavourless. <br/>The female server however was lovely, over worked, and trying her best!

Thought I would give this place a try myself as I have heard mixed things about this place. First impression was great, interesting decor and smily staff, but ended there. My order was taken quickly but took a long time to arrive. Had the smashed Avo as description sounded yum, sorry but the dish was not great overall - didn't live up to description at all. Had a table next to me and heard they were not happy with their breakfasts either.. so perhaps a bad day? Not sure, will visit again but hope it's not underwhelming again

A bit disappointed today - we are a regular here but they have recently changed the menu and charged the same: not turkish bread just regular toast, no more charizo in hash brown, cheaper tasting sausage and the bacon wasn't crispy. Just not the same anymore

Went there for mother's day on Sunday, four of us including a 5 months old baby, ordered food and drinks, coffee came promptly however food took about an hour, and when we asked where our food was, waiter said there was a disaster in the kitchen and we're second in line, food came it was delicious I had the fish taco and my mum had the salad. However husband ordered the chicken burger but he got the beef burger, told the waiter she was very apologetic but nothing else, no offer to deduct it from the menu or anything, how can you get the order mixed up like that? Also if you're after gluten free meals on the lunch menu then there aren't many options for you...

If you are a coffee aficionado then a trip to the Apothecary is a must! After sampling coffee from all over Auckland, this place is definitely one of my favourites. Their menu & cabinet food is always fresh and delicious & the ambience is great with plenty of space between tables. Love the wine selection too. I will happily become a regular at this establishment!

Lovely place, great coffee, great food, great staff. Definitely one to return to when in Howick. May not look entirely “family” but it certainly caters very well for kids, loved that they have both sparkling or still water free, self service!

The ambience was actually nice. But the staff wasn't that friendly, like they didn't really like working there but no choice. The food - Portobello Mushroom- I chose wasn't bad, enough portion for breaky and my small tummy. Chai latte was fine too. I tasted smoked salmon from my friend's, Thanks Lord I didn't order that, not that nice smoked salmon. I am a salmon lover. I loved having company of my girlfriends. I don't think I will take my family there anytime soon tho.<br/>

Service was friendly but found ourselves waiting a long time for two sharing plates during a quiet period. Food was disappointing and lacked flavour. Nice coffee. Won't be in a rush to go back.

I had been wanting to try this cafe for a very long time now, unfortunately I was quite let down. <br/><br/>The waiter we had was very attentive and asked is a few times if we were ready to order - not in a pushy way at all! However, my friend and I were really struggling to find anything on the breakfast menu that we'd enjoy. So, disappointedly, we did not order any food. I had a white coffee which had to have been one of the worst Ive had. <br/><br/>Next time, id come in for lunch as it has more variety.

We ordered Apothecary breakfast and the multi-layered sandwiches. Quite a big portion and very good food quality. I like the hash brown most, very unique that you cant find it anywhere. We did enjoy the atmosphere there and the nice service by a french girl. Just cant get it why so many complaints for the service before. Would defintely visit again and try the coffee.

Great place and atmosphere! Would recommend for a Saturday or Sunday morning brunch :) the food was fresh and came out in a good amount of time.

Came across this eatery after a workout in howick, hungry and ready to smash some eggs down 👅💪🏻🐣. The menu was relatively standard with the usual fixtures, which isn't a bad thing! They have specials on the daily and a wide range of cocktails if that your preferred brunch beverage 🙈. I found the service average, the usual pleasantries were provided with a polite manner but that was about it 🤔. The food is decent, well cooked and nicely presented. Overall I would recommend this place for small families or casual couples!

I've always walked pass The Apothecary but this was my first time grabbing something from the place. A friend and I came for a coffee and both ordered a matcha latte. <br/><br/>The latte was more on the W/chill side which was disappointing for the cold day. The latte had a nice taste and wasn't overly sweet (powder based instead of artificial syrup). But the milk was quite thin and lacked body. <br/><br/>The decor is great and the food selection is diverse. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back but it's a decent place to have a meet-up.

Overall experience is good.<br/><br/>The night was hit and miss but hey...its just one of those days.<br/><br/>We came in n its relatively busy n not sure where to seat as we did not make any reservation. So my friend approach one of the staff n she manage to clear the table that we like to seat.<br/><br/>The staff is very friendly n that is awsome though they got our drinks wrong and forget one of the calamari dishes that we ordered 🙈<br/><br/>They make it up for the delicious mushoom rissoto balls and pizza that we ordered! Dishes are great for sharing and quiet fulling. Everything that came out is good to eat.<br/><br/>Love the ambience and set up of this place..feels really cozy.<br/><br/>If you come in with great company...you will leave this place smiling.

Excellent service, very attentive to our needs. Was a busy night with the bar booked out for a private function but still under pressure the food was amazing as always. Nice ambience great to see a busy restaurant

I had beef cheeks and it was perfectly cooked<br/>Finally a good chef cooking there. <br/>Let's support him and apothecary. <br/>The place is great, and has a good atmosphere.<br/>The a la carte is quite small not many dishes to choose from but what I had was really good.<br/>Recommended to anyone.

Great place for a nice ambience, staff very friendly & coffee is superb. Apothecary has everything, Wine bar & restaurant. Both of which can be hired out for weddings or functions. They have recently changed the menu, couldn't fault the food. And my kids loved the smoothies in the perfect sized jars for little hands. I will return!

Hadn't been for some time. Very surprised to find it packed out on Friday morning. Every appearance of continued popularity with the punters. We always enjoy the bric-a-brac throughout. Stands out around the preccinct with its special character. Good service.

I'm really glad to see so many other negative reviews- just for the fact that I'm glad it wasn't JUST me that have had multiple bad experiences here. Especially from a place that has a high overall rating. Though it is definitely a shame as I used to really like going here. They always seemed busy, but I think perhaps this has just started to translate into arrogance...?<br/><br/>I used to come here regularly, being a local, but on the couple of occasions I have come back to it over the past couple of months, I have been so disappointed and its really changed my opinion of the place.<br/><br/>There is one girl here, (I even think she might be the manager) is so rude its actually unbelievable, I felt like I was a schoolgirl getting attitude from a bully! Its as though she was doing me a favour having me to eat in her cafe. The service here has never been phenomenal, but this was a whole new level. It was the same on each occasion I have been back of the past couple of months. <br/><br/>And the avocado on toast is literally a joke.

Super dissapointed with this cafe. I don't quite understand why there's a decent amount of customers here. We walked in and no one greeted us so we just sat down and waited. 5-10 mins later still no one, the staff were just walking past us with no acknowledgement. We then had to wave down a waitress to get menus otherwise I'm pretty sure we could have been sitting here forever with no acknowledgment at all. Ordered the paleo breakfast which was smoked salmon, guacamole and poached eggs. When this came out the "guacamole" was a few pieces of sliced avo hahaha. My partner ordered the avo on toast and literally got it. A toasted piece of bread with half an avocado on it with a couple of halved tomatoes...... honestly what a joke. This food does not reflect the price at all. Also got the French toast, very average. Will not be coming back :(

I rather suck d*** then sit through this customer service again<br/>Ordered avo on toast and l got what I asked for literally like there's a avocado on my toast.<br/><br/>I don't know why they keep removing the pic of the avocado on toast since that's how they gave it to me

Average service and overpriced food. Bread served with bacon and eggs was of low quality and the staff were quite rude and did not apologise for making mistakes.

Average food with the only good thing being the decor. The attitude of the staff there was substandard. For the price of the food you can get better service elsewhere.<br/>

Disappointing, service slow, food not that good and all in all just disappointing. Didn't seem to care much for our wants and needs which is horrible customer service.

Popped in here for a after work drink for first time. Staff little young and u knowledgeable about wine on offer on menu. Requested a water with 2nd order, totally forgotten. Service was a shocker. Otherwise atmosphere was nice .

Good atmosphere, food is below average and unfortunately table service and staff let them down terribly. No one came to take our orders and had to ask someone to come. Lady who served looked confused with the order, order came out wrong and without eggs, then another lady came and said we didn't ask for eggs but will bring them out, eggs took so long to come out that our plates had already been cleared so got told the eggs would come off the bill. Then went up and paid and later looked and saw we got charged for two sets of eggs. What??

