Review Barista - Palmerston North

Now I really wish I asked the staff who served me his name. He was super friendly, informative and proper when serving. I was given suggestions and information about the amazing mural (which was painted for over 10 years bit by bit by the original owner who sold to the current owners. It's considered a local treasure and has to be preserved forever 😊) despite he looked busy he did not rushed serving me at all and I was served tea in a super cute Victorian cup that I loved. He must be one of the fukltimers as he was working from morning till afternoon, helped me with change for parking and even suggestion a nail salon that I'm definitely trying next time. Thank you to him for being awesome! 🌟 My vegan meal was delicious!

First time here... Came in for Breakfast, had the best Fresh Toast and Moccha. Thank you, guys. Had a great time...

Nice, very quick friendly service. I ordered the vege breakfast and it was perfect.

Very nice cafe, they still serving brunch in the afternoon. Coffee was all right, food was all right. But the service was good. The great weather combined with the street view plus the stylish renovation just gives you a special feeling. We had a meal when we dating today. Was a nice time.

Fast, efficient service. Good quality food. Wait staff were well presented, helpful and friendly. Barista is popular, so there were many people charting, but it still feels sufficiently private at our table. The mural and artwork give Barista a lovely ambiance. There are also 2 clean, unisex, accessible toilets for customers. Thoroughly recommend 😊

We had a family breakfast to celebrate Fathers day. A wide range of diets catered for- vegetarian, keto and gluten free. Great tasting food and good portions. Great service.

Absolutely Fabulous food. As good as any restaurant in Auckland or Wellington right here in Regional NZ. The Fish of the Day (Terakihi) pan-fried beautifully and the Crispy Condit Duck Leg was positively delicious. We'll have to head back again, soon.

Lovely busy cafe on a Saturday am. Clear signs of Level 2 outside & inside as well as staff smiling to request all customers to register on their Covid19 app. Bright, Sharp & clear paintings around the cafe. Quick orders after browsing the brunch menu. Food served about 15min later. Succulent juicy beef cubes, browned white mushrooms, grill chicken breasts, black olives, crunchy bread sticks. Good coffee & ice blend mocha came with a scoop of ice cream. Good ambience despite the busy social distancing crowd. Ample paying street parking

10:10 Perfect Cappuccino. Perfect temperature, texture and taste. Had extra large Cappuccino in a bowl - Awesome. If you enjoy great coffee - this is the best in Palmy - Highly Recommend.

Barista do the most excellent fillet steak we have ever had at any restaurant in NZ. My only gripe is women get a smaller steak if ordering than any male at the table. Why is this.? We all pay the same price so expect identical meals.!! This has happened over several visits and not a ‘one off’

Went for a simple coffee date with my hubby. 5 star for being open for coffee after 3pm! All other cafes closed by 4pm. Didnt order food but will be back for a proper dining soon. Mocha was very nice too😉

Brunch menu looks better than lunch menu ! Have a good atmosphere and wide seating area. Large portions. Food took a while but good service.

As usual the food and service lived up to their fantastic reputation. Confitt duck and pork & sage meatballs , roasted potatoes were divine. The chef catered for special orders. The desserts were above and beyond. Amazing size portions. The lemon cake was divine, carrot cake and sticky date delicious as usual. The atmosphere and staff service made it a lovely evening.

Three of us called in for an afternoon break. We received a friendly greeting, we ordered, and were served at the table quickly. The tea was in proper pots, and proper bone China cups were used. The food was delicious, and in generous portions. It's a very pleasant place to be, with character, and atmosphere, great staff, and best of all, you get a proper cuppa.

This is a great spot with options to sit outside or inside. The staff is very hpful and the menu is varied and very tasty. I had the breakfast and it was a great start to a Sunday. This is a great place to socialize with friends and family or grab a nice bite by yourself. The staff are extremely competent, friendly and the food comes out quickly and is well prepared. Highly recommended if you are dowtown Palmy!

Came here for breakfast with my son. The Eggs Bene were delicious and the egg yolks were done to perfection. The coffee was excellent as well. Thanks guys!

