Review Urban Soul

Yue

It's a neat cafe that I didn't know about with lots of seating inside and outside. We came here for a quick brunch where I shared these lovely vanilla pancakes with my friend. The pancakes definitely satisfy a sweet tooth. My other friends also ordered toasted sandwiches and the burger meal of the day. Their portion sizes seem very filling, the only thing was the fries that came with were pretty bland as well as the dipping sauce.

Key Man

We had really amazing food on our lunch time visit today. Both adults and kids meals were great portion sizes, and really tasty. Very friendly service from the staff as well. Not too noisy, no loud music so you could have a conversation without shouting. We’ll worth a visit.

nilofer sumra

Absolutely loved this cafe in heart of Manukau. They have great variety of breakfast. We had eggs Benedict and Shakshuka. Food was delicious, service was fast, this is going to be regular spot for us.

Samoan Kiwi

This was our first time here. We stop in at the countdown just opposite urban soul almost daily and always notice this place buzzing with patrons. Yesterday morning, we finally decided to stop in to try their food out. They have a very nice layout. I prefer outdoor seating, and their outdoor seating area is the best. I had the big breakfast and their Tahitian lime soda, and my wife had their 3 egg omelet with a flat white. Best breakfast we've had in ages. We'll priced, and their service was awesome. Friendly staff and a great atmosphere. 10/10

Sokly Sim

My favourite cafe still. been going here for a while but haven’t been in a year or so and the quality of food, service and everything is still high. We were told our food might be a while since we ordered after a group of 30 but the wait was no longer than 15 + mins. Highly recommend this hidden gem :)

Trish Watson

Food was great, coffee was even better. Short wait time even though it seemed quite busy, friendly staff.

Shaun Ashcroft

What a wonderful little oasis in South Auckland. We recently enjoyed a brunch here and were impressed with the cleanliness, friendliness and nice space with plenty of spots to chose from the sit, without being too close to others. The menu has the usual things and not a huge selection However there was also a lovely counter with different foods and cakes too. All looked amazing! So my partner had Creamy Mushrooms, Dark rye sourdough, baby spinach, feta, toasted seeds & crispy shallots. Nice. I had poached eggs on sourdough with sauteed mushrooms on the side and a relish. Very nice too. Both plates arrived quickly. The place is not visible from the road but if you have found the Countdown then turn around and you are in the right place.

Cheryl Prasad

Urban Soul cafe has one of the best chicken and waffles in auckland! The potion size is also very good ( lots of chicken)

Ramesh Pindoria

Loads of choices of cafe food. Baked yoghurt is one of my favourites. Always busy best to get in before the crowds or book a table. Most dishes are great and would order again and again and few dishes may never order again, based on my liking. Photos of dishes attached.

Natalie Malcolm

If you want a perfect brunch spot then look no further than Urban soul cafe. Food was delicious, prompt service and attentive staff. My food was perfectly seasoned I had the fried chicken and cheese waffle. The atmosphere was lovely surrounded by friends many friends, families and couples. Give it a try I will definitely be back.

FoodieAsh

Love your tea collection!

Natarsha

A perfect family friendly cafe. Service was amazing and felt very valued. Thank you

Reema Singh

Went here for brunch a while back, our order wasn’t punched into the system when we order and paid so we waited 40 mins to find out nothing was cooked, even drinks didn’t come out. Staff were really friendly and got the food and drinks out within 10 mins but I feel it didn’t taste as good as normal as it was rushed.

Neha Mahabir

Beer battered fish and chips as usual. Could be taken to a different level in terms of execution and flavour but not bad either.

Steamed Hams

I was looking for a cafe to go to and found Urban Soul. I had a lolly cake and a hot chocolate. The lolly cake was not hard, it was nice and soft and tasted as if it has a tiny bit of ginger in it. The hot chocolate was the right temprature and the best i've ever had. The staff were very kind and the atmosphere was very nice.

Burgergod

Great spot to pop into for a chill layback breakfast! Nice out door seating. They offer a great eggs bene.

STARCIA

Initially sat down and thought orders were taken but you actually need to order at the counter especially if you are planning to do split payments. Decor and atmosphere is fresh and European styled with the white walls, mirrors and couches. The food is decently priced and matches the portion you get. Had the miso salmon bowl which was tasty but can get overwhelming with the sauce and especially with the dryness of the rice - you are better off ordering at a sushi shop. Had the raspberry/orange smoothie which had the right balance of sweet/sour and was definitely worth it. Burger was enjoyable and the chicken nuggets are definitely of better quality. Order did get messed up but the service was fast, attentive and great. Definitely a café you should try out in Manukau.

Candice Stewart

A friend told me about this place - i had no idea it existed and it was quite a nice surprise! Their cabinet food is amazing and very decently priced as well if you just want a quick snack. However, it was quite full and they seemed a bit rushed (no one was clearing plates) etc but could have just been a bad day - will be back!

Wan Ili

I had coconut pancake, chips and mocha. Pancake was okay, fluffy and and it had some crunchy bits. The chips were 👌🏻 in a generous amount, hot thin crisp, right amount of salt and lemon tinge. So good to have in cold weather. And it was rainy so the place was just nice, not crowded. The ambience and deco were amazing, fancy with fresh white paints and furnitures.

Deadwin

closer to 3.5 i would say taste, presentation, ambience, service are all within average/expectation, but not outstanding for me to pick this place amongst any other cafe choices

Vincent Solomona

Very below bar service, we got there, was advised to take a seat and our order would be taken ( like most cafes) was waiting for 10 mins, the ladies on the counters were just loitering around, none of the staff walking past us even acknowledged us.... We went up and they advised their process was for the customer to come up and order...hmmmm I would have come up if that was the process that had been advised. Did not handle my concern well and was just brushed off, I get better service at a bakery!!!. I do not reccomend this cafe. Do not waste your time there!!

Mihir Patel

My favourite cafe in Manukau. They have an amazing brunch menu and coffee they serve is perfect. Very nice place to bring wife over the weekend and have lavish brunch. They very good options in muffins, ready to serves.

R

Lovely atmosphere and quite ambiance. Great customer service. We ordered from the cabinet everything was delicious. Would definitely be going back!

Kai Mai

Quite a popular cafe while witnessing the people coming & going during the time here. Parking was limited so had to park in the general countdown area. Waiting service was poor. Although we had rung in to book a table & was shown to our table by wait staff, we were not given menu's & had to ask multiple times if we could get a waiter to be served. I opted for the three egg omelette with mushroom, cheese & onion. The menu stated it was to come with green salad & ciabatta. This came in at $20. I found the omelette substantial but the sides were found to be lacking. The ciabatta was a thinly sliced toasted french stick with a thin bit of butter. The salad was also just bits of mesculin with some cut up red onion & sweet chill sauce like dressing. We found it odd that they would request to hold onto a credit card while dining in. When it came to paying the waiter had taken down our order incorrectly which lead to further wait while they had corrected it. Wouldn't recommend nor return in future.

It's Me

Arrived here late in the afternoon hoping to enjoy a meal with friends, we all didn't realise that the kitchen closed at 2.30pm - so we didn't get to taste what we initially wanted to order. I had to settle for what was on offer on the shelf. One of my friends is vegetarian and there was absolutely nothing for her to eat, which is shocking. I'd probably come here again but a little earlier. Staff are very friendly.

FoodieBeast

Was a good place when it first opened up. Went here a few days ago and the staff are not exactly as friendly. Food has dropped a little standard and the coffee was average. I do hope they pick up their game again.

G

Lovely atmosphere inside. It was packed on Mother’s Day so we were seated in the garden house but I imagine it’d be lovely inside. I’m not sure if it’s just because it was a little windy but the door banged shut every time someone walked in or out of the garden house so it was quite disruptive. The menu seemed a bit limited but the cabinet food looked amazing! The tarts and cakes were all really good so next time I’d probably still only go for cabinet food. Service was really fast though, didn’t take more than 10 minutes for the house breakfast to arrive and everything arrived by 15 mins.

Kat

Had a disappointing experience the first time I came here, but decided to give it another go as maybe it was an “off” day... I ordered an eggs benedict with bacon, my partner ordered the US breakfast. Hollandaise was cold, 2 small rashers of bacon, small eggs and 2 massive pieces of focaccia... the portion ratio was completely off here!! The US breakfast came with soggy toast and undercooked hashbrowns. Neither of us finished our meals. How does this place have such a high rating??? left feeling underwhelmed, will not be returning.