For a place that looked busy, I was quite disappointed. On arrival, had to queue for around 6 minutes just to order a coffee so decided to order breakfast while I was here. <br/>Given a number and found a booth seat near the window.<br/>Got my flat white after 15 minutes, it was OK, a little cold and wonder if they do a standard double shot? Was quite milky and weak. <br/>Food came out after a short wait and was good. <br/>What disappointed me here was the service. Of the 5 staff I could see, they all seemed to mill around the counter and chat. Not really any focus on the floor or their customers. Wanted another coffee, Tried to get someone's attention to no avail and didn't want to queue again. Just needs a bit of leadership and management to whip the team into gear. <br/>A shame as quite a big space and thought table service would be a thing.

I don't like to make a knee jerk reaction and provide a bad review on the first instance. I have given the Apothecary 3 chances. Each time I have been greeted with the same terrible service. <br/>The staff are more interested in their own gossip than serving customers. This time The coffee came out cold. Tables are dirty and not cleared of dirty dishes despite there being staff gossiping between each other. Poor service appears to be a common theme between other reviews.

The Apothecary is a cafe in Howick Village which is incredibly popular with the locals. I have visited on multiple occasions and love the antiques. The decor is very unique compared to other cafes I’ve been to and is definitely worth checking out. We don’t have many cafes out in East Auckland so this place is quite refreshing.

My best friend took me here for my birthday last year as a treat! The girl serving us was friendly and we ended up having a nice conversation with her. I ordered seafood - calamari, it was nicely presented on the plate but disappointingly a very tiny portion for a main meal on their menu. Our drinks were great though! The ambience was alright...it was very quiet for a Saturday afternoon, and there was only two other families. I loved the decorations, it really did give a rusty apothecary feel to it.

We had our 50th here at The Cellar Bar which is part of The Apothecary and it was great. Good staff, excellent food and great vibey venue. Everyone was raving about the ham on the bone and delicious canapes. The staff made it hassle and stress free.

I've popped into the Apothecary twice for breakfast and a lunch. The ambiance is wonderful and the food is delicious! The Eggs Benedict was cooked to perfection and the Buttermilk Pancakes are a dream. Coffee is also fantastic and they have the best Iced Coffee around!<br/><br/>My only real criticism would be the service (and the only reason I wouldn't give the place a 5/5): it can very slow at times and the waiters customer interaction is very standard and sometimes even unfriendly. I'd also enjoy the experience more if the waiters could take orders at the tables rather than having to go up to the counter. <br/><br/>The place is also very pricey and I'd only go every so often for a treat, but I think the food is delicious and worth the treat if you can make the trip :)

A delightfully fresh Victorian-esque cafe is unfortunately tainted with grossly inept management and service.      <br/><br/>Brilliantly located in the heart of geriatric Howick is The Apothecary. An antique shop throughout the 2000's, The Apothecary is a beautiful, vast venue that pays homage to it's ancestry with a smattering of old medicine bottles, 20th Century spectacles and other antique knick-knacks surreptitiously distributed around the cafe. <br/><br/>The menu is clean, fresh and the food beautifully presented. The avocado is moussed, the ciabatta crispy and my appetite sedated.<br/><br/>However,  The Apothecary's service is severely disappointing, closely resembling the chaos of a New Delhi market rather than the slick European bistro they aspire to be. <br/><br/>With no table service, no Maître D or visible management, and a complete absence of any organisation or process, The Apothecary fails majorly. A merry-go-round of confused looking waitresses holding cooling coffees and beautifully prepared meals trudging up and down the venue looking for "number 58" is terrible to watch and even worse to be a part of. <br/><br/>To top it off, one point of sale machine and terminally slow staff make this an awfully frustrating experience all round. Wireless Eftpos machines are cheap and efficient, and table service is a must for a high end cafe. Note the photo of the 12 person queue. <br/><br/>Overall disappointingly average. 3 Stars.

Just had the best cheese scone here this morning, so light and fluffy.   Whenever I've ordered food here over the last few months it's been super delicious.  Ambience is always great and the staff are lovely.  One of my favourite places in Howick.  Plus it's a fabulous venue for events - loooove the the comedy nights!!

I've been going to the Apothecary for a few years now and seen a few chef changes and staff changes for the girls at the front but all in all not many changes at all. The service has never been better than now backing up the great consistent work of the kitchen. The Apothecary is the perfect start to my day and consistently pumps. Great work.

Came here for Saturday brunch... had to go to the counter and order which I hate! I feel like a cafe like this should take orders especially since they had 5 different waiters. I ordered eggs benedict with bacon and a mocha. Mocha took forever to arrive and wasn't great. The food was delicious and looked great too! The decor is very nice but I have to say the staff were alittle useless and unfriendly. They did give us free toast for the little one which was a nice gesture. Great place and location but a number of missing points here.

This cafe use to be my 'go to' but sadly not so much anymore, I think the chef's have changed because it is not as good as it use to be. I ordered poached eggs on toast with a side of 'bubble and squeak' the bubble and squeak was disgusting and was served with sprouts all over it and luke warm, so disappointing as it is quite pricey. The front of house staff also let this cafe down they just give the impression they dont care. Such a shame as it use to be so good.

Amazingly average breakfast experience and that's being kind. <br/>After a great experience previously we couldn't wait to remedy a slight hangover but $60 later not happy at all.<br/>The staff were more interested chatting and joking with each other than actually providing customer service beyond ....what size coffee do you want...not a smile or any engagement.<br/>The breakfast was beautifully presented after 20 minutes but over cooked poached eggs the bacon was dry after being sat on the grill (I could see a mound sat on the hotplate when ordering) sausage ok but the hash was some weird mix of peas leek kumera potato plopped on a plate with mushrooms and heated tomatoes. <br/>Obviously the chef felt drizzling a pesto over EVERYTHING was gastronomic pizzazz. It wasn't.

This cafe has great decor. I ordered the eggs Benedict which came with very little salmon and a smoothie which was made with ice-cream both were nice but really overpriced for what you got. While we were mid way through our meal the waitress removed the salt and pepper from our table which I found strange. Overall if you want to go to a hipster cafe with and pay for an overpriced meal that is nothing special this place is for you.

I went to this cafe last week with my family. This cafe got nice look and awesome interior. They are very busy but we got table to have . We order big breakfast and few things from menu. Prices were quiet high as compare to portion and quality of food. We thought they do table service but unfortunately not. You have to grab water for you. Food looks nice but prices too high also portion is very small. It surprise me how people pay this much and get nothing in plate . If they got this ration it's only BecAue of way cafe looks otherwise service is very poor. Staff don't even look after you and they throw the food on your table and just run away. This is the worst service I ever had. Will never make special visit here.👎👎👎👎👎

This is possibly one of the most beautiful and iconic cafes in Howick. However, upon both of our visits, we were greatly disappointed, as the food quality definitely does not match the high price.<br/><br/>The interior is dimly lit and has a romantic ambiance, definitely brings back memories of visiting this antique shop as a kid with my mom. Being a weekend morning the cafe was super busy and noisy, with hardly any seats left.<br/><br/>The cabinet selection is not extensive at all, with mostly sweets, which pretty much forces one to order from the menu. <br/><br/>Service was slow. I had the sautéed mushroom with feta cheese on bread. The mushrooms were literally just cooked, not creamy or flavoured in any way. The feta cheese was also just this pitiful teaspoon size. The multigrain toast was good, however, had this nice texture and crunch to it.<br/><br/>Mom and my sister both had egg benedicts. The Hollandaise sauce was nice, I think they added more vinegarette which made it more on the sour side, which I personally prefer. The egg was quite runny, and again, the mushrooms were bland. The salmon size was also ridiculously small considering how much they were charging for it.<br/><br/>The French toast was made from banana bread. While quite an interesting idea, the maple syrup made it extremely sweet. Would be better if they simply used brioche breads. The mascarpone cheese did provide some relief.<br/><br/>The tastiest food items were definitely the almond croissant and the chocolate Danish, which I highly doubt were made in the premises. They would also be much better served warm.<br/><br/>The hazelnut smoothie was thick and creamy, with a good hazelnut hit. However after a while it became a bit too sweet, almost like drinking pure syrup. I would recommend pairing it with a savory dish, or a bitter dark chocolate dessert.<br/><br/>The coffee was exceptionally good, they also do lovely latte arts. Will probably not be motivated to visit again unless my friends really want to, and will just be having an afternoon tea or a piece of dessert with flat white. Quite a shame since this place just has so much character and potential!