Enjoyed my dinner. The staff made us feel welcome, were accommodating and very helpful. I'm going back again next time I'm back in Palmy

Great food as always. Staff were very friendly and the coffee was heavenly

A friend of mine from palmy recommended this place for brunch, it was funky! Loved their breakfast and coffee. Great atmosphere.

I ordered a mocha and the Chocolate was shaken all over the cup and plate. We waited for the waitress to take our food order but I ended up ordering myself. I had eggs benny with a side of roasted tomatoes. The tomatoes were watery and just warm. I didn't eat them. At no point did anyone check on the meals. When I went to pay I told the cashier about the tomatoes but he just said I should have come up and told them during the meal and that they don't check the meals during breakfast. The eggs benny were good.

Wonderful lunch yesterday. The chicken salad was to die for and the latte bowl was the best coffee I've had in NZ

Can't get any better than this in Palmy. I've since moved out if the country but often find myself longing for the great food, great atmosphere and great coffee. When I return home for a holiday, Barista will be in my list to visit.

We absolutely love Barista and is our favourite eating, going for coffee or just popping in for a dessert! David makes us feel amazing every time we pop in and the atmosphere in here is always so inviting! Shame to only give Barista 5 stars as is worth so many more!!! Keep doing what you guys are doing �

The atmosphere, food and staff are amazing. Excellent coffee created too. The waitress Amber is delightful always ready with her beautiful smile and good at her food recommendations�

Nothing short of perfect! High tea with a group of friends was amazing for a winter Sunday afternoon. I highly recommend it to all😀

Another great meal and a good recommendation on the wine always worth a visit

The food was excellent. We had one exceptionally good waitress, but the second one wasn't as great.

On our recent trip to the windy but wonderful Palmy for the National Young Performer Awards we were on the hunt for dessert. We were encouraged by the diners out the front of the café to go inside you won't be disappointed! Well that was an understatement! Not only were we accommodated without question (a party of 10!) we were also entertained by a very talented lady who then graciously shared her audience with our tango dancing girls. Haven't laughed so hard in ages. What a perfect evening it was. Our waiter was outstanding and his recommendation of the creme brulee did not disappoint. Easily the best dessert i have EVER had! Thank you so much for the most amazing evening!!!

Best Hot Chocolates in Palmy Friendly people and beautiful walls

Very unimpressed with the service we received last night when we came in for coffee. The two young waitresses were very abrupt when it came to us ordering and when we finally finished our coffee and we're ready to eat something the food was good but take more care in what people order for, as one of the meals you obviously weren't listening to what she said. You also forgot the glass of wine.!?

Love the food, the venue and especially the service. Thank you to Dave and the team...always have a new fave meal :)

Simply stunning food! It doesn't get much better and excellent value too... will be back for sure!

My wife's review.. The best cheesecake I've ever had. And I have had a few. The cheesecake peanut butter flavour combinations were sensational. Love the chocolate in the cheesecake. Love the fact that the cheesecake was fresh.<br/>

Had ratatouille for lunch. It was so tasty &  the feta pillows on top really elevated the dish. Service was efficient and friendly. Staff clean up straight away after customers leave, so everything is always clean & tidy. Coffee was so good.

Good for brekkie; but not many veg options on the evening menu. The staff are generally friendly and the setting is pretty quirky and cute. Worth a visit.

Love this place. My new favourite. Coffee is great, food is great and the atmosphere is lovely (perfect place to study with my laptop). Did I mention the coffee is great??? Most of the staff are really good. Only thing I'd change is the music, it's a bit weird haha. But I dig this cafe 😀

This has been my go to cafe living in palmy I was introduced by a friend and since then have taken many people with me. Let's start with the coffee, it is the best coffee in palmy for sure the service is friendly, went so regularly all the staff knew me. Their food so the dinner menus are devine, lunch looks average and breakfast/brunch menus definitely need tweaking. However overall I've been going to this cafe for years and love it

One of the better places for coffee in palmerston north. small portion sizes but good taste. However got eggs Florentine and salmon was far too acidic/lemon added even in the sauce as well, it overpowered everything and made for an unpleasant flavour on a favourite.