Jake Ingledew

Came in for brunch for three people, and it is way nicer than I expected, being in the middle of manukau I expected it to be just a run of the mill cafe. I was completely wrong. The fit out was really nice, staff well dressed, it wouldn't look out of place at all in Ponsonby. And to top it all off the food was excellent. I'll definitely make the trip out to manukau just to come back.

Taron Ah Chee

Great little spot in Manukau with fresh made spinach and feta muffins and well made coffee. You have a selection of freshly made pastries, savouries and deserts to spoil anyone's appetite. Along with a menu for breakfast this spot can cater to the morning staff meetings or functions. Friendly staff and nice selection of seating and ambience.

Prashant Datt

Been here a few times and have not been disappointed yet. Yesterday we got the chicken burger and chicken salad and both were delicious. The iced coffee here is also really good!

Caroline Barrett

So happy this cafe is just over the road from work - I love this hidden gem! There cabinet changes very regularly and is always full of fresh and healthy options (which I love) + great coffee! Every time I visit, its always packed and its easy to see why. I have only tired 2 dishes from the cabinet - the vegetarian stuffed eggplant and the roast vegetable and quinoa salad - both are super yummy! Would love to test out their cooked menu some time in the future.

Karen

Come here often for a quick bite and coffee. Their iced coffee is amazing and food is also quite decent. We tried some of their cabinet food and found that to be decently priced and also gives you a good portion of food! They have little yoghurt like desserts too which are amazing!

Khaleesi

Came here for the first time during brunch hours and while we were trying to figure out whether to sit for table service or order at counter a nice staff lady came and gave us menus so we assumed it was table service until we were waiting for someone to take our order but then was told to order at counter. So first impression was very confusing. Food arrived in good timely manner and looked delicious. Husband was not happy with his Mexican breakfast as it didnt live up to the Mexicano reputation for being spicy, there was no spice or any hint of it. I ordered the beef burger and I wasn't happy with the meat as it was plain mince with zero seasoning so it had the stinky kinda meat smell and taste. Chips came with ketchup so I asked for aioli thinking there might be an extra cost but there wasn't. I would have appreciated being asked about options. All in all the rate reflects my experience. Extremely busy place where staff are basically running around non-stop which gave me a queasy anxious feeling so it wasn't a relaxed environment for me. I will consider coming back though to give it another go as I had only heard good things about this place but I personally struggled to give it a good review.

Benz Chan

Cozy, quiet ambiance combined with delicious food make a great breakfast experience. This is exactly what Urban Soul gave me and wifey when we came yesterday! I liked the salmon eggs benny a lot because the sweet potato mash was divine! Will definitely come back!

Robin Pae

I've been here several times and I think it's the best cafe in my town. Staffs are really kind, delicious foods (cabinet foods as well!) and overall price are very reasonable. Highly recommend.

Ishmael Chalmers

Lovely atmosphere, chill vibe, cool decor, great service and exceptional food and beverages. My partners mocha was divine. Her Bagels were okay but for such a simple meal par was missed on this occasion as the bagels weren’t toasted long enough - bacon and halloumi both great. My Big Breakfast with slight adjustments was awesome! I think it should be on the menu! You can name it after me if you like. 3 Sourdough Toast, 3 Poached Eggs, 3 Strips of Bacon, 2 Sausages, 2 Hashbrowns and a side of Hollandaise. Hashbrowns could have been better presented and soaked up a bit too much oil and the toasting of the Sourdough just wasn’t long enough but all 3 of the poached eggs were bliss and the hollandaise was on point. Highly recommend!

Kimwhittaker68

Amazing Service! Friendly staff!love this cafe! Food is amazing! One of the nicest cafes around. Ordered the Salmon Eggs Benedict on Kumara Hash! Amazing! Can’t fault this cafe. Will be back. A******

Delvene Brown

Been to this place a number of times what let’s it down is the fake customer service and delays with orders/food. Please upskill your staff with better customer service. Be courteous. And try to get orders right. I’d say get it perfectly right that would be too hard for you. Nai is the only real person there, love her smiles (that’s what the one star is for) Food is average when it’s rushed because it’s late. Waiting 50mins+ is a joke.

Y Anne

I've been here a couple of times, hoping that each time the customer service would improve as food is pretty decent. Do note that there's no table service here as you have to order at the counter and pay, find your own table and take your own water. All of these are fine by me, but staff here are rude and inattentive. The counter queues are always long and whichever staff taking the orders never seem to smile. Today, we asked the staff to help us clean up our table but no one came. We ended up telling the manager who served us coffee that our table has not been cleaned and he did it right away. Service at the Karaka branch is similarly poor. I think the management should rethink of a better system and do something about the poor customer service at both branches.

Foodie123

Cafe environment is nice, but service was average. Lots of staff walking around but no staff to greet us and take us to an available table. Didn't see a single staff after sitting down either. Breakfast food was alright. Poached eggs were over cooked.

Min Min

Another wonderful Cafe close to home :DDD AND they have Wifi! Very nice location, right next to Countdown and the gas station, finished my chores right after my Saturday breakie :P

Marcus Lau

Quite a nice and cosy cafe. Foods here are slightly above average with reasonable pricing. Customer service is fairly good. A good spread of cabinet foods. Food & Beverage : 6/10 Service : 6/10 Price : 6/10 Ambience. : 7/10

Mike E Kennedy

If you are looking for a great place for a business meeting North of the Bombay Hill, this place is perfect. There's plenty of spaces for one on one meetings or six or more to a table. The food is straightforward and tasty and the coffee is great. I left my hat there and they kept it safe and secure for three days - that's a sign of great communication in the service team...and the service was fantastic.

Vaqara_Kana

Lovely setting, friendly staff and coffee was good. Creamy mushrooms: mushrooms were perfectly cooked in a tasty creamy sauce, however the stale sour dough bread completely ruined this dish, so much so it couldn't be cut by the blunt knives. The bread was air dried rather than toasted. Eggs benedict: again stale ciabata bread and to add insult to the $19 price tag the poached eggs were over cooked with solid egg yolks. If it wasn't for the coffee, today's offerings would have scored a 1 out of 5

Marina :)

Food: I got the creamy mushrooms and oh boy. Not shy about portion size which is always a +++++ LOL. So yummy. The bread was amazing. My mum got the crepes and I snuck a taste and they were awesome too. Perfect for a sweet tooth! Drinks: I got a flat white and mum got a cappuccino. Pretty good, nothing too special but nothing to fault them on. Service: It was a bit confusing because some people were being seated but some people were just waiting. Easy to just snag a table and order at counter but a little more organisation might be good. Other than that the girls at the counter were sooo nice and polite, and the food was quite speedy for such a busy cafe!!! Overall; would definitely come back with friends or mum again for lunch or brunch! :)

Emily

We came here for weekend brunch and it very busy! (Always a good sign). Cabinet food looked delicious, but we ordered from the menu - Kids waffles, big breakfast (with all the usual suspects) and the salmon bowl with brocolli, edamame, teriyaki rice & wasabi mayo (as pictured). All the meals came out in good time and were delicious. The salmon bowl was particularly good, would definitely order again. Portion sizes are also very generous!

Moli Nhem

I have visited this establishment a few times, food has been consistent, overall good food but the brioche was a little on the dry side. Good coffee and smoothie

DC

Lovely find in Manukau, better than what you would expect! Loads of seating, inside and covered outside, with lots of food options. Great cafe ambience. Coffee rated at 3.8/5. Definitely recommended if in Manukau...wish they also opened for dinner like their Karbala branch.

Dave Koefoed

Came for a quick lunch with friends. Cabinet food looked really good , as did the food coming out from the kitchen. Friends ordered cake and coffees, we ordered paninis and a side of fries. The fries arrived in double quick time and were delicious, as was the aioli. The paninis were a different thing though..... 30 minutes later, asked where they we're, just in the press cooking, another at least 5 minutes later they arrived, supposed to be beef, but we were given chicken, sigh. Not happy campers.

Beccs

Great cafe with wonderful coffee 4/5!! Visited twice this week whilst out in Manukau only bought coffee but great looking food so will have to come back!