Went here for breakfast for the first time today with my partner. Very nice ambience, rustic looking but in a really cool way. <br/>Not very welcoming from staff however and not too helpful with menu. Good location of water station and quite classy.<br/>My partner had the big grill and English breakfast tea. <br/>Presented really well but the bacon had very little flavour however he did enjoy the sausage nice and smokey. Mushrooms and tomatoes were great and the bubble and squeak is a nice point of difference.<br/>I had the Vege Big grill and I did enjoy it but the poached eggs were overdone but spinach,mushrooms and cherry tomatoes were great and yeah great to have bubble squeak for a change.Flat white had great flavour and some nice coffee art.<br/>We won't be making a special trip here again as we did today but the ambience is definitely a 4/5 , a little on the pricey side and parking is good if you get there before 9am. 😒

Attended a 21st here recently, awesome venue. Had the place to ourselves and the decor and atmosphere made for a refreshing and enjoyable experience. Service was good and The fact that they have New Zealand craft beers on Tap for an affordable price is fantastic! Will be in for brunch sometime soon!

We came here for breakfast with friends after many recommendations, the atmosphere is nice and the food is tasty, and nicely presented, however the staff is rude, arrogant and the worst service I've seen in NZ or anywhere.<br/><br/>We were six in total including 2 children, the food arrive after 40 mins wait and at different times, almost 20 mins apart between our children's food and ours, so basically we couldn't eat together, and check this, the children food arrive after the initial wait of 40 mins, so the kids waited an hour.<br/><br/>They ordered "pancakes" from the kids menu however there was only ONE small pancake, my 8 yr old daughter asked the waitress the menu says pancakes and there is only one, where are the others?<br/><br/>She ignored her so I ask her and she said was a mistake on the menu and that's it!<br/><br/>Never go to this place apart from getting a coffee to go, they have horrible service and all dishes are grossly overpriced

I enjoy the atmosphere here, been here a few times and the food tastes great and prices are ok, had the big breakfast but was smaller than I'm use to quality food. Would recommend for a good brunch

Love the Apothecary. Love the food, great portions, speedy service. Friendly and smart waiting staff too. The vintage vibes are neat too, the place is well decorated with several antique pieces, which we appreciate.

I was very eager to eat at this place, because the place seemed to be so popular. I went with my family for a weekend breakfast and ordered buttermilk pancakes, eggs on toast, and eggs white omelette. The pancakes were delicious and so was the eggs. Seeing so less options for vegans on their breakfast menu irked me a bit. The decor and the vibes were at this place was superb. The presentation of the food was purrfect. Would have given more stars, but so less options for vegans bugged me. But overall it was a nice pleasurable experience. :)

The place has a very welcoming feeling and this is how the staff made me feel when I arrived. The Peroni battered snapper was generous but fairly tasteless and the batter was a little too thick. The chips were oustanding. Did find the music a little loud but the song selection was very good. Would like to come back and try a breakfast as they looked like they could be excellent.

We came for brunch and ordered an eggs benedict and poached eggs on ciabatta. Both dishes looked good with a generous garnishing of rocket, though the hollandaise sauce disappeared from the eggs soaking into the bread almost straight away. The latte and hot chocolate were also good. The service was prompt and we didn't feel rushed at all. <br/>The cafe itself is welcoming with lots of seating and an interesting decor that includes some apothecary items and a vintage counter. The original owner outfitted the place from his antiques store which is still next door, and the cafe was full of bric-a-brac. Since then the place has been decluttered and slightly remodelled with a white tiled feature wall and extra seating.

We went one morning for brunch after driving by a few times and it always looking pretty busy. We were seated in the corner next to the window which is very bunched in and quite claustrophobic. The service was average, staff weren't very friendly and always seemed to be too eager to get away when ordering or requesting something. The food was ok, crazily salty though - the potatoes had a lot of salt in to start then a fair sprinkle of sea salt over the top was too much. The place's biggest downfall however was the cleanliness - you couldn't even see out of the windows, the floor looked like it had never been mopped and just a lot of little things suggest it isn't getting cleaned very well or very often. Don't think I'll be heading back anytime soon as there are a lot of good breakfast/brunch establishments in Howick.

Awesome breakfasts, who can go past mince on toast! The coffee at the Apothecary is excellent, they also do a nice selection for lunch. One of my favourite spots for breakfast meetings.

When we arrived, the kitchen was closed (fair enough as it was already 3pm). So we had a selection from their cabinet to share. I only took a photo of their glutenfree plum and orange cake. But we also shared the almond croissant and the lemon tart as well. The cakes were good, the plum and orange cake was my favourite. Coffees were good as well and we all had a different animal coffee art each!

Huge thanks to Ted and all his staff for a fantastic night on Saturday for our 21st party. Venue was perfect and food was excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed by all who were there.

My friend and I came here for dinner, we were pretty hungry and ordered a main each and another to share. Lucky we did so because the portions were rather small even after it all we were still left hungry. <br/><br/>The food was very tasty though, my favorite would have been the shrimp dish- well cooked with great flavors! <br/><br/>A nice little eating spot though with a great vibe but not if you're after a decent sized meal.

Went here for brunch on a Sunday morning.<br/>Was super busy. Went up to order, were told the milkshake/smoothie machine is broken - disappointing because I really wanted one! <br/>Had to wait maybe 20mins for food.<br/>My friend ordered eggs Benedict and was pretty happy because she didn't want runny eggs and that's what she got.<br/>I ordered the buttermilk pancakes - were good MINUS THE BURNT EDGES.

Been here a couple of times now for breakfast when we're not in the city, it's one of the few cafes in the Main Street of Howick with a bit of atmosphere - they've got a nice little theme going.<br/><br/>There is no table service but the food and drink are on your table pronto. <br/><br/>The food is not a huge pull, but I'd recommend it if you were limited to the Howick area. I generally get the Granola or the French toast which are both pretty decent in size and are enjoyable without blowing me away. <br/><br/>

I often go here for coffee as they make quite good coffee but I am constantly disappointed with the service which really brings down the experience. The staff are unfriendly and quite rude. <br/>I had the lamb sliders which were really disappointing as they did not have much flavour.

I would like to thank The Apothecary for an amazing evening celebrating my birthday. The staff were charming and the meal was amazing- our party would highly recommend the Short Ribs, melt in the mouth and made for a big appetite!! Loved the new menu.

Good little character cafe out this way - as there are not a lot of cafes out East, but amongst it all, this place isn't too shabby at all. The food is up to standard and the setting is pretty cool. The coffee is not really my cuppa though - it just always seem too bitter and borderline burnt at times. Come for lunch (from 12pm) and try the Peroni battered fish n chips - its pretty good.

Enjoyed a very lovely breakfast here on Tuesday morning. We had the french toast which was beautifully presented and my friend had the mushrooms which she said was yummy. The coffee was great. Took time to thank the lovely young lady chef and her partner who both seemed very young but so in control, will be back for sure. Great cafe.

Went into the Apothcary for a drink tonight (7:30pm) after eating elsewhere in Howick. The waitress attended to us and took our wine order after about five minutes which was okay but considering the restaurant was practically empty could have been much better.  We waited a further ten minutes (at least!) for two glasses of wine to be delivered to our table but nothing arrived.  We walked out.  Absolutely appauling  service.