This place is my breakfast favorite in Palmy and as usual I ordered my usual, eggs benedict with salmon, with a Roobois tea to try. <br/><br/>Food arrived promptly without too much waiting, and the staff were very welcoming and attentive, but not overly so either. The tea was different, slightly floral flavour and I think I'd personally brew it a bit stronger. However the eggs benedict was delicious. Slightly lacking in hollandaise sauce but they were more than happy to provide more for me. Served hot rather than lukewarm unlike most places, and the homemade hollandaise was yummy. Food portion size was about right for price too. <br/>Overall would definitely come back again and would recommend to others too.

Stopped by for breakfast here a few weeks ago.  Ordered the Corn Fritters and Coffee.  A bit disappointed on how little was on the place for the price.  Anyway, the Corn Fritters were nice and light with a good tomato salsa over it.  Wish it was served with Avocado as it was in season and some coriander and spring onions.  It was a good breakfast but it wont fill a man stomach.  Coffee was good and the waiter was nice and friendly.

A busy café on George Street. Great service. Odd decor but a good ambiance. We went at lunchtime. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of interesting meat-free options. I thoroughly enjoyed the Moroccan cauliflower; great flavour combos, available in gluten free option and leave off the feta if you need dairy-free. Good coffee too.

Been here for Brekky a few times now. It's nice to be greeted by the friendly staff and invited to sit down at the table to have your order taken. Also one of the few places that almost always repeat your order to make sure you get what you've asked for. The food is good value for money and the atmosphere is relaxing. Just what I need on a Saturday morning. <br/>

I've been about once a month over the past year and Barista is consistently good. I've eaten a broad array of the menu and while the food is generally tasty, it's the desserts that stand out. Also the coffee is great, someone cares about coffee in this place, that's for sure, probably the best coffee I've had in a cafe in Palmy.<br/><br/>The only thing I dislike is the noise, the acoustics are terrible and this is something many independent cafes and eateries suffer from, whereas the chains understand it and do something about it.

Barista has a casual trendy feel to the place. Came here with 20 people for a work function on a very busy night. The waiting time for everyone to receive their meals at about the same time was a little long. .Staff were helpful and returned to ensure we were happy with our meals...FOOD. Beautifully presented. We heard no complaints about anything any one had selected from the menu. Our meals were skillfully cooked and delicious.Returned two hours later after attending a theatre production. Coffee's and slices/cake served promptly after orders placed.

Popped in for lunch on a short weekend trip to Palmy (from Welly) and was pleasantly surprised with this cafe.<br/><br/>The coffee was reasonable (compared to Welly cafés).<br/><br/>The service was quite good with attentive wait staff which is a real bonus.<br/><br/>I love the artwork on the wall, really makes for the ambience and mood.<br/><br/>The menu is really varied which is awesome, especially if you are gluten intolerant and I decided to go adventurous with the quinoa, thyme and garlic cakes. I love the idea of something a bit different but unfortunately I don't think it was quite balanced right; it needed to be more balanced with some acidity to balance the nutty flavour. <br/><br/>Overall it was nice but with some tweaking to the menu, it would be amazing.

Great place for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We have been impressed with staff hospitality. They do our favorite coffee – L'Affare. Great coffee and delicious food.

Not too bad... We ordered soup of the day which was fantastic, the Mediterranean meatballs, and the confit duck leg. All the portions were very generous in size, and reasonably priced. The meatballs needed a little more dressing to bind the dish together, and the duck was a touch overdone, but nicely seasoned. The service was casual, but friendly.

A very cosy cafe to go too. The fries and chicken filo are amongst the best I've ever had. The cakes and cheesecakes are enjoyable and look devine. Drinks are rather pricy compared to other places. I love the mural on the wall, there's always a new picture that you find each time. Staff are attentive as well.

Come here mostly for their desserts, their desserts are great and never failed to satisfy my sweet tooth. My favourites so far are the raspberry cheesecake, trio slice and the banana kahlua slice. Staff are very efficient and mostly friendly but lacking the 😃 on their faces hence the lower rating.

the atmosphere is great. the lights however are blinding! I had a chocolate nutty slice from the counter which was scrumptious in its small size. the coffees came out almost as soon as we sat down! service seemed good. I will be returning.