Sarina Tuihalangingie

Arrived on a busy Saturday morning, waited to be seated for quite some time, no one attended or asked if I was okay especially as I was carrying my 8 month daughter in a carseat. After being seated we ordered our food consisting of the crepes, the buttermilk burger (can't clearly remember the name) and the Mexican salad. I hate to say this but seeing as it was my first time here and seeing how popular it is, to me it was very average. For starters, the crepes almost tasted burnt no flavour except for the syrup, the burger was again average so to speak the sauce was bland and the salad was just okay. The presentation - lovely. It's difficult for me to say but I prefer Melba. The only thing lacking is the attentive customer service and flavour. I will be coming back to try other items on the menu.

Gem Hackett

Good food, good service. Chicken burger was really good, my partner was happy with his standard eggs benny with bacon!! Staff were really happy and friendly. The other reviews definitely reflect the secure and food here.

Thompson AJ

been here 3 times and it's my second favorite cafe. delicious food friendly staff and the nicest decor. eggs bene is my go to and have tried it with bread and rosti both scrumptious.

Johan Kauhega Milika Taumalolo

I really enjoy this place. Food is fresh, great value for money and most importantly food is delicious. Staff is great always smiling and helps you decide on what to get lol Thier fresh lemon, honey and ginger tea always tops everything of! Good place to start the day.

Adeline

I have not been to many cafes out South of Auckland. But the ones I've been to - good golly - they totally get the concept of 'value for money'. I ordered a large moccachino and my oh my I really got served a LARGE glass of it + 2 marshmallows - for the price of only nzd5.50 (which equates to a regular mocha in the city! ). The fush and chups were yum - love love love places that do a good batter - and their cabinet sweet treats were pretty impressive too. Great value for money, relaxed chic deco with enough nooks and crannies for quieter conversations to be had. Only problem is parking. Once their dedicated parks run out, you'd have to keep watch on your car if it's utilising a countdown parking space.

Lizzie

Looks like a nice cafe and was quite busy so we had high hopes. The cabinet food looked very appealing so I got a salmon tart except there wasn’t a lot of salmon in it unfortunately. The beetroot salad was nice though. My friends poached eggs weren’t runny at all and my other friends ordered the potato Rosti but neither enjoyed it, they said there was a funny taste like cardboard. Reasonably priced but unsure if I would go back after this experience.

Julz Robanakadavu

A Hidden Gem in South Auckland . My favourite cafe by far around Manukau and the food is always amazing. Highly recommended the Egg Bene and Us Breakfast 😍

Preet Singh

My first visit today, cafe is located in a weird location which is a bit hard to find. Cafe was busy and is well laid out with good retro interior, coffee was good but menu option were limited. The cabinet food looked good which I will try on my next visit.

Josephine Numanga

Food and beverages are so gooooood. Reasonable prices, Venue and location is perfect in the heart of manukau city. Heaps of parking and lovely service.

Stephanie Tan

BEST COFFEE IN MANUKAU!I haven't eaten here so I can't say anything about the food except that it looks tasty. I have had the coffee several times and can honestly say I haven't had better coffee in Manukau. The soy latte's I get are perfectly velvety and the espresso is the perfect strength. Arguably one of the best coffees in Auckland. Service is also very attentive and friendly. Keep it up!!!

Peneueta Willis

I loved it here, the service for me was excellent, the food was amazing and the ambience and very elite. It was in a weird location but that's the beauty of it, it's a hidden gem. Ambience was nice My husband and I have been there a few times and it’s always been an awesome experience the food is great Update: After a few years being out of the country, we have returned and were not disappointed. Standards are still up to par.

Jsun819

Ordered: Kumara Rosti with mushrooms Rolled oats Hot chocolate w/ almond milk Soy latte $43 Have been here a few times and have found every time to be very satisfied. Not only with overall service but the freshness of their ingredients that they use and the quality of food they serve. For me, a wide selection of deli on top of the full menu is definitely an important component of a great cafe and hands down they have nailed that. Lovely ambience and lovely furnishings, it's a definite YES for me.

Roger DD

First time here for lunch and was not too busy as it must be over lunch hours on a Sunday at 2pm. Have to say the staffs are friendly and attentive. We both had the chicken burgers with fries but the bun was a bit dried, the coffee was good tho.

Tara Sutherland

Absolutely delicious meals! The ambiance is loud and buzzing but the cafe is a little cold temperature wise. Still, the food is worth wearing an extra layer - and waiting 15mins for a cup of tea.

HJ

This café is probably a little out of the way for most but if you’re in Manukau it’s a good place to check out. This cafe has plenty of seating and has a nice homely, vintage feel to it. The crowd is a mixture of families, couples and travellers passing through. We visited on a Sunday for brunch and there were barely any free tables. They have a great variety of cabinet food for those wanting a quick bite. My partner and I both ordered the big breakfast. It definitely lived up to its name and was a generous portion. My partners poached eggs were cooked perfectly but I wasn’t a fan of my scrambled eggs. I don’t like spring onion, and to find there was a handful of them mixed in to the eggs was a little disappointing – if I had known I would’ve ordered without it. We both found the halloumi too salty but all the elements of the dish were good. The service was good considering how busy they were and they had plenty of staff on to prepare for the lunch time rush.

Miss M

They must be delusional to think that a grilled vegetable salad with grilled haloumi, grilled chicken, walnuts, cranberries and yogurt dressing equates to a bowl of baked kumara with undercooked panfried haloumi and pulled roast chicken from the Thai salad they didn't sell and a single walnut broken into 5 pieces, with no dressing. For $25, i am sorely disappointed, especially that they forgot to add the chicken. One single, lonely, point for good coffee, despite the dirty glassware that had to be sent back. This place has gone downhill the last few times I've been here. If you cant make it to specifications, then don't put it on the menu.

Mary Barnett

What a great find this cafe was! One of our number is Vegan and requires Gluten Free food and for once there was plenty of choice, something not often found in cafes. The waitress even came back to us to check if the coffee should be dairy free, which we had forgotten to mention. The food was plentiful and attractively served in a timely fashion. The Cafe itself has wonderful ambience and is a light and airy space, decorated with care and an eye for detail. It was also busy - a positive sign - and the staff were gracious and helpful. Will definitely return and bring visitors there to dine.

Brian Bonniface

Fabulous ambience and a nice place to have a coffee. Coffee good however the food when it first opened was sensational but after it became more popular the portions became inconsistent and the quality diminished to the point I will not waste anymore of my income there. They have opened another cafe in Karaka and the same thing has happened to that one as well. Its a shame because finding a good cafe is not easy these days. I do have friends that have been there and they have reported that some days its great and others really bad. I will not be back. Have been 6 times over 18 months.

Neelam Chandra

The interior of this place is really beautiful. Gives off a vintage vibe. The food however was average which is such a shame because I've heard such good things about this place. I ordered the classic eggs bene with bacon and it was really disappointing :( it seemed like it was left out for quite abit because it was cold. My egg yolks weren't runny unfortunately :( the hollandaise sauce was good but the balsamic vinegar added for presentation underneath the food made the dish taste sweet. The fries also didn't seem fresh nor was it hot. They looked incredibly crispy but tasted stale like they've been sitting out for some time and some of the chips seemed hard and uncooked :( such a shame because the seasoning was really good. The buttermilk chicken burger was okay but again nothing great.

Mysticmojito

Great option if you're in the area. I've found the service and food can be quite inconsistent, sometimes great, sometimes pretty average. Though generally a pleasant experience largely due to the well furnished, light interior. Decent cabinet offering and decent coffee.

Franhorsman

Always so slow last visit ever. Just watched eight takeaways walk out the door after we had ordered. Staff are always nice but ridiculous wait at 9 on a Saturday morning

Debbie L2

Eventhough the menu was a bit confusing the burger more than made up for it. It was massive and had everything i liked in a burger, avocado and chicken with some bacon. Good serving of chips.

LLK

This Is such a spacious and lovely cafe.Food was ok, loved the coffee! But it's so expensive for such a small portion! The smallest eggplant I have ever had....

DuckieLovesToEat

My sister recommended this place when I was visiting Auckland. The ambience reminds me of those French inspired cafes. The service was also pretty good. Being a person with sweet tooth, I had the homemade crepes with bacon, banana, maple syrup, and vanilla bean creme fraiche and trim flat white on the side. The food and coffee was good. I recommend this place if you are in the area!