Have been here once or twice before a few years ago but decided to meet friends for lunch & try it again. <br/>It has a nice fit out which makes the space more interesting - lots of things on the walls such as a collection of wooden skis. There are long tables, high tables & an outdoor seating area too. <br/>When you first walk in, it seems as if it is table service, but no you order at the counter. Service is pretty average - definitely no friendliness unfortunately. <br/>Relatively busy & does get busier on weekends as there are not many options up that end of Howick.<br/>We grabbed a table & looked through the menu. A good range for breakfast & light lunches. They also have some cabinet food too. <br/>We ordered 3 glasses of Sav which were nice. Previously tried their coffee which is ok.<br/>Had heard good things about the French toast & vegetarian breakfast but decided to order from the lunch menu.<br/>We had 2 steak sandwiches & one of the pork sliders. It took quite a while longer for the pork sliders to come out.<br/>The fries on both dishes were yummy - perfectly cooked, fluffy on the inside & crispy on the outside. Possibly lightly beer battered? They come with tomato sauce & aioli.<br/>The steak sandwich was less successful. Very light on filling - 2 small portobello mushrooms (almost button mushroom size), 2 small slices of tomato & a small amount of rocket. It didn't need to be a massive serving, but if mushrooms are highlighted on the menu, I'd expect sufficient to cover the burger bun. The steak had a yummy flavour & was well cooked - unfortunately it had a massive piece of fat going through the middle which is quite unpleasant when you are biting into a burger! Would have been nicer if this had been cut out (as I needed to do) even if it meant 2 smaller pieces of steak in the burger.<br/>The sliders were OK - nicely seasoned patties with onion jam.<br/>This could be an awesome spot with a little more attention to detail in some areas.

Came here for lunch on Saturday, the place was quite packed which shows a good sign that this place is popular! Service could of been better, when entering didn't feel welcomed but the food and atmosphere made up for that. The food and drinks came reasonably quick since the restaurant was quite packed. Overall it was a good Saturday brunch! For drinks we got ice coffee and the feijoa and apple smoothie. For food we got the seafood chowder and the buttermilk pancakes! I loved my smoothie it was so fresh I loved it and the chowder was super good too! Good portion for the price

I remembered this place do really good pancakes so we decided to come back and try something else. My bf ordered a big breakfast, and I got a steak sandwich. i also got a coffee, that was super yummy and he got a mango smoothie it was yummy too! Its good that they do it lactose free. <br/>We also ordered a popcorn shrimp on the side to try because we never had something like that before. <br/>The food was good. Their pop corn shrimp was amazing but a little salty. The steak was cooked perfectly and the chips came with the steak was perfect, crispy and flavorful. The hash brown in the big breakfast was not too salty which is good and it came with heaps of bacon! <br/>

Howick isn't usually somewhere I'd head out to for a bite but it was definitely worth the trip to The Apothecary today! Located on the main street there is plenty of parking nearby. The restaurant is a great size and has heaps of neat props to give it a quirky vibe - rustic draws, wooden skies, sleighs and all shapes of bottles. It's obvious a lot of time and effort was put into the decor. It was cozy and relaxed during our brunch visit, there was a decent queue when we arrived and most tables were full.<br/><br/>We ordered the Creamy mushrooms ($18) and the Brioche French toast ($16). Both dishes were well presented and a good size. I enjoyed the the creamy sauce with the thick portobello mushrooms, and the contrast of the pesto sauce. My friend enjoyed the French brioche which looked delicious on the plate.<br/><br/>Would recommend this place to anyone that lives nearby or if you don't mind going for a drive.

Possibly the best French toast I've ever had! It's nearly always crowded and tables are full etc but the decor is awesome and just love the bustling vibe here. Coffees were also very good.

One of the best looking cafe I have been so far.<br/><br/>Beautiful and elite ambience.... very rustic and english<br/><br/>Customer service is great too... staff were friendly and accommodating<br/><br/>And omg food was simply beautiful.... best breakfast and coffee in yonks...<br/><br/>Most recommended<br/><br/>

My wife & I passed by The Apothecary some time ago for dinner but it was closed for special function. Today we had leisure lunch there. It's cafe-style with self-served water & cutleries. We had lamb sliders & battered fries and brioche French toast with bacon & maple syrup. Food was good. I would enjoy more if it's not self-service. (Food - 3.5/5; ambience - 2/5)

Haven't been to Howick for 20 odd years so took some overseas visitors there to look around. Stumbled upon this place. Such an inviting decoration - the deeper in you were the oldie worldly it felt!<br/>We all ordered the big breakfast and what a delight - the quality of the ingredients was very evident - chewy tasty bacon and perfectly poached eggs - and a hash brown like no other. Topped off with a super hot splendidly poured coffee and we were in foodie heaven.<br/><br/>We live in Ponsonby and frankly the food here was superior to our locals! - worth the drive and will be there again very soon. Well done to this cafe. Not the cheapest but worth every cent.

A good place for breakfast and lunch. We had yo wait in line for about 10 minutes to order, wait time for food was around 20 minutes but the food was very good as was the coffee. <br/>Staff were friendly and attentive. <br/>

Ah what a pity! We've been hard core Apothecary diners since it changed from being an antique shop. When they started it was amazing!!! An old school vibe with great ambience, outstanding service and simple but excellent menu! I don't know what happened to the guys who started it? Sold it, bought a yacht? But ever since then the only people doing this place credit are the cooks. We've been here many times over the last year and the staff are crappy, ill informed, untrained, arrogant and slack. It's 8pm on Saturday night and we are the only people here! Pizzas are great but we won't be back until the owners change or get a clue.

I have been going to the Apothecary for a number of years now and just recently, a lot more often! The menu is outstanding, with excellent quality food that's worth the money. The service is amazing, warm and genuinely friendly. I would recommend the Lamb Sliders and the Sticky Salsa Fried Prawn Salad. A great place to take friends/family for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

We went for breakfast the bacon was like cardboard and the scrambled eggs must have been under the heat lamp for Mitch too long very dis pointed<br/>

Second visit this week, food and service is always good. I've tried a fair few eggs Benedict at many different cafes in Auckland and I can confidently say this place does it best. I haven't tried anything else on the menu yet but I'm sure the rest of their food is just as good

A large group of us came here tonight for a farewell dinner. They had provided a large table that sufficiently accommodated all of us. When I first walked in, I was very impressed with the decor of this establishment. I also felt an old English ambiance about this place that was warm and memorable. It reminded me of my visit to the UK - Very authentic. <br/><br/>I started off with a piñacolda and enjoyed my drink so much ;) I could have had another one and another one and another one. Five minutes after our drinks arrived, we received a massive complimentary tapas board accompanied with a selection of toasted bread - Superb! After this, we placed our orders. The food arrived relatively quick considering there was a large group of us. I ordered the lamb sliders and found this dish enjoyable. I also has the chance to try some of the other dishes... I was slightly let down by the fried chicken wings as the chicken had excessive seasoning, it was incredibly salty. The pop corn shrimp was served in the cutest pot! The little pieces of shrimp were crispy and delicious. Lastly, the fried Camembert cheese with jam was out of this world- Such a brilliant combo!! <br/><br/>Before we left, we were given complimentary desserts as well! How generous and kind. We were given this amazing pavlova/cream/raspberry/strawberry filled dessert glass for dessert. I had about 2 and a half servings. Seriously, it was so good... Probably up there in my top 5 favourite desserts of all time!!<br/><br/>I'm already planning my next visit, I definitely recommend this place.

About a year ago, I had walked past this vintage looking restaurant and spent a good 10 minutes persuading my husband to have dinner with me here.  I guess I went in with somewhat high expectations, firstly from its appearance, and secondly, from reputation it's built.  I can't remember exactly what my other half ordered now, but it must've been some sort of pork dish, because I remember he was definitely disappointed at the portion size, and commented that a serving of crispy pork on rice from a Chinese takeaway was doubly filling for half the price.  I ordered the risotto and was somewhat disappointed too - it was lukewarm, and didn't had the creaminess that risotto is well known for.<br/>But never mind that, I'm a forgiving and open-minded person, willing to give second chances, so off we went about three months after that, for breakfast.  We were, yet again, not entirely satisfied with the food.  There was too little salmon in the salmon eggs Benedict, and the poached eggs were somewhat small and still a bit watery/under-cooked.  We've both been to different places to have eggs Benedict and this definitely went to the bottom end of the quality scale.  The coffee was alright though, but nothing spectacular.  My husband isn't as much of a coffee drinker and said he found the coffee a bit too bitter than what he's used to, even with sugar added.<br/>So, we still try not to give up hope, and some time near the start of this year, we went again for lunch.  I ordered a Caesar salad, and my other half had the salmon pappardelle.  The salmon pasta was a bit bland in taste, and it definitely looked so - there was about half an inch of sauce that looked like yellow water - but otherwise, it was satisfactory.  I was quite happy with my Caesar salad, enough to recommend it to others.  Coffee was much the same.<br/>Haven't been back since.  It's a really neat atmosphere, with heaps of potential, but I really feel that its reputation is a bit undeserved.  The quality of food is definitely inconsistent, judging from my experiences so far, and it's satisfactory at best.  The menu isn't entirely unique either, and so the price is definitely not worth it.  Hope it has improved since, because it would really be a waste of a beautiful establishment.