We had enjoied a fabulous brunch at Barista Cafe. Notice by the best cafe of Manawatu, which were making a brillian coffee, taste smoothy and tempreture were just perfect. Food were quite a big amount and presentation looks delicous.

Fantastic. Had a quick bite here after a morning at the Rugby Museum and enjoying the square. Food and service were both absolutely amazing. Would definitely recommend the calamari salad. Very well done!

Just finished another great meal here, this is the second time we have had dinner here and both times the food and service were of a high standard, the duck and eye fillet are both very nice and the duck fat potatoes are beautiful.<br/><br/>We went to Barista tonight 20/2/15 again, and again it was excellent I've put my rating up from 4.5 to a 5 where i should have put it after my last visit. The service couldnt be faulted the maitre d' and waiter were once again very friendly and attentive.<br/>The food was again delicious we had the eye fillet and scotch fillet for mains and prawns for an entree everything was cooked perfectly, there was no chance of fitting in a desert after the mains so we got some baked cheesecake to take home which I have just finished as I am writin this I've never had mango cheesecake before i loved it.<br/>Will definately be back again and highly recommend a meal here.

Had a fantastic sunday breakfast.  Really hit the spot!  The girl who served us was friendly and very patient.  There is some really cool (slightly crazy) art work that the owner has doodled on the wall.  and some funky show style lighting that they have.  The only let down was that the coffee wasn't great.  Milk was a bit bubbly and didn't appear to made with love.  Otherwise, great!

Great food, great service and love the unique vibe !!!

A group of us went to Barista before an evening wedding. I hadn't been to Barista before. Everyone enjoyed their meals, the restaurant had a nice feel to it and our waiter was very attentive. What prompted me to write a review was that our waiter checked how long we had to eat as he guessed correctly that we might have somewhere to get to. We only had an hour and a half to eat, which the waiter said was possible. He let us know if there was anything on the menu that might take a bit longer and true to his word, we'd had starters, drinks and mains and were out of the restaurant on time. Impressive I thought, especially for a busy restaurant. We'll be back!

We visited the Barista on a Sat late January 2014 and I was very disappointed with my meal and the service we received.<br/>We were visiting Palmerston North and were taking our daughter out for a treat.<br/>It was not treat for any of us this day. The music was so loud that we could not hear each other talking and after asking for it to be turned down, we were told that it was up to the manager as to if this could happen. It didnt and by the time I had asked we had placed our orders. Had I not placed my order we would have left to go elsewhere.. The restaurant we not particularly busy when we went in however it soon started filling up. Once more guests arrive the music was finally at a reasonable level.<br/>I did not particularly enjoy my meal although others at the table did.<br/>I will think twice before returning to dine in this restaurant.<br/>I have visited on previous occasions and everything from service to meal was excellent..... maybe you were all having a bad day?

I had the pleasure of visiting Barista tonight while in town on business. <br/><br/>I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, and was very impressed with the friendly staff - it's not always pleasant at a table for one but I was made to feel most welcome.<br/><br/>A good selection on the menu, I opted for one of the light meals - a Beef salad which came with a good serving of tender beef, perfectly cooked pumpkin, on a green salad with cherry tomatoes, a zingy basil vinaigrette and some delicious grilled haloumi to top it off, accompanied by a nice Emersons Bookbinder for good measure. I couldn't resist my childhood 'Barista Sundae' for desert.<br/><br/>For a characteristically quiet Monday evening, Barista was humming with energy with a near full house, yet the kitchen still managed perfect timing of my food and drinks, not once leaving me to wonder if I'd been forgotten.<br/><br/>It's a shame John Cleese didn't make it to Barista on George, as I'm sure had he, he would have dramatically changed his infamous comments on Palmerston North. Barista is an asset to Palmerston North and one of the reasons I keep coming back.

Lovely place, the chef sure knows what he is doing. We had the pan fried fish and the steak both of which were perfect. Nice atmosphere, we were a wee bit cramped but it's Xmas so to be expected. Definitely recommended. Good quality food.

