Powerhouse Cafe & Restaurant — Restaurant in Canterbury

My partner and I came here for breakfast two mornings in a row during our stay in Hanmer Springs for our 10 year anniversary. The food was divine, their poached eggs are the best we have ever had. My partner had the big brekkie both visits, and myself the eggs benny and kumara corn cake stack. Highly recommend all 3 dishes, they were plated beautifully. We also tried the carrot cake and hazelnut cup (pretty sure this was vegan!), they were yummy too. They have plenty of gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options available both in their sweets cabinet and the menu. They make their hollandaise sauce in-house, it contained wholegrain mustard which is something we'd never encountered before and it was delicious! Coffees were really good, they have sugar and equal packets on the tables as well as