Yu Jia

Love this cafe , top food quality with ok price , calamari salad is the best! Chicken salad, beef noodle very good, love the smoothies. Just a bit too busy

Asdf

My partner and I ordered rare beef noodle each, at $19 each the portions are surprisingly small and deceiving. Upon tucking in, we found that there was salad that was hidden underneath. The salad to noodle/meat ratio is amusing and a joke since the dish was described as a 'rare beef noodle bowl with chilli, garlic, rice noodles and black bean sauce.' The noodles were EXTREMELY SALTY to the point where we just ate the few beef pieces and left. Noodles were cold and hard and clumped together and glasses were dirty. Used to be a big fan of this place but standards have definitely dropped

Wayne Kerr

All white food, completely bland, overpriced by miles, definitely not to my liking and to the liking of many others. Definitely would not recommend.

Christine Alexandra Normansell

Yesterday i went there to get a glutenfree slice for my elderly mother, as we were going to a baby shower and i didnt want her to miss out on having nothing to eat for afternoon tea while we were there. I ordered it and two scones,which i paid for, when i got home only one scone was in the bag, I rang the store which went to answer phone, I explained I was not happy with the missing item and asked them to please ring me. low and behold no phone call has been received. I find this very dissaponting as they must have read their messages, its a simple thing to ring back.

I_like_pickles

Situated in Manukau in the Westpac building, this place can get super busy. They have an outdoor area and a lovely indoor dining area. Order at the cashier and take a number it'll be a lot quicker then to be waited on. Extensive cabinet food on display. You can choose to add side salads with the cabinet food. Reasonable pricing and good food. The chips are delicious. I highly recommend the chips. Fried to perfection. Crisp on the outside with a well seasoned coating. The milkshakes are huuuuuge. I got the spearmint and wasn't disappointed.

Momo

Their burger tasted okay, very busy during rush hour when I went. Took a good 15-20 minutes to order in the queue and felt a bit ignored. One of the better cafe in the manukau area for food taste wise.

Laurie

We have eaten at UrbanSole a number of times. To be honest it is really hard to fault this Cafe. Today we visited for a Sunday Breakfast - 6 adults / 1 infant. We booked ahead as we knew how popular the place was - the highchair was ready and waiting and we had heaps of room. The staff were (as usual) very courteous and friendly - is is nice to eat out and have young people serve you who are polite, ask before they lean in front of you and genuinely care about you and your experience. We had a variety of meals - Eggs Benedict with bacon (my favourite); omelette, mushrooms. Every meal was freshly prepared, well presented and tasted great. Of course the coffee and tea was also great. I would recommned Urban Soul to anyone for breakfast or brunch - I am yet to be disappointed.

Mareta Hunt

The vegestable souffle was amazing, tahitian lime soda was just right not too much zing and zang so all the food was delectable. There is a variety of areas to sit and it has a beautiful indoor outdoor flow. I really couldnt find anything bad about this place. I have been 3 times and enjoyed it each time

Louisa Plumpton

Urban Soul is by far the classiest and best cafe/restaurant and venue hire in Manukau. Great ambience, quality coffee, homemade-like baking and a wide range of tasty items from the cabinet and menu for the seafood or meat or vegetarian palate. It always seems to be packed in the weekends too so it might pay to book a table. Finally, great place for a private function. We booked last minute for a family event and were very happy with arrangements. Thanks to Tori and the team for an outstanding job - including preparation of special pacific island dishes for the first time e.g. raw fish, taro, panipopo (coconut buns) and koko samoa. Thanks also to Sarah for the live music, great solo singing - and she's the barista by day! We highly recommend as the go to cafe in Manukau and for venue hire. We will be back.

Michelle D

Don't know why it's taken me so long to write a review. Visited again this weekend....it's a fav of my husband and I. Love the food and there is a great choice both on menu and in cabinet. Staff are very accommodating too when it comes to special requests. Decor is beautiful and service is fab.

EATINGUPAKL On Instagram

Great local cafe! Menu is varied and isn't over priced. I like the atmosphere and staff are always very friendly. I do prefer this Urban Soul to the one in Karaka although they could just be finding their feet. A cafe I would recommend to anyone in the area 😊

Winnie Luo

A very nicely decorated cafe! It was a little bit confusing upon arrival as we weren't greeted by any staff so we were not sure where to sit as some tables had names on it. We people watched and went with the general flow of things after a while. Sunday breakfast/brunch mad rush! The coffee and food came quite quickly and serving sizes were generous. Plating of food was a bit odd, my partner's bigger meal were cramped on a smaller plate. I had an eggs benedict with salmon, eggs were done well, the smoked salmon fillet was nice but the wilted spinach was more like it was just dipped in hot water for a few seconds. My partner had the soul breakfast, everything was tasty except the haloumi which was abit too salty, not sure if it was the type they used or just a little too much seasoning. Still room for improvement but definitely a stand out cafe in Manukau! Coffee was nice and strong! Quite keen to return to try their hot chocolate and the large array of cabinet foods.

Jay

Been here a few times for coffee and cake. Love the coffee here. Went for lunch today and tried their salmon and kumara Rosti. Lovely dish and just the right portion size. Perfect amount of hollandaise sauce on it as well. We also had the salmon pasta. That was decent. Again well balanced dish just the salmon didn't taste as fresh. It was crazy busy as always. Good value for money and lovely decor

Holly D-T

Had a weekend brunch here as it was reccomend by a friend! Very busy so had to sit outside which was fine. Food came out cold and separate so not great on the service. Server at the counter was friendly and prompt with checking the order. Food was good but not amazing!

Where.iate

Was not expecting to find this gem of a cafe in Manukau, but oh how glad I was to do so! They offer both cabinet food as well as menu dishes. I'm not usually a fan of cabinet food at cafes as they are generally the standard wraps, baps, quiches, etc. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the range offered here. I chose the ready made salmon eggs bene from the cabinet and it was super delicious! There were a number of other items I wanted to try as well, but that would have to be done in another visit. We also ordered a large mocha and a small chai latte. Both were great! The chai latte I would compare to the size of a regular takeaway cup if ordering coffee. But the large mocha was like... those longest giraffe milkshake cups! Huge!

David LEE

i went to urban soul with my 10 friends. i was walking into the entrance and one of the staff kept forcing me to walk fast. also foods were not good to eat. foods not served within 30 minutes. waited more than 45 minutes. foods that somebody ordered came to our table. salmon was not properly cooked. and it was like lump of sugar. talked to the manager, but no sincere apologies. went home and started to have diarrhea. I will never visit that place again.

Belynda Hibbert

Really love urban soul. Great place to eat. I love their menu and consistent great service. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting somewhere out south nice to eat.

Sarah Allen

Great cafe with good quality food (menu changes often enough and great range of options) and beverages. Staff are fantastic and very friendly.

STRADS

Urban Soul is one of the more comfortable places for lunch in Manukau. Customers flocked in right after noon; service, however, still went fairly smoothly. I had a prime beef burger & chips & my wife had a ham & camembert quiche with salad and a brownie. Food was OK; too bad, coffee wasn't hot. (Food - 3/5; Ambience - 3.5/5)

Michelle

Had breakfast here with friends and family and it wasn't too busy. The staff weren't very friendly, or attentive. Four waiters on duty and we had to walk to the counter to get someone to take our order. The spinach on the eggs benedict was excessive and very watery which isn't pleasant. Otherwise the decor is very lovely.

Christina

I've been here a few times but sad to say I think the place is a bit overrated. The decor itself had a nice French antique theme, right down to the fresh flowers on each table. Prices are on the higher side compared to other cafes nearby ( even comparable to Takapuna prices!), and there's nothing too special about their ingredients to justify the price either (e.g free range eggs or bacon etc). I ordered an eggs benedict with smoked salmon, and a medium mocha. Eggs bene was $17.60 on its own, plus $5 for medium mocha. Coffee came after a few minutes wait and breakfast arrived a few minutes after that. Food looked amazing, but that's about it. The dish used herbed bread which was nice but the eggs weren't cooked enough as the egg whites were still jelly like, and they used whole spinach leaves including the stringy stems so it wasn't the most pleasant dining experience. At least the coffee was ok, if not a little burnt and small for a medium. The hollandaise sauce was really salty- nothing like traditional hollandaise at all. On the positive side at least they seemed apologetic about the undercooked eggs and recooked the meal. However for $23 I expected better than this. I was surprised to see how busy it was given my own lackluster meal.