My wife and I accompanied my grandparents to Barista on Wednesday the eve of 13th November for my grandmothers birthday. We were a bit apprehensive at first due to a couple recent negative reviews on this website and also my grandparents very 'traditional tastes'. However, we had little to fear as the food and service was fantastic. Every meal was perfect and the deserts were divine. Additionally, the coffee was very good. It can be hard to find really good coffee in New Zealand but whoever was at the helm last night made a pretty good brew. Thank you for a very enjoyable night!

A wonderful place for the artistic soul! The wall is painted by one of the owners and it's amazing. Get a coffee and a slice and stare at it for hours. Also they play really funky jazzy styled music. On Sundays they have some real talent singing. Reasonably priced and good quality food. My one minor complaint was that they don't give you a steak knife to eat your steak with. Otherwise, love it!!

We dined here last night (01.10.2013 at 10pm), and usually the service is amazing. <br/><br/>But I have to highlight last nights terrible service. <br/><br/>When we arrived we stood waiting to order for a few minutes, while the male waiter appeared to be organising the till. When we finally made our order we asked about the food on display, and if the cake could be turned (in the cabinet) so we could see it better. Upon this request, said male waiter grunted and sighed at us. After making our order for a slice of cheese cake, a slice of chocolate cake, a lemon slice, hot chocolate and glass of Pinot Gris. We didn't wait too long until the cakes arrived. <br/><br/>When the remainder of the order had not arrived, I then went up to enquire about it. He then proceeded to roll his eyes at me, coupled with yet another sigh. It was clear that he'd forgotten to make our hot chocolate, and that of a friend who'd been waiting for same amount of time. We did not receive an apology, and then when the wrong slice arrived, the male waiter proceeded to argue with me about my order. As if it weren't enough for him to be arguing with me impolitely, it was in fact the arrogant tone and dismissive service which is truly unforgivable. If the cafe were busy, we may have been more understanding. But there were only 3 other tables of customers who'd been served.<br/><br/>Finally, I would like to add that the female service attendant was very polite and apologetic.

Love going to Barista.<br/><br/>Always welcomed with warm friendly smiles by staff. Damien makes the best coffee, cause coffee lovers know that there are not a lot of Great Barista's here in Palmerston North. Love the food and the atmosphere.<br/><br/>Awesome Barista team!!!

Visited Barista yesterday with a friend. Had the worst coffee I have had in a long time. <br/><br/>Atmosphere was enjoyable and staff were friendly.

Went in for lunch and ordered the chicken &amp; mozzarella panini, very disappointed it came to me very soggy, most likely was put in the microwave rather than toasted, the chicken was bulky and very dry and chewy, being hungry and with limited time I just ate it and left. Very disappointing and not a good start especially when it's the first time.

Went to barista had the salt n pepper prawns, they were yum, was served with a salad, which was a handful of lettuce, nothing else no dressing. My cutlery had food on it. Bit disappointing. However the coffee was great.

Always our favorite hang out. Awesome atmosphere, great service, wonderful food and the best coffee in town.

Awesome high tea, a real treat. We had booked a large group and couldn't fault the service. Music was excellent and food YUMMY. Hostesses were fantastic! Loved the teacups! Such an array. Will definitely be taking others. Have been before and once again I wasn't disappointed.

Fantastic afternoon of fun, food, entertainment and service on a Sunday afternoon - it was an enjoyable step back in time to an earlier era - staff were friendly and accommodating, music provided a great background, food was divine and I can't wait to go again. It was well worth the trip back to Palmerston North to be part of a fantastic evening.<br/><br/>Can't wait to go again, and also sample the other menus and the jazz evening. Well done Barista ...

Delicious mouth watering food and fantastic service by all staff, and owners too. High Tea on a Sunday afternoon is just amazing. Our every need was met, staff constantly checked we were happy with our drinks/food, and the atmosphere was friendly and lively. The Silver tea service and fine bone china is just lovely to see, and use. The Raspberry tea is divine, considering I'm not a tea drinker. Thank you to the friendly and efficient staff, everyone's neat and tidy appearance, and the convivial atmospehere of their cafe - we had a great time. Their friendliness and willingness to go out of their way ensures you enjoy your meal at Barista. Would highly recommend this cafe.

