MELBA Ellerslie — Restaurant in Ōrākei

If I could give a half star, I would. I used to frequent this place when I lived in Ellerslie and how times change. firstly the service was 3rd world like; the waitress. Didnt understand her own menu, as to what was gluten free or could be and what wasnt. I'm afraid there was very much a major communication break down. You do pay for what you get in life, but Melba still seem to be charging top end prices and cutting quality of service. She was generally rude, did not take the order with ease, did not ask how the meal was (just basic stuff), which leads me to my next point, the meal I originally asked for a big breakfast. As half of it would need to be taken out as was not gluten free, I asked if they could 'replace' it with anything. I've never had a cafe say no. It was a no in this case. Shocking but not totally surprising given the service from the start of sitting in this ridiculous cafe. I ordered eggs benedict. The gluten free bread option was almost uneatable. The eggs were watery and the hollandaise sauce lacked any flavour. My friend had this 'dish' or slop to better describe it. He felt the same. the coffee was terrible. Fortunately we are blessed in NZ with great coffee. This coffee tasted about as bad as it can get overseas. I had an almond latte. Flavorless and although it was meant to (and I was certainly charged for it) have 4 shots, I could have sworn it had 2 at best. One of the worse some $56 for two substandard meals which is putting it politely; with service that lacked any effort or manners. You guessed it - recommend spending your money elsewhere. I'm not one to leave a review normally so it has to be pretty bad or really good for...

This is generally a good cafe with only the usual minor issue like a hash cake not being heated through fully. However, today I received very bad service when I requested Creamy Mushrooms on toast but asked for my bacon to be substituted for an ingredient/s to suit my vegetarian requirements such as spinach or tomato. The first waitress said it wasn't possible unless I removed the bacon and purchased the items as a side, so I asked to speak to her manager who then gave me the same message or an option to build my own breakfast from their sides but couldn't explain the portions, then implied my request was basically unreasonable. I did not have the time nor the patience to continue this debate so I stood to take my business elsewhere. At this stage the 'manager' insisted I wait to speak to the real 'manager'. I won't be returning anytime soon. Sierra around the corner has a menu that does the trick and has superior customer...

If you're looking for a top-notch cafe experience in Auckland, look no further than Melba. As someone who spends a lot of time working from cafes, I can say with confidence that Melba is the cream of the crop.

First and foremost, the food is absolutely outstanding. I've tried everything on the menu and have yet to be disappointed. The eggs Benedict on potato crispy goodness, Caramelized Omelet- A God like creation! OMG! But let's talk about their chocolate brownie, I think it might have been made in heaven, it's that good. It's the reason I'm gaining weight!

But what really sets Melba apart is the staff. They're some of the hardest-working, friendliest people and the owner is an absolute sweetheart - as sweet as that chocolate brownie I keep raving about!

I can't recommend Melba cafe in Ellerslie highly enough. Five stars, no...