Trish

Went here for lunch today, very busy every time we go there. Had the hot smoked salmon hash. It was tasty, if a bit low on salmon and not overly hot. Friend had a BLT and she really enjoyed it. Overall a great place for good food in the manukau area.

Chris Mcneill

Mothers Day brunch here. Easy parking, always a plus. Booked a table for eight, only informed it was outside on arrival but fortunately it was a lovely morning. Very busy but the service was really good, everyone served together and within a very acceptable waiting time. Order was correct which I know should be a given but often isn't . Everyone seemed totally happy with their meal. I went for the Bennies and bacon which was good although I did covert the smashed avo with salmon and will be trying that next visit. The coffee was great and I could understand why this place is popular. On a quieter day I would probably have wanted a second round but it was obvious that they were really busy although they never made that an issue for us.

Jayce Huynh

This is nice cafe for this side of town, the food aint bad and the coffee is good. We had the crepes and brioche french toast and they were tasty - especially the nutella on the french toast! the bacon/ham thing with the crepes were a little odd tho.

Bronwyn Koh

We love to visit Urban soul every once in a while for family brunch. The different areas in the cafe gives everyone a great range of options and ambience. We love the variety provided in the window options and how they change them up often enough. The Fish and chips are always a winner and is a staple item that we order. Only couple things is this time round the service wasn't as friendly or attentive as previous visits and the pasta sheets in the Mexican stack weren't cooked. Other than that, an enjoyable place to dine once in a while.

Natasha

Been here multiple times and I really like it. Foods pretty good, shakes are yummy. Sometimes it is hard to find a table because it gets really busy. But so good having a cute place like this out in Manukau.

Wanderlust

I have been here numerous times over the years, and I truly think the menu just gets better each visit. It is often quite busy with regulars and groups. The decor is just to die for!!!! French antique inspired. The food is relatively quick! It is served hot and is delicious! Quite hearty sizes often too big for me to eat. Also a range of beautiful cabinet food. The coffee is 5/5 which is consistent! I have never had a bad coffee here.

Jen Ibarra

One of my favourite go to cafés in South Auckland! Me and my partner went over for breakfast; he had the CLT with Coconut Mocha to drink and I had Salmon Hash with a large Mocha. We both enjoyed our meals. He said the chicken in his CLT was perfectly cooked, chips and sauces were amazing and his drink was unique :) my meal was very filling and hollandaise was perfect! Overall, tasty meals, very friendly staff and great experience :) definitely recommend to everyone!

SS

I was so so excited to give this cafe a go and I'm happy to report that it lived up to expectations. By no means is the food super exciting or creative, but they've got a decent menu with some delicious looking cabinet options. We ordered the BLT bagel and the bacon banana crepes and a carrot cake to share. All were served within 10 minutes of being seated, both warm and fresh. The restaurants decor is absolutely stunning and although I love sitting outside usually, I'd almost always pick a seat inside. Totally recommend this though! :-)

Diogo Reck

Beautiful trendy place in Manukau, spacious and with a pleasant open area. I'd be very pleased if the quality of food and coffee was as high as the place itself, but unfortunately it is not. Had a regular fish Burger with a dreadful sauce, and the French fries were only thing that really caught me. The coffee was sour, as average as the Burger. Besides that, they do things like varying bags of garbage inside the restaurant. Why not using the backdoor for that?

Paige Eriwata

Stoked to find a cafe of this quality in Manukau, the decor is beautiful and food is well presented. Found most staff good to deal with but encountered one rude waiter during our first visit. Food was great and reasonably priced, I recommend their berry smoothies and salmon dish.

Leanne Kumar

A nice place to have brunch and lunch. Great cabinet food and BLT :) friendly staff and nice environment. Food can take a while when it's busy though.

Rahera Cullen

My partner and I stopped in to urban soul for a quick bite to eat. Can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised at the food and decor of urban soul. The staff are open and friendly and the atmosphere is welcoming. It was a pleasant respite on an amazing Saturday and we will definitely be back.

Lucille Sia

Interesting cafe in the heart of Manukau. It's more of self-service. Basically you have to go to the counter to order your meal before you sit down. The calamari and spanish hash chorizo were generous proportion. Taste wise it was good but not something you would rave about. The interior decor was actually good, area was clean and has that homey feeling. Definitely worth a try.

Misty

Awesome cafe in Manukau! Food - We ordered the City Slicker, Sautéed field mushrooms, and Chicken & crispy noodle salad. They were all delicious, portions were big and were presented nicely. Coffee here was good too. Seating - Variety of seats to choose from, both indoors and outdoors which is nice. The cafe was a lot bigger than I thought, and spacious. Urban Soul has a very chic and modern feel, like a cafe in the city somewhere, not South Auckland!

Heather Sharpe

Had a lovely breakfast at Urban Soul, the food tasted good and was pretty quick, but the real highlight was the staff who were great when my 8 month old knocked my hot chocolate all over my food and the floor! They swooped in and moved us to another table and cleaned up, and brought me a new meal and drink. Such great service, would definitely recommend this place.

Judy Chhy

Food was really good! They have like small brunch dishes not really like big main dishes but I don't mind that. Interior is really nice aswell makes you feel at home. Price point is far defs would recommend this place if you're looking for a cute cafe in the manukau area

Jonathan King

Went for breakfast with my mom for the first time, and wasn't very impressed. I ordered one of the more expensive breakfasts as I was hungry, problem was it was served with the cheapest processed bacon you can get in the shops, it was almost an insult, bacon really isn't that expensive. Mom couldn't believe it either. At least the coffee is pretty good.

Irene

Food was real nice staff were good to nice open place modern design delicious lunch that we had I'll come next time to try out there breakfast and other meals

Jasmine Seutahi

One of my fav's in south Auckland. Food taste good, coffee was amazing. Surrounding was warm. Staff was friendly. So glad it's very close too us. Very busy though. Most times we have been was around lunch and breakfast. Doesn't stop me from going back.

Stephen Harrison

Beautifully presented food, relaxed, nice background music (a tad loud) and overall enjoyable experience. Definitely worth revisiting. Food was tasty and portions filling. Coffee... Ideal.

Barb&Ted

First time visit 2 this cafe very clean and homely atmosphere. Coffee good would prefer a larger size if availible. Meal more than happy well presented , great quality and quantity and fairly priced. Being a senior citizen would be great to have the gold card recognition. But great breakfasts.

Sarah Mellor

Have been here a few times always such a busy place. Food is pleasant and beautifully presented and drinks r good too. As usual we had the eggs bene mine without the bread, and its not to bad

Grace

I love love love the atmosphere of Urban Soul. It's a great place to have a catch up with friends and the food is served beautifully. I recently had the salmon eggs benny from here which was smoked beautifully albeit a tad dry but lovely just the same. Only issue is that drinks always come out after food which can be a tad inconvenient when you're waiting for food but also waiting for your coffee. Other than that Urban Soul is a great place in South Auckland and would definitely recommend! Also they are pet friendly if you're sitting outside !

Karen

A nice little local spot, with a lovely outdoor area and very modern decor. In quite the unexpected place, I never would have thought of coming here but I was recommended by friends and was quite impressed. Lovely presentation of food. I ordered the corn fritters and they were really good, I've had terrible corn fritters from other cafes that were soggy and just hard to eat. But these were prefect, accompanied by a nice salad and of course, bacon.

Travels4Food

Beautifully cooked linguini with capers, olive, sundried tomatoes and chicken. Classic flavour combination and tossed through with pesto and sliced chilli for a hint of heat. Nice ambience too.

Kim Ormsby

Came here for lunch yesterday with a frown, place was super busy, lovely friendly staff, we placed our order and our meal was out within 10 minutes. Beautiful tasty meals, I had the Chicken Chilli Linguini and my friend had the Lemongrass Chicken. Coffee was nice. Will be back! Fab place!

Georgia Forde

Been here a couple of times for work lunches and it never disappoints. Lovely atmosphere and friendly staff. All the food looks incredible and I cannot fault any of my meals here. Definitely a great place for a delicious brunch or lunch!