Delicious food all round. Shared the salt and pepper prawns (wish I'd got one all to myself, very yummy) although could change the dressing it came with. I had the salmon main. Very excellent, loved the wasabi sherbet. My friend had the Scotch Fillet and enjoyed every mouthful. I wish we weren't too full for dessert because their extensive range on the menu and in the cabinet was very tempting indeed. Have been here a handful of times and have loved it each and every visit.

I really nice Cafe, top notch food , service and surrounds, will be back.

This is the cafe you go to for great service, especially since they have hired a new guy at front of house who is so switched on! He's fast, friendly,and has a great manner with customers and knows precisely what is going on in the restaurant/cafe at any given time. I hope you are getting paid heaps as you are a real asset! The food is always great - the slices are a little large and clunky for my liking - maybe the size could be cut down a little and keep the price the same as they are very reasonable compared to other cafes in the area. Hot chocolate is variable which is a pain as I would go there more often if it was consistently rich with lots of foam. However, these guys have their act together though and offer a High Tea on Sundays (way cool!), and artist/owner painting on Saturday evenings (quirky and fun!), and live music at times as well.

Coffe, food and service is always great

Have been coming to Barista now for a long time and it never fails to give me the best cafe/restaurant experience in Palmerston North. <br/><br/>Staff are so friendly and welcoming which is complimented by the inviting atmosphere. Service is always quick and efficient and you can't help but feel you're being given "special treatment" being a regular. <br/><br/>My most favoured aspect of Barista cafe is the wonderful selection of gluten and dairy free options. I am both gluten AND dairy free and thought I could never enjoy a good brownie, cake or slice again. Thank you so MUCH barista for allowing me to enjoy eating out again without feeling like its a hassle!

Arriving in Palmerston hungry and tired on a cold, wet holiday Monday evening isn't good for the soul. We didn't expect to find much open but when we found the chip shop on the edge of town had run out of fish, we crossed our fingers and drove to George Street. <br/>Shining like a beacon were the lights of Barista. Tentacles of music and conversation reached our ears and as we opened the door the warm atmosphere hit us. We were seated straight away and provided with water and menus. <br/>Steve (the owner) took our order for drinks and recommended a Pinot gris I hadn't tried before. Even though the place was packed (and he'd made over 300 coffee before lunchtime!) he took the time to chat. <br/>Our food was hot and nicely presented, the salt and pepper prawns are to die for and the rocket salad was zingy and fresh. The crème brûlée (my personal benchmark) was fabulous and a gorgeous way to end our meal.<br/>We've been to Barista for lunch and coffee before and it's always been busy, but to find it has atmosphere in the evening and good, quality food makes this place rock!<br/>We dined out the following evening in an up market (with prices to match) Wellington eatery and we both preferred the food and atmosphere at Barista.

Agree with other reviewers, this place is really special, new owners deserve a pat on the back and a busy cafe, well done!! Very consistent menu, great warm and proficient service, nice eclectic décor and delightfully kooky owners. I would place this establishment in the top three places to dine in Palmerston North.

We went to Barista yesterday as it was my birthday. I ordered the beef salad and my friends ordred the steak and fish. We were all very happy with our meals. My salad was the best I've ever had (no exaggertion!!!) Atmosphere great. Service awesome.

Good food, fun atmosphere, great company. I think the best food so far in Palmy.

My favourite cafe/bistro place in Palmy

My husband and I have eaten here 4 times, and each time it has been exceptional. The roasted garlic &amp; whipped butter on the ciabatta bread is to die for! And the mains are cooked to perfection. We eat here every time we are in Palmerston North.

Have been going to Barista since it opened. Has fabulous food, a nice ambience, friendly staff etc. My partner and I eat there often and take visitors both from Aotearoa and overseas - feeling confident that they'll enjoy their meal. They often get quite smart with unusual little additions e.g currently got Maori potatoes and have had pikipiki, freshwater crayfish etc. as a nice NZ touch. Would recommend to the Palm North local or visitor as a definate good place to eat. Tino reka te kai! Penny