Great place and great decor :) the food is good and reasonably priced as well. I liked the portion sizes as well. Its in Howick which is a bit out of the way but it's a very nice local restaurant .

Went for dinner last night. The layout and atmosphere was really inviting. Even though the menu is very small, all of the items on the menu sounded amazing. We were feeling hungry so had the House Pizza, salso prawns and lamb sliders. All round very impressed with the food, prices and the service! Definitely want to come back and try the rest of the items on the menu.

Have to say I was really disappointed at the food here. We asked why there was so little selection and it was due to their menu change so I guess we just went at a bad time. We came here maybe 2- 3 months ago so the menu should have changed by now. So I definitely want to go back to change up the review to see how it is now ! <br/><br/>The food in general was rather bad we decided to share some sliders and got shrimp popcorn and more chips haha. The sliders weren't enjoyable and the shrimp popcorn was really battery. We didn't end up finishing our meal. <br/><br/>Points go to the amazing ambiance and the service we received which was good.

I adore the old town village-ness of this area- it's a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the hip and modern city areas sometimes. I took a friend here for lunch and was once again wowed by all the trinkets and decor adorning the walls and restaurant despite having visited before. It definitely lives up to it's name "The Apothecary." The menu hasn't changed much from last year when I visited, but that's not a bad thing as it's nice to come back for that certain dish you want and for it to still be there. There's a nice variety too. I ordered the Creamy mushrooms and was estatic when it arrived because I discovered that it was all portobello and no button- talk about good value! It was very filling, and none of that nausea-inducing-over-the-top kind of creamy that I've experienced at so many other restaurants.<br/><br/>My dining companion ordered the Crumbed cambenbert and smoked chicken salad which was a very healthy and light option. The entire restaurant has a very nice and casual/ relaxed atmosphere, and clearly quite popular with the people in this area. With you classic cafe staples, this is definitely one to visit. I hope they introduce more specials though because I want to come back often but feel like I've already experienced most of what the menu has to offer.

To the lovely team at the Apothecary,<br/><br/>Came for breakfast with a friend and your service was friendly, prompt, the food delicious and the place has a wonderful vibe.<br/><br/>Thanks for having us and we'll be back!<br/>Kind Regards<br/>Dina

Food:<br/>French toast <br/><br/>Location:<br/>Outdoor seating <br/><br/>Service: <br/>Good <br/><br/>

The food was very flavourful, portion size was decent too. Definitely could tell they used clean oil to cook the fried dishes because there was no sickening after taste (fish and chips... X2!). The smoothies are super creamy too if you are into milky flavours. The reason why this place was not a 5 is because we couldn't order the fries separately but another customer did.

Not a Fan of Cabratta Bread which is what the eggs Benedict consists of. These lovely people bent over backwards to accommodate a substitution. The service was excellent. Coffee was maybe slightly too strong for my preference but a Must go ..... and i will be returning. Thanks

First experience at this buzzing friendly cafe. Service was great. We ordered two full breakfasts, healthy granola and egg white omelette. Food was presented beautifully and tasted great. I will certainly return to try out the tempting lunch menu.

Came here 2 weekends in a row with friends for coffee which was great, felt hungry too and ordered from the menu, to be honest we were not impressed with the menu but gave it the benefit of the doubt. Food came out, had high hopes for it, just wasnt up to scratch. Its like the effort was put more into presentation than anything else. Should change the Head chef or the menu, or both. Lacked flavor and technique, nothing special and exciting. What wasnt good was a tall Chef swearing his guts off at everyone, not a good look and an ear sore, not very pleasant!... im assuming hes the head chef! Need someone more experienced! crazy guy. Instead of concentrating on just how the food looks, take care of the dull bland components on the plate mate. We are paying good money. Im giving this place a 2.0 because the customer service was spot on and the coffee was great. <br/>

Looking for a new cafe to try for Saturday brunch and came across this neat place.<br/><br/>Food was great, cafe was great and service was fast. The place had a great atmosphere about it, we were very impressed.<br/><br/>Initially we weren't sure wether we should wait to be seated, but it seems you just go up and order then pay and find a seat so all good.<br/><br/>Would totally recommend this place for a work lunch, or casual catch up with friends

Love the design of this place! Super awesome, have been here 2 or 3 times. Mocha smoothie was life-changing, definitely on the agenda to come back and try another one. <br/><br/>Favorite meal was probably with my mum for breakfast once, think I had ciabatta with tomato and avocado & got a side of mushrooms (I thought it was a bit pricey for a side of mushrooms, but when it arrived I was blown away! a great little bowl and they were amazing - best mushrooms I'd had in years). Only thing I didn't like was I accidentally poured myself water that I thought was ordinary water and it was sparkling and just got a bit of a shock after a big gulp as I don't like sparkling water haha<br/><br/>All in all, super great place - atmosphere too, really trendy and seems to have its loyal regulars.

The food was great. I ordered their biggest breakfast and to my surprise it was quite filling for such a small plate. The food palette was very unique but not quite colourful although each portion of food went quite well with each other. I will sure to be returning to this place for breakfast or lunch soon. :)

Very cute small shop with good service. Been there a few times for th breakfast. They may it fresh and lovely every since time, presentation of th food is divine, and it is a good serving size - excellent cups of coffee. A very cute spot for couples!

Good environment and atmosphere. I really liked their decoration of the cafe, it's very interesting. <br/>Only had an afternoon tea with a girlfriend here so didn't try their food, only had some desserts and coffee. <br/>I had cronut and she had almond croissants. We both enjoyed it :) <br/>Will visit again sometime for brunch.

Not too bad, wasnt fond of the area. Finding a park took a while. I ordered a Mocha and brekky, it was ok, i think ill go in for dinner next time for something more than ordinary. Customer service was not bad.. not complaining. But mmmm that Mocha!

Had a business meeting there yesterday.  The staff were very friendly and incredibly helpful.  Great place to meet.  Popular café, cool place.  Great having fresh coffee on hand!  Food was good.  Would recommend.

Went for a girls brunch here this morning. Coffee was amazing, great barrista, food was good. The Duty Manager/Girl at the till was just downright rude and arrogant. I was next in line for her to take my order, i walk to the till, she walks away and starts talking to her friend. No, sorry just give a sec, got a blank look and walked away. There was a cue. She then went on to micromanage the staff, still having not taking my order with 4 people behind me. I dont like calling people I dont know names, but she was horrible to us, and to everyone else. I asked the barrista if I could make a complaint and he kindly gave me a <br/>Business card, she just gave me the death stare. Not good enough. Great food and coffee only so far. Service means more that the actual food and its the service that you will remember for longer. Will only go back when I find out what days she doesnt work! <br/>

I got the Seafood Chowder with iced mocha and my friend got the Egg Benedict with bacon with iced coffee. The food was delicious and it didn't take long to come and quite reasonable priced.

Two things<br/>1. Your new chef is awesome! <br/>2. Your new barista also made me a mean as coffee this morning. Also got to give Big Ups to Ewan the main Barista.. Never get a bad coffee off him !!!!<br/>Great place to Meet,Eat and Drink !!!?