Mat

The decor of this place is rather modern and sophisticated. Therefore, this cafe is perfectly appropriate for corporate gatherings or group gatherings with friends. The coffee here, not the greatest. Selection of food, good. Service, attentive and friendly. Try out their raspberry chocolate brownie.. The middle part is nice and gooey - just like how it should be :)

Stephy_NakiGirl

Urban Soul is a regular haunt but I was interested to try a few new things on their menu. A favourite - the Lamb Salad, was no longer available (such a shame). A friend tried the mushroom risotto and added prosciutto - he gave it 4/5. Yummy with a nice balance of flavours. The prosciutto added a good flavour to it although vegetarians would not be disappointed. I tried the linguine with pesto - added chicken. Also very yummy with all the tastes & textures. Slightly too oily but pesto can do this sometimes. Coffee was perfect as always - I don't like to add sugar to coffee as good coffee shouldn't need it. This is one of the few places where the coffee is reliably good regardless of the barista. My friend also ordered one of the cakes from the cabinet - very nice too with a side of yoghurt. I have tried previously their muffins & brioche which are always yum. I don't like their bagels as much as they are thin & tend to dry out when toasted - this could be personal preference but I like bagels still soft in the middle.

Food For You

Urban soul is a cute little hidden cafe in Manukau City. I visited Urban Soul with my partner on my birthday for brunch as I had heard some great reviews from friends and also it was far away from Westfield (bonus). The flow and ambience of the cafe was relaxed and quiet, the staff were friendly and took our orders almost immediately. I ordered Eggs benny $16.80 and my partner B.L.T $17.50 with a hot chocolate beverage, both meals were visually inviting and I couldn't wait to taste. My partner said the B.L.T was nice and light, bacon crispy and tomatoes and lettuce fresh. The B.L.T was cut into club size and skewered and served with fries. He said overall it was a good breakky. I had the eggs benny which unfortunately we're not that great, they looked fine at first but the eggs had stringy egg whites which should of been removed and the focaccia was soggy due to the excess water from the poached eggs not worth $17 at all. Overall the experience was average and but I won't go as far to say I would never return but if I do I won't be ordering eggs benny.

Joy

Had a quick chicken avocado sandwich and mocha today. Let me tell you I have been going to this cafe from more then 2 years now . Never had any complaint . Service and food is great. This cafe has a class that's why it has won so many awards. Highly recommend but make sure you allow yourself extra time when you go there as there is always a Que. outside to get in ....

Amber

The food is usually above average although some things look a lot better than they taste. Caters to a wide range of dietary requirements. The brownie I had was divine, the slice I had last week less so. It would be worth investing in training staff a bit rather than relying on a fabulous decor, nice food and a lack of competition for miles

Kelly Koor

I requested The below: A toast with a poached egg and Avo for $18.50? Sorry urban soul it's definitely overpriced. A fair price will always get the customer back.

Will Scalioni

As I live in Manukau I can tell it's the best "european cafe" nearby. High quality food and very well prepared. I get a little bit frustrated when I get some coriander by mistake as I hate it! But now I ask every time before I order. :) The cronut is sinfully amazing.

Candii Cao

Very busy cafe. We came here for lunch on a week day and we all ordered from the lunch menu. Our food took around 20-30min to cook. The food was very delicious and fresh. I ordered fish and chips and it came with a very unique sauce. My friend was gluten free and the waitress made sure her order was indeed gluten free.

Naotiaatiana

I didn't feel so guilty when I ate the Stuffed Kumara, it was simple, flavourful and a healthy option. It's definitely worth the try. The price wasn't too bad either. The blueberry tea cake was also a great addition to my hot chocolate. Awesome service too!

UltimateOmNoms

With the decor being so clean, modern and classy – I’ve had numerous recommendations for this cafe for my lunchtime escapades in Manukau. While it was busy, the owner made the effort to come by our table to make sure the food was ok. The Thai prawn noodle fritters were delish! Something different outside of your cafe food norm. As the owner explained, she gives the chefs room to experiment and this goes to show what trust can do for creativity. The combination of the fragrant herbs and mango slaw was spectacular. The mushroom risotto was a treat. The consistency wasn’t too soft, something I’m always wary of because it can wipe out all texture in the dish. The olive oil gave it a smooth viscosity, so pace yourself while eating this or it’ll get rich too quickly. And of course, a getaway wouldn’t be complete without something to takeaway. I was spoilt for choice at the cabinet options but “old fashioned cheesecake (not cheesecake)” caught my eye. Indeed, it was more of a sponge inside. Food was a little pricey for the region but the quality of food and service makes it worth it. I wouldn't think twice about going back.

Monique Porteous

This is THE spot for breakfast in the south Auckland region! The restaurant is an absolute dream - I wish my house was as beautiful inside as this place is. The staff are ultra friendly and always put a smile on my face no matter how early I've woken up for brunch! The service is fast and the place is very clean. It gets really busy at all hours of the weekend though so make sure to get in early. The food is a little pricey but for the product you get it's totally worth it. Try the crepes if you go there, they are the best item on the breakfast menu in my opinion.

Cherryll Thompson

Although the place is beautiful and the staff are super friendly and pretty cool. The parking sucks! Strict parking limits and set places to park for the other businesses make it extremely difficult to actually find a space, when you do the time is limited which mean you do have to watch the clock and ensure you are done in the designated time frame. Pretty stressful when all you want to do is relax or catch up for business. Despite the parking limits I do find it a pretty wonderful cafe in the middle of Manukau.

Selma Baqi

This is the first time ive been here and i reallu enjoyed it. Food was great. Great service. Will definitely be back again. I had chicken with lemon grass and pears and chia seeds cake. very delicious

Kylie Graham

First time visiting and it was extremely wonderful the setting and decor as you enter the place sets the mood for a comfortable meal. The food is amazing and the staff have an upbeat attitude totally will be back for more food #NomNom

Miss Alesana

I love this cafe and will find any excuse to go here! The meals are great. My favourite are the crepes! It's a really nice local cafe and a good cafe can be hard to come by in Manukau. The staff are always friendly and I love the atmosphere. It's elegant and clean and really nice. Just got check them out!

Jess Pendergrast

Great cafes are hard to find in South Auckland so I was delighted when I came across Urban Soul. A friend and I decided to meet there for brunch on Sunday morning. Urban Soul is a lively, modern café located in the heart of Manakau. When we arrived the café was full of people but we still managed to get a table inside. The décor is clean, white and classy and there is plenty of outdoor and indoor seating. There is lots of free parking which is always a bonus. We decided to order from the breakfast menu but there was also a huge selection of cabinet food to choose from. We waited for about 15 minutes but then realised that we had to go up to the counter to line up and order. I ordered the poached eggs, avocado and smoked salmon on gluten free toast ($15) and my friend ordered the smashed avocado on gluten free toast with buckwheat and feta and a side of roasted tomato ($16.50). The poached eggs were perfectly cooked but the salmon was slightly dry but it was still really yummy. I think that the food is high quality for South Auckland but if I had received this in the city I probably would have been more disappointed in the salmon. Overall we were both impressed Urban Soul – well-presented, delicious and good value meals. If you are in Manakau, definitely check out them out,

Jimmy Ho

We ordered off the breakfast menu recently. Great flat whites with no acidity (the best I had in the area). The breakfasts are presented well and were very delicious, we order the salmon hash and Spanish breakfast. The Cafe does get quite busy and so there was a wait, but the service was overall pretty good.

Sandy Nguyen

Quite a busy cafe but it's so good to have a nice cafe I can go to locally! The food was amazing, I had the Spanish hash and it was heaven on a plate lol literally. would definitely come back to try other dishes and their pantry food!!

Ceciline Thai

First time here this morning and enjoyed ourselves. The service was great and food came out surprisingly quick! We got the eggs benedict which was delicious a part from the fact that a piece of the bacon was burnt and not edible. The CLT was really good, especially the fries! Great large portions :) definitely will be coming back some time soon.

Mike Birmingham

I've been here about 4 or 5 times now; and have always had excellent food. also great service, and great environment to eat in. why can't all coffee places be like this one. another added bonus is it's near to a $2 shop so i can always buy some new jandals when i wear the old ones out.

Brenda Phu

Upon entering this cafe I feel like I'm going to brunch with Carrie and the gang. This cafe is a lively, modern eatery located on a busy public road. The service is excellent adding to the smart ambience. I always pop in whenever head to Manukau. This morning I ordered the steak sandwich with caramelized onions and fries. The food was superb with every element seasoned perfectly. You get great value for money as this place is priced like every other cafe but with better food and service. I would definitely recommend this cafe to everyone.

Jo Y

Was great when they opened as first decent cafe in the area! Good selection of cabinet food and menu to choose from. Standard cafe fare with ok service and usually fairly prompt if you are there for business.

