Culverden Hotel and Cafe — Restaurant in Canterbury

The Culverden Cafe is a homely place. Nice enough but could use a little more TLC in the outside seating area and toilets. It has a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. Reasonable prices with $12 lunch specials and all-day cooked breakfast from $20. The food was tasty and in good sized portions. The service, in our experience, was not so good unfortunately. After ordering 2 lunch specials and a brownie on the side, we took our number and sat outside as there was a large group still finishing their meals inside. About 25 minutes later I went to check on our food, was told it was just being cooked then and would be out shortly. It was another 10 minutes until our meals arrived, but missing our dessert. We ended up getting the brownie to go as we left. The young lady serving at the counter was friendly and helpful when we ordered and very apologetic about the wait. I think maybe they were a bit short on staff as she was serving the bar as well as the cafe and there looked to be only one chef. I work in the service industry and completely understand how things get forgotten or delayed sometimes, so I'm not holding it against them, but the slow service is still worth mentioning as an area for...

Great friendly staff, great setting with a lovely court yard. I came on the hottest day of the year. The host brought out the big fan in the lounge to compensate for the air con not working. The bed and breakfast was basic, but still good value for money at $65/night for a single.

To improve the experience, I would add a chair and a table in each room and add fruit and yogurt to the breakfast menu of muesli corn flakes, pop corn, milk, toast, spreads, tea, coffee, Milo. Maybe even supply a few eggs, bake own bread? Also, use a metal kettle, not plastic. Going the extra mile goes a long way to add a good impression.

It was not clear where guests should eat their breakfast.

The hosts should consider adding a kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, stove and table and chairs for overnight guests. It would be quite easy to do, to improve the experience. Maybe there already was one, I just want aware of it.

Alternatively the breakfast could be kept in the main lounge and guests should be informed they can eat their breakfast there or in the court yard.

I'll be back again, for sure. It's a very nice place and great service. Thank you for your kind hospitality. Keep up the good work. God...

Our group of 6 decided to grab a bite at the Culverden Hotel. The vibe there was totally chill, and the staff couldn't have been nicer. Although we couldn't snag a spot outside, dining indoors was still pleasant. We ordered burgers, chips, salad, a "ribeye" with salad and chips, and chicken schnitzel. Sadly, the food didn't quite live up to our hopes - the chips were lackluster, the steak was too thin, and the pepper gravy was a bit congealed. The burger patty was a tad greasy and overwhelmed the bun. On the bright side, the beer was icy cold and refreshing, and the overall atmosphere was fun. We might consider giving this place another shot, since some of the other dishes looked promising, and the $1 childminding service is a practical touch...