I'd only heard good things about The Apothecary so I had high expectations and unfortunately they didn't even meet my basic expectations let alone what I had been told to expect. Myself and two friends went for brunch on a Monday before heading to the airport, the first disappointment is there was no table service, which would have been fine except for the fact they have only one till and you had to line up for 20mins to get your order in, the place was only half full so would hate to think what the wait would be when its chocka. Secondly, they were completely unhelpful advising gluten and dairy free options despite the menu saying they could cater to it - the girl at the counter made it as difficult as possible resulting in the only option being a $17 pear, walnut and blue cheese salad minus the blue cheese and dressing, so just lettuce and nuts. Thirdly, our food and drinks all arrived at different times so we had to awkwardly watch each other eat so the food didn't get cold. While for the most part the food, when it arrived, was nice the service was completely subpar and ruined the whole experience to the point I wouldn't come back here.

As a regular customer over the past several years, it's great to see such improvements constantly happening here, you will not be disappointed. Amazing food, you have to try the oysters, and that is from one that normally doesn't eat them! Great service as well, thanks.

Having been coming to The Apothecary for the last few months, I've seen many positive changes in this short period! The new chef team have changed the menu, and what I have tried will definitely keep me coming back.<br/>The decor is as beautiful as always, with a seemingly endless supply of Antiques filling the spaces available!<br/>My most recent time spent at The Apothecary was last week, where I decided to sit in the wine bar area for a bit of a change. The new bartender is very friendly and knowledgeable, happily taking my drinks and food orders from her counter in the bar. Sitting in this beautiful ambiance, I listened to a range of great music, sipping away at my wine (Three Miners Pinot Noir - amazing!) until my food arrived. I'd ordered the Bruschetta and Camembert - which are both new on the menu. All I can say is that they were to die for.<br/>I would highly recommend dining at The Apothecary, whether it be for breakfast, lunch or dinner - it will be an experience to remember.

Really disappointing - the place looked awesome and busy so thought it'd be a great place. Coffee was so bitter we couldn't drink it (heard people at neighbouring table complaining too), breakfast was overpriced and came cold. Not a fussy eater and not normally one to leave reviews but really disappointed with this place!

It's my local- go to cafe- that always delivers "good" coffee! Not much more to say really...

Excellent little cafe, love the atmosphere and the staff. This is the best coffee I have had in a long time..!! Would like to recommend this cafe in the heart of Howick to everyone. I brought my business meeting here in December of 12 people and we were well looked after. Will be returning. Thanks, Sue

We went along to check out the markets in Howick village on Saturday morning.  It wasn't a particularly nice day so we decided to go to one  of the cafes for brunch.<br/>We were pleasantly surprised by the options - a lot of the cafes seemed to be popular and we finally decided to try out The Apothecary after having a quick look at the menu outside.<br/>I ordered the brioche french toast with banana and bacon.  This was delicious!  The banana had been mashed and sandwiched between two thick slices of brioche before being fried.  The brioche was flaky and crispy.  I also really enjoyed the vanilla porter mascarpone on the side which made the dish even more decadant and it was generously flecked with vanilla seeds.<br/>My husband ordered the fry up breakfast, which was better than your average fry up.  It came with eggs, bacon, potatoes, sausage, ciabatta, mushrooms, tomatoes and black pudding (which was a bit different - we both quite liked it).  The fried potatoes on the dish were really nice - crispy and salty on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside.<br/>We didn't order any drinks so can't comment on what the beverages are like.  There were a lot of people working and most of the staff were friendly (there were a few who seemed a bit moody).  The decor is rustic - lots of antiques, and plenty of labelled jars lining the walls to complement the theme.<br/>We enjoyed our meals a lot and would definitely come back if we're ever in the area again.  The fact that it was so busy on a Saturday morning is a testament to the quality of the food.

A couple of months ago I had had a wonderful coffee and loved the original decor of this place. My friend read a good review and, being a foodie, was interested. We also wanted a venue in Howick to meet up at. Another friend who frequents the place raved about the portabello mushroom risotto. Apparently there has been a change of staff and on day 3 chaos reigned. We were greeted very pleasantly by R who did his best. We were given menus when M asked for them, and water when D requested. We ordered wine and starters of scallops. After a half hour of conversation we had to ask about the wine, We were told that the bar was busy. R bought the red wine and some minutes later the white followed for the other part of the group. WE were waiting for the starters. A long time passed and then my main meal arrived. We then decided to cancel the starters as they were to be enjoyed with the wine,,,,sorry guys but i can buy more delicious duck and rice at a fast food for well under $15, and the risotto was really heavily salted - I ate it because by now I was really hungry and had given up on the whole experience anyway...Our friend was upset as he asked for medium rare steak and it came med-well done - he did send it back. so we ate at different times. The other two ordered completely different meals - the mussels came in a dump of sauce that was okay, possibly made from canned tomatoes.The lamb shank was tasteless in itself but smothered in the SAME tomato sauce! And I am sorry but $8,50 for a side salad that was literally a pile of mesclan leaves shaken from a supermarket bag with a drizzle of balsamic( no onion rings, no tomato, nothing else) - where was the "salad" part? We felt sorely cheated. We wish the restaurant luck with training staff to attend to guests on arrival, to be timely.. and we accept the sincere apologies we received on a couple of the points. We hope you all have a better experience,In my opinion it is hugely overpriced for what you get.

The moment I stepped into the cafe I felt like I was conveyed into a different realm. It was filled with ornaments, figures, animal compositions which made the interior and theme of the cafe rather interesting. I love cafes that are interactive when they incorporate their products into the theme. In Apothecary they were selling creams in old fashioned packaging which was placed next to the ornamental aged medicines. Caught my eye and got me going SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!<br/><br/>Although none of this interior was reflected on the outside of the cafe, I felt that it was such a wasted effort to have created such an incredible ambiance inside and not have it carried through to the outside. <br/><br/>The outside scene seemed to look neglected. The seating was squashy and tables were wobbly as it was on a slope and my food dish was sliding away at most times.<br/><br/>We ordered the mushroom Benedict and the Seared tuna salad. Both generous portions. The mushroom Benedict was nearly flawless but the Ciabatta bread was too salty. The seared tuna was questionable as it didn't look seared enough. <br/><br/>I don’t have much to say about the service as it was very casual and straight to the point. It wasn't a to-the-moon-and-back type of service which is dandy by me as I didn't experience any problems. Good on the lad that helped us with the photos. I felt like a tourist inside that cafe. <br/><br/>Overall it was a good experience going to The Apothecary cafe. It definitely stands out of the crowd which I find is something truly important. The cafe could improve on their menu selection as it was simple Jane, I expected abit more in range. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful cafe with great setting, decent food and coffee. I would return again and I recommend visiting. Make sure to bring your cameras as there’s many bewildering things to catch your eye left, right, front and center.

Best fries in Howick!  Nice, friendly staff.  The place is clean but can feel a little cluttered when full (and it is full most of the time because it is so popular).  Nice job guys!

My first review of this cafe was scathing but having given it another try I was very pleasantly surprised. Mushrooms were to die for. Staff very pleasant & welcoming. Good effort.

Excellent! Not very many cafes in Howick that are spacious and as popular. Routine to get a coffee in the morning, really great coffee and staff are always hold friendly conversation. Not once have I been here with uninviting staff. Obviously popular as it is always busy. Wednesday (night) Pizza Deal, with house wine/beer and Monterey movie tickets is such good value. Pizzas are to die for. Also had a private function here, wonderful location and feedback from others attending was of the highest standard. Always difficulty choosing from the tempting menu, never been given one reason to complain. Highly recommend for any occasion!

A group of six of us went last weekend. Not our first visit as the food is always fantastic.Two duck dishes, one lamb, two fish and my pizza. We all thought the meals were amazing. We will continue to go back.

Disappointing. My fish was over cooked and risotto dry. Pizza garlic bread more of a thin crisp bread. A shame as previous meal there very good.

I go here a lot, it has very good quality food and coffee. Unfortunately, just lately the service has been anything but helpful. Mothers Day was a disaster of a breakfast for my friend and I. Our coffees came, spilled in the saucers, my meal arrived, then 15 minutes later we enquired about my friends breakfast, then after 35 mins, decided to ask again, finally 45 minutes later her breakfast arrived, it was wrong! There wasn't any apology, at the very least I would have offered another cup if coffee on the house..and then this Sunday my husbands breakfast arrived without a fundamental portion of house beans, and half a slice of black pudding? When I asked for some beans, no one said sorry, the chef through a paddy in the kitchen, it seems to me that some staff training required. It's a great cafe, don't lose the plot, please.