Big Cheese

Food is excellent! Very busy restaurant but still no excuse for not clearing tables and leaving it for customers to do so really took the gloss off the place for us. Decor a little pretentious but the fast service and quality food make up for it. The place even manages to attract a few celebrities so all and all I'm happy with the place and will return and recommend to others just deducted a few points for house keeping , not a good look leaving empty tables covered in dirty cutlery.

Brendan

Pop in early Saturday morning with my friend a chef from the hip group to have breakfast and coffee. Metro rate this place as the best in South Auckland we had to try it, the places looks great and cabinet food looks good but it ends there. No greeting from young staff who look more interested in chatting to each other, we decided to order baked eggs, bacon egg beni, and two flat white. What i got in my baked eggs was a joke a fried egg on top, 2 sliced of Prosciutto that had tiny spots of moulds on it, with about 90% kibble wheat a little spinach and maybe a teaspoon of tomato sauce.So pretty much dry on dry food with no seasoning, I asked my friend this must be wrong we look in the kitchen to look at the chef, he look very frustrated and angry, all I had was the fried egg and the coffee. The young staff clear our table did not asked for feedback as our plates was hardly touch. Some part of me was so angry i paid over $ 40 for the food and coffee and left hungry and frustrated, my friend and i worked in cafes this is not the best cafe in South Auckland.

Lemonslimesoranges

Lunch date here with a gf yesterday. Went during a very busy lunch rush. Parking was a hard to find and was told to just park in the supermarket parking. No probs here, it's a short walk. First impressions was that it was very packed and alot of people as I walked towards it. Always a good sign. The decor is classy and tasteful and a really nice light environment. We found a lovely table outside. I ordered the eggs Benny with salmon, frozen orange mango drink and a caramel slice. All delicious. Eggs were poached perfectly, sour dough bread was on point and the hollandaise sauce was well balanced. She ordered the mushrooms with parmesan on toast and she throughly enjoyed as well. I am not from South Auckland and the first time I've eaten at a cafe or restaurant put there and I would return to eat there any day. Recommended!!! Ps - we were there for a couple of hours and despite the business the staff were tentative and polite. Big thumbs up!!

Alicia Birmingham

Been here 4 times now. Good pricing, good service and good food. When my dad and I want to eat out for breakfast/lunch this is usually our go to choice now .. ? would happily eat here anytime

Renee Stringer

i had a bacon and mushroom fettuccine which was yummy it was packed wen myself and a few friends went along, most of us ordered from the menu and i think a couple had stuff from the deli, coffee was yummy too!!

Chloe-Mae

Came here for a work lunch! Was great choice off food fast and cool watching the planes come in while eating :-) nothing to fault with this place only reason I'm. It giving a 5 as I didn't go raving about it to friends after :-) but will be back for a family brunch some time soon

Graeme Foster

Just had a Sunday lunch, and it was great, friendly staff, good food, and reasonable price. Had the calamari dish, and it was the best cooked calamari I have had, tender and juicy. Great all round experience, and will definitely be going back. It was busy, however didn't have to wait long for service, or getting our meals.

Kalo Senefili

The place looked nice . I was hoping the cabinet food would look more inviting. A more rustic cabinet with yummy goodies in it would be good . The decor is awesome . The food wasn't too great but the fabulous lady who served it to us was so lovely. She must have been a manager. I think if you teach all the staff awesome customer service and re do the cabinet food it would be even more successful.

Heartshrooms

This place is the local gem of Manukau, it's always busy and has a beautiful interior. Despite living close by, it's not a place I frequent because I've been three times and each time, I've had average experiences. It's confusing when you walk in- I THINK you're supposed to find a table and then line up to pay for your meal, but the staff aren't that helpful in acknowledging you when you enter and informing you whether they're booked or not. The food is okay, high standards for Manukau but not really compared to other areas.

Vanessa

Amazing food with beautiful decor. Finally a great cafe in the heart of Manukau city. No longer have to go so far for a great cafe. There is always a good crowd there.

Updn

Yes, finally an upbeat well presented cafe in the heart of Manukau city. Not only that they have the look and vibe, their food and pricing were equally attractive. This cafe has become so popular that you may need to make a booking during its peak hours. They have a wide range of cabinet options as well as their standard menus. A very balanced range from light to hearty food to suit almost everybody. I was impressed the wait in queue and food were quite short given the place were packed. The standard were consistent throughout the three meals we've ordered and the service timing were spot on, well managed. They have heart in their choices of ingredients, it was well thought through. The only thing I recommend them to improve is their car parking chaos during peak hours. Other than that, I'll definitely return again and again. And very intrigued to come over for a dinner session on the exclusive Friday hours.

M Hamadeh

Order the Mexican breakfast!! You will not regret it. MINUS THE BACON!!

Cain Anderson

Something a little different for my review - They need to make entrance way bigger, not just a single door + change the bar area to the 2go coffee area to eliminate everyone congregating around the cashier waiting for there coffee as it gets heavily congested in the mornings. Food good, Service great A++. Enjoy visiting but the entrance and thoroughfare always annoys me.

Sharon

As a group of four we enjoyed a pleasant brunch on Sunday, we had finished our meals and been there for approximatley an hour and were just chatting about having another coffee, when the waitress approached us asking how much longer we would be at the table as she had another group waiting for the table. Talk about feeling like we were not wanted, even if we were going to have more coffee so we got up and left feeling our nice brunch experience had been tainted. The food was great but basically being asked to leave tainted the experience.

Dale

What can I say, found this place a while ago and made this our regular cafe spot. Hot, strong coffee , awesome cabinet selection both sweet and savoury. But what my wife and I like the most are the staff. Genuinely nice people . Hard yards working in the weekend i know, but for us we have always received a smile and a friendly hello when ever we have come in. Worth a crack if you haven't tried it.

Mary

I didn't think the coffee was that good but the food was good and the service really good so it was an experience I would like to repeat.

SteveHampson

I work at in Manukau and one thing that has being lacking is a local quality cafe. Urban Soul has arrived and saved the day! Consistently providing friendly service the staff are fantastic. Food is fresh and a wide variety too so there's something for everyone. Great coffee, Eggs beni with runny yolks and a slice of ham as well as bacon fantastic. The lamb salad is very good too. Nice clean environment, clean toilets and outside sheltered areas too which is great if you've being inside at work all day. Great work guys keep it up ! :)

Ncazza

Wow one of the busiest days of the year, Mother's Day and Urban Soul was a fantastic place to have a late breakfast. Our table was reserved and we were all seated and served promptly with hot drinks arriving shortly after ordering. All meals were served at the same time - perfect presentation and meal sizes. One very satisfied table of seven. Very orderly and very well organised for a busy day, but no rushing of customers or the feeling of overcrowding. Congratulations to Management and your staff. Nothing is better then being greeted with a smile and a can-do attitude. Another lovely visit - will most certainly be back for more :) :)

Jesse James .

The cafe looked beautiful. It was so so busy and you could not move which made it really hard to get around. We were seated (waitress pointed at the table) and the waitress said she would bring menus. She promptly forgot. We had to go back inside and get the menus ourselves. We waited for 15 minutes, and had not been served. Our friends arrived and informed us that you have to order at the counter even if you are ordering from the menu that the waitresses give you at your table. It would have been really nice for the staff to tell us this so I did not have to sit there literally starving for an extra 15 minutes. We went to the counter (to the back of the long line) to make our orders. We were told that there was a 20 minute wait with food from the kitchen, which was really good of them to have the courtesy to tell us that. The food (in the menu and in the counter) was all very expensive. It was ok, not the best though. I will most likely not return. I will stress though that the young girl serving at the till/counter was very good. UPDATE FEB 2015 I went with work people and it has improved a lot :-)

Winston

Had only heard about this place from friends so wasn't expecting much but was impressed the all round look of the place. Coffee was prompt and food we ordered from the menu was class, lamb salad was cooked perfect medium rare, partner had scallops which were also epic, staff were really friendly and I overall felt welcome definitely will pop in for my morning coffee before jumping on the motorway to go to work on Monday. New favourite cafe!!! No 1 cafe in South Auckland

Rvaldes *

We have recently moved to Manukau and being unfamiliar with the area we checked out Menumania for a recommendation. This cafe has been overrated in previous reviews. Coffee was fine, but the corn fritters were without flavour, my husband's French toast overpoweringly sweet and on top of that everything was overpriced. Would recommend purchasing good quality ingredients and cooking for yourself at home rather than visiting this cafe.