Great dinner on a Saturday night. The meals are generally unpretentious but very flavourful. I had a steak which just had a knob of garlic butter on it, but it was delicious to the last mouthful. we ordered a raaddachio salad as a shared side, and my wife had duck leg with lentils. Perhaps a few too many lentils, but that is a small grizzle. The fries were good, the wine list adequate and the service was very good considering there were only 2 on tables and a big group. Goes to show what can be achieved with 2 efficient, intelligent and friendly staff, overseen by a watchful owner.<br/><br/>Will happily go again.

Had a lovely meal, service was excellent despite there only being two waiting staff on (who knew there menus well, they were very polite and helpful)plus there was nearly full restaurant. <br/>Menu wasn't huge though covered all meats and vegetarian options. Will definitely return

We have been here three times and it is always less than ordinary. The most recent time Sunday around 1:30 there was minimal choice left on the menu. The staff were very unhelpful and disinterested in their work. All in all very disappointing !

I visited Howick last year and came across this lovely cafe. The coffee is amazing and also the food. The meals are very efficient too. I love the atmosphere and the decorations throughout. You can see there is a bit of history displayed around the building and area of what it used to be. I love it. I have been back here twice now since my first visit. Highly recommended :-)

I decided to take my fiancé out last night to your bar followed by a movie so we took the Wednesday Pizza, Beer and Movie Ticket deal which was great value! The food was superb, service very friendly and prompt. My Fiancé wasn't feeling a beer so you happily swapped it out for a house Pinot Noir which was greatly appreciated. I think we will make this a regular thing and look forward to the next one. Cheers.

Decided to give it ago for the 3rd time. Previous times OK. Food good but service not so friendly.<br/>This time. The barrister &amp; serving person so busy having their own conversation while we stood there waiting to be served, we walked out, never to return.<br/>Plenty more cafes in Howick with better &amp; more friendly service.

Just had lunch at this local Howick eatery and felt compelled to write a review because of the excellent meal and fantastic ambiance. This place is a real gem and an absolute credit to the owner and the staff. I struggled to choose from the specials because everything was so tempting but choose I did and what I had did not disappoint. This is not a run of the mill, bland and generic cafe, this is a establishment of character, warmth and interest. Love it.

Such a good review in Canvas merited trying Apothecary out first-hand. Ordered two fish pies, only to find they were stuffed with mussels - seafood, not fish. Serious stuff, one of us doesn't eat mussels, the other is allergic! Replaced one with mushroom papardelle, sounded delicious, but was a long wait, lukewarm and tasting of oil, few mushrooms. Indigestion. The other replacement was even longer coming, a quiche that was forgotten and had to be asked for twice. This was tasteless and over microwaved. The other two in our party ordered toasted sandwich on sourdough. 'Doorstops' was how they were described, bread so hard it couldn't be eaten. The bowl of handcut chips was fine. Meals were too expensive to be so bad. Staff didn't seem to want to know. How did they get that high review? Cooking good food is not that hard.

The layout is much improved from the old antique shop days. However, we were disappointed on various counts. <br/>None of the cabinet or counter items were priced, neither was the coffee (isn't this a legal requirement?). At least one cabinet item was not labelled at all.<br/>I had a frittata with very little flavour other than that added by the chutney. My friend was equally unenthusiastic about her savoury muffins.<br/>We both found our long blacks quite bitter.<br/>The service was prompt and pleasant.

I have had lunch and breakfast here always a great menu, service and atmosphere. Recently held my husbands birthday here and it was exceptional!!!! Easy to work with, no stress at all. The night was fabulous and surpassed my expectations. The food was abundant, delicious and presented beautifully. The staff were awesome and gauged the crowd really well. Attendees were from 17-69 years and all loved it. Cant recommend highly enough!!

Lunch here is my favourite. A smallish menu but excellent food and fab wine list. Love the atmosphere created by people buzz but more imptly, the antiques. Very attentive staff. Howick is lucky to have some many great dining options.

I came here on Sunday it was extremely busy. We ordered got our coffee's &amp; tea promptly then not long after our breakfast arrived which was great. There was a lot of staff on, there was 2 people taking orders and one cashier, there was always a staff member out clearing tables. One staff member delivered my sisters tea and dropped it all over the table with no apology we had to ask her for something to clean it up with, this young lady seemed unhappy, however I think the manager picked up on this as later I noticed her on dishes duties. I love the decor and the music in the back ground. However there is a coffee menu on the wall but no food menu up, I was looking around for one couldn't find one, when we finally got to the cashier I noticed them next to the till (there was a long line), these menu's need to be in a more accessible place as you have to walk in front of people that are before you to get them. I would have given "The Apothecary" 5 stars if they had table service and menu's either on the wall or tables and if it wasn't for the attitude of one staff member. This place is busy and has a lot of take away coffee and I feel if table service is offered and menu's on the table's the till would not be so congested.

After a very long drive to Auckland to see my mother, I thought it would be nice for us to spend the time together having a nice meal so after reading the great review this café got in the Herald we decided to go to The Apothecary. Big mistake. <br/>We ordered our meals and coffees and were told it would take 15 minutes which we accepted as we had an hour available so no problems. We sat and waited, and waited and waited. After 20 minutes our coffees arrived (without saucers or teaspoons) but still no food. As we continued to wait we heard the family next to us ask for a refund as they were fed up of waiting. We waited another 35 minutes before giving up and also asking for a refund. No apology was given and I would have thought they would have refunded us for the cold coffees along with the missing meals to apologise for the inconvenience but apparently not. We left hungry and furious. My day in Auckland with my mother was absolutely ruined.<br/><br/> I would not recommend anyone waste their time or money here.

Great place for a drink or meal way out in the suburb of Howick. It's a treat and surpassed my expectation. There was more I wish I had room to try from the menu, but imagine I will visit again soon.<br/>My friend drives the 30mins to go here as she loves it so much

Decided to give our American visitors 'The Apothecary' experience today - something that we usually really enjoy ourselves.. however this Sunday lunch experience was very disappointing and we were embarrassed to have 'talked it up' so much to our guests. Coffee's came fairly quickly, however we were left waiting 40 minutes for our order of scrambled eggs and soup...and when it finally arrived - the eggs looked as though they had been sitting under the heat lamp all day! We would've sent the two lots of eggs back if not needing to get to the ferry...

As a pre movie treat we ate dinner last night at what must be the best eatery in Howick.....maybe Auckland for that matter. The new extension to the Apothecary is all class, we orded 2 dozen bluff oysters and had a $15 pork dish special for St Patricks day that simply melted in our mouths. The service was top class, not over bearing.... just right! The night went off with a bang.... maybe it was the bluff oysters ?<br/>Anyway as a regular during the day at the main cafe the extended resturant/ bar did not disapoint and overall another example of Howick stepping up to the plate as a great destination for a great night out. Well done Apothecary we are regular movie buffs and plan plenty of future visits to your fine establishment. Keep up the good work !

Have got to say that I was shocked that I paid $8.00 for what must have been a two inch chicken wrap!!! There was no gold in it. Won't be back that's daylight robbery.<br/>The coffee was nice but there is heaps of good coffee in Howick.

Went for brunch, great service and our coffee and meals came out fast. Although I wasn't happy with eggs Benedict I ordered, thought it was overpriced for what I got and the toast was so hard I could hardly cut it, let alone eat it! <br/>Disappointing first visit as I had heard good things. Would go back but won't be eating the eggs Benedict!!

I always enjoy eating here, have had outstanding food on valentines day and the titanic dinner. A perfect place to sit and have lunch or coffee with a friend. There is always a fantastic selection of hot and cold salads to choose from the cabinet, along with the delicious baps and an array of sweet delights, which are ever changing so you never get bored of the same thing. It has a wonderful atmosphere on a late Friday afternoon for a end of week wine!