Lara Wills

Update to my previous numerous visits. The service in Urban has taken a serious dive. 8 of us went for breakfast last week. The only table large enough to accommodate 8-10 people was being used by a couple. I moved a table to make a large enough table to seat us all and was told off by a surly blonde staff member with black rim glasses. She pulled the table back and told us to sit at a table in the middle and she would bring us chairs. Then walked away and ignored us. We tried to cram all of us with our coffee and breakfasts onto a tiny table. Not a fun experience. Thanks for that! Returned this morning for a coffee. After 20 minutes of waiting gave up waiting and asked for it takeaway. The cafe wasn't even a quarter full. Tables were left uncleared. Shambles. A 20 minute coffee wait is not cool when you're not overly busy. These last two visits have left me disappointed. I've been a long time supporter of urban soul but sadly this cafe is failing on the very thing it used to be praised on. Game lift needed. Oooooh Urban Soul, pride of the south. This is the best cafe in the hood. Consistently fantastic serivce, good food and good coffee. Have been here 50 odd times and have never been let down. A great reliable cafe with lovely friendly staff. If you're in Manukau give Urban Soul a shot. Well worth it

Lois Hawley-Simmonds

We always go to this cafe so much so I am taking 4 other hungry teachers there today. The service is fast and very pleasant. The menu ranges from low g.i to the most delicious food from salads to fish and chips (fantastic by the way). Just love the ambience and the owners are happy chatty people. You need to try this place people. Best cafe in South Auckland by a LONG shot!

Ginny Marr

By far the very best cafe in South Auckland! Can get extremely busy, which on occasion has affected the level food we have ordered. But, they have a massive, wide range of cabinet & menu food available. Heaps of yummy cakes (the best date & orange scones around!) The coffee consistently good & the service, though not outstanding is always friendly. A lovely cafe, my favourite!

Diiya McCaw

I love the location but find the food average to below. I love the service so don't change that because you guys are awesome and are way above average in that department. The food however is not great. 4 pieces of calamari on a plateful of salad is not a calamari dish but a salad with a side of calamari. It as tasty though. You have a great set-up and have got all the right elements. Make great food not just good and you will rock this city. Good luck. And looking forward to giving you a better review one day.

Dawn Smith

My husband and family have been visiting Urban Sole at least twice a week since it opened. We have found the owners and staff friendly and very helpful. An abundance of choice on the menu, and food and service excellant. Friday evenings great and nice to have some entertainment for special occasions.

Justine Green

I liked the decor of the place but found it noisy and very busy with a long and slow line for service. Food was only average, bit disappointing over all.

Melli B

This is an outstanding eatery in Manukau. In fact, I think its the best cafe in Auckland for food, coffee, customer services, surroundings and atmosphere. It ticks all the boxes. This is now a regular weekend fix for my husband and I.

Maree

We come to this Cafe every weekend early in the morning, last weekend and the weekend before we have been very disappointed with the meals. two weekends ago we had scrambled eggs it was so small it wasn't even funny last weekend we had pumpkin soup which we had to ask about twice how long, and both time were told it was coming, we asked for our money back the young lady working there, she went out to the kitchen to ask if she could give us our money back and was told by the owner no as she was getting it for us, at that stage we had waited a good forty minutes all up, sorry this is not good enough when people who came in after us got there meals first. Very sad not good service, there's a very good saying if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen and let others in who can.

Alicia

Stopped in for a takeaway coffee after seeing the reviews on here and was quite happy with it. Friendly girl on the front counter with a brilliant smile, even first thing in the morning! I must say the cabinet food wasnt all labelled, they had a gluten free slice on the same plate as a regular slice, and did not offer coffee cards. The place was also quite hard to find but I would go back and recommend to others

Jan Hare

Went for Sunday breakfast on the recommendation of a friend. As our family is from the food industry it is difficult for us to go out to eat and be entirely happy. However, we loved it. The menu was great (a little different from most other places) the service pleasant and prompt and the coffee fabulous. Thanks everyone at Urban Soul, you all rock.

Cherie

Nice cafe and friendly staff. The food was pretty good and the coffee quite enjoyable.

PK Pop

This is a great little cafe. Nice surroundings, great staff and lovely food. It is also very easily accessible from the motorway with plenty of free parking. This is really the only decent cafe in Manuaku. Only slight negative...it is a little expensive but hey you get what you pay for and in that sense it is certainly NOT 'OVER priced'.

Noelia Gonzalez Quiñones

The place is really nice and it was very busy when we went in for lunch. The waiters are also very friendly. However, I didn't find the food great. I had the summer pasta for lunch because I LOVE pasta, but this one didn't taste nice at all and I had trouble finishing it. My friend didn't think her meal was anything special either. Overall not a good experience, as the dishes were overpriced and not worth what we paid for.

Nathan Dunn

Great coffee, tasty food, central location with plenty of carparks. Free Wifi makes working remotely a breeze. Highly recommend, no good cafes in the Manukau area until this one came around.

Rosemary Couper

Really enjoyed the set menu deal on Friday night. Food was excellent, service was friendly and efficient. Lovely live background music to set the mood. Would thoroughly recommend Urban Soul to anyone.

Judy Dransfield

This is a really awesome cafe. The staff are friendly and efficient, pleasant and knowledgeable. The food is really great. Quite a different presentation of some old favourites, like berry muffins. Delicious! The venue is light and airy, but make sure that you give yourself time - not that the service is slow, but that the seats are full most of the time! Worthwhile waiting for a seat.

Sherill Macfarlane

Yay, this has been my new local since it first opened. Friday nights are great for meeting up after work and the music is great. I have introduced so many people to this venue! They all love it! Best option in Manukau City for a perfect coffee and sensational food. Good work.

David Boshier

A very modern light and airy environment with plenty of parking. The food was very good and both of us their low GI option and they can make a decent coffee. Service could have been a bit quicker however we were in no rush. A great place for coffee in Manukau.

Thea

I love this cafe. Stumbled in 4 weeks ago for a nosey and Ive been 3 times since and bought my birthday shout for the office just today. Im a bit fussy when it comes to eating out, but this cafe is a welcoming oasis in Manukau. Homemade muffins and slices gobbled up by the team. Coffee great and bought out of the cabinet on lunch visits. Please don't go Urban operators.

Ligi

Urban Soul atmosphere - feels like you've stepped into a home away from Home filled with friends family and love ones. You're greeted with a warm genuine smile from staff, I love their Fair Trade coffee made exactly how I like it - (mocha half strength, extra scoop chocolate) Homemade scones / healthy choice - awesome selection of food. My favourite place for business meetings, family time or catching up with friends... CHECK IT OUT when you're in Manukau!!! GREAT space place for "urban souls" to RE-connect.

Nicola Hoogenboom

Excellent weekday coffee, great sweets, good cabinet food, but the menu food is expensive and trying too hard. The best in Manukau, and would be slightly above average in the city.

Amy @ My Dining Journey

Great cafes are not hard to find in Auckland as we have such a huge variety of choices that can be found throughout Auckland. Although there are a few in Auckland CBD that I love and praise, my local cafe - Urban Soul - will always be my most frequent spot for a lazy Sunday brunch. Located near a series of shops, Urban Soul has plenty of free parking, hence, reduces the stress of hunting for a parking in the middle of the town. A perfect way to start a Sunday morning. It has plenty of indoor/outdoor seating and the dining room has a mixture of different eclectic furniture with some semi-private spaces created by clever furniture arrangements. They have an all day breakfast menu that serves the usual, bacon eggs benny ($16.8), homemade toasted muesli ($10.5) and omelette ($17.5) as well as some interesting and different dishes such as homemade French potato cakes ($15.5) and a low GI breakfast with a vegetable tagine ($16.9). They have a lunch menu that offers steak sandwiches ($20.5), fish and chips ($17.5) and grilled lamb salad ($18.5) as well as salads, paninis and sweet treats in their cabinet. Because I'm a frequent patron at Urban Soul, I've tried many of their dishes throughout the year and it's safe to say that their food is consistently good. Their coffees on the other hand, can be a hit or miss. Several times, I have been served with luke warm coffee. So despite getting consistent quality from the kitchen, the same can not be said regarding the baristas.

Review Urban Soul - Manukau