We are frequent visitors to the Apothecary. We just love it. There is only one thing that lets it down and both my partner and I have commented on it...and that's the slapdash presentation of the wait staff themselves! Saggy baggy t-shirts displaying bra straps, shorty denim shorts over black tights - bleeeugh!!!! (yes I KNOW it is the fashion and some chaps like this look). HOWEVER. The owners have obviously spent a lot of time and money sourcing items to create the cafe's ambience (i.e. the complete fitout from a Parisian apothecary). To pull that whole Parisian, classy thing off would be for their staff dress to appropriately in either black or white waiter shirts, black ties and smart aprons - because you wouldn't see a bra strap or bum cheek on a waitress in a cafe in Paris unless you took a wrong turn and ended up in the Moulin Rouge. And the other thing I'd like to see is the Apothecary open more nights for a drink. I am sure they have this in mind, and I can't wait as summer's on its way and this is a great setting to watch the world go by.

As a regular to this establishment, both in eating and drinking it is without doubt unique, from the Titanic Night to a Friday evening relaxing drink it never fails to impress, a great place to socialise.<br/>They sell a beer in a large bottle not sure of the name but it is about 8%, more than 2 and you may be carried out, they also sell Cleveden Hills Syrah.<br/>Well done to Ted and Jill for bringing it off, as a resident of Howick for 28 years it was needed.

Appeared to be a popular choice with the locals but sadly we were less than impressed with the lunch fare we ordered from their blackboard. The food came out barely lukewarm, very dry and lacking any type of dressing on the salad nor relish or sauce one would usually expect. When we asked for some the waitress quickly brought some to the table and expressed regret that there was none present.<br/><br/>The coffee was excellent but the food certainly let them down.<br/><br/>A word of warning, beware of the rear door, it's a wind tunnel and could certainly cause an accident with the elderly - and it wasn't even windy.

Howick has been craving a cool spot like this. We regularly visit here for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a relaxing drink. The food is creative and always delicious. Stunning decor, a clever mix of Antiques, industrial &amp; vintage. The staff are always friendly and the service is great. I love having such a great place so close to home. This place is definitely worth a visit. Enjoy!

This is a very frustrating place to eat. <br/><br/>The food is magnificent, creative, original and very very tasty. The décor plunges you back into a positively twee era; a fine blend of artistic cool and sophistication. The problem is the service (on more than one occasion). This aspect has left me vexed and seething. Initially, it’s very good; they take your order promptly and serve your coffee sharpish. The problem lies with the bumbling waiting staff. Last Saturday my eggs benedict turned up like the ‘Guns of the Navaho’. They were slick and stylish and had hollandaise sheen to die for. The problem though, and herein lies the rub, was that my partner’s salmon affair was a no show. A no show. Humpf! After 20 odd minutes I turned around to the lad and explained my exasperation. He just replied: “It’s not my fault”. Now, call me old fashioned, but that response is a completely unacceptable stance from a food place. That chap, at that time, was the ‘face of the place’ in that moment, and he was in the wrong. They were in the wrong! Bad form!<br/><br/>Now, I’ve been there with my kids also. And they do cater for the wee nippers with a plethora of choices on the kids menu.. But again, they simply forgot the order. It’s unacceptable behaviour from a restaurant.<br/><br/>This place has got the food and décor right. They don’t, however, have a clue about service, and general waiting etiquette. <br/><br/>Sort it out!

Wow! Great decor and a lively fun atmosphere. And... the food was just as good with superb flavours. The espresso was excellent, the staff friendly and the service great. We will be back for sure!

It really doesn't get any better than this! We were lucky enough to secure boarding passes for The Apothecary's Titanic centenary dinner on April 14th. The atmosphere created by Ted, Jill and his dedicated crew was just superb. The menu for the night was an interpretation of the original last dinner on the Titanic. Every course was truly excellent. The evening began with canapes and champagne, followed by a sumptuous seafood buffet, meats, vegetables and finishing with chocolate painted eclairs, French vanilla ice cream and champagne jelly with peaches. Food, presentation and service were stunning - it really was a night to remember!

Dropped in to the Apothecary for a couple of quiet beers last night on the way to a different venue... and then never left. <br/><br/>The atmosphere was really good for a late evening, chilled-out drink in Howick. Very unique setting, surrounded by antiques and curios.<br/><br/>Tried the Organic Pilsener from Dunedin (name escapes me) and it was excellent. <br/><br/>Shared a plate of the sticky ginger ribs. They were delicious! <br/><br/>Good, friendly service. Will definitely be back -- maybe fairly regularly!

I am a big coffee lover and very fussy when it comes to a tulip flat white. These guys nail it 9 times out of 10. The food is perfect and I struggle to venture from their eggs benny as this is my favourite breakfast when dinning out. However, when I do try other areas of their menu and cabinet food I am never disappointed. The chef is great, the people are great, the vibe is perfect and the staff are all more than happy to ask you how your days going! Keep it up and see you tomorrow for a flat white guys!

What a fantastic dining experience! A wide variety of meals and sides means that there is something for everyone. The salad platter was served in a very innovative way which just added to the unique feeling of the place. Full of quirky antiques the cafe is buzzing with life. A great selection of wine and ales which ensure a great evening also. Staff are very polite and friendly overall 5/5 and would recommend to anyone.

New chef is great love all the lentil and raw energy salad options, the only negative is why can't any cafes make a decent gingerbread loaf, it looked the part but when I tasted it was sickly sweet, had strong overtone of almond essense and had virtually no ginger taste - kinda tasted like a sickly sweet mild date loaf would taste (rather disappointing)! If you are going to add icing to the top you better make sure it has plenty if zing from real ginger and maybe add some salt to balance out all the sweetness from the golden syrup!

Recently had a great night here at a 30th birthday party. Good selection of wines and the lamb was amazing. The atmosphere is unique and the staff are very friendly. During the day the cafe food and coffee is easily the best in howick. The new chef has added a new dimension to the cafe. Recommend to all.

This cafe is just what Howick needed! The food was fantastic and the staff were very friendly, on top of that, the atmosphere is great and your surrounded by gorgeous Antique pieces. Has an awesome vibe and a delicious menu to choose from. Definitely recommend this place, and will be a regular spot for me.

Briefly: the best eatery we have tried in east Auckland, also helps that we were able to have a glass of wine with lunch. The fit out of antiques (priced for sale) is 2nd to none and is our first choice to take overseas guests to. Lastly we went to the Valentines degustation night which was fully matched with French and NZ wines for $90 per head (6 glasses of wine and 6 meals) outstanding! We have booked for the next one.

Have waited a long time for a cafe to come Howick that has that certain buzz, plays groovy music, offers interesting food and of course the best coffee. Most importantly has great staff who make you feel welcome and hands on owners who live it and breath it. Well done team.

No generic food here, a mouth watering choice from a meal with wine or a divine cake and coffee. Not just a cafe but a total experience. The fit out with the antiques and collectibles (which are for sale) is fascinating. I am always telling people it is well worth the trip to Howick just to visit The Apothecary.

Great Atmosphere, fantastic service and food with a great antique feel and buzz. good coffee, wine and unique beers, and happy staff. found the food all hand made from scratch to be absolutely delicious and can't wait to go back again. highly recommended to all.

In response to "Poon" , do yourself a favour &amp; go back &amp; give them another try !<br/>The chef is new, the coffee operator is new the coffee is awesome &amp; so is the food.This place has to be the best on offer in Howick

Decided to give this place a second chance and was served a very disappointing coffee (a watery flat white) after looking forward to one all day. Can't say anything better for the service as we were barely acknowledged even when ordering and when all of the staff had seen us come in. They had to double check a simple coffee order and staff were joking around loudly (very distracting as i could hear everything spoken by the kitchen from the window where we were sitting. I love to see staff getting along and having fun and this usually wouldn't have annoyed me if they had the same enthusiasm for their customers. The last time i visited they had forgotten to send a friends meal order out and left it sitting on the bench until we had to ask for it, then it had to be sent back to be reheated because it was cold by the time they sent it out. It's a shame because i enjoyed the food both times - nothing amazing, but plenty to choose from. You are better off grabbing a treat for and heading somewhere else for service and coffee. Should have learnt not to return the first time round!

Great place. Food was very good, fast service, wait staff attentive and fun. Physical atmosphere curious, which makes it more interesting than many places. Will be a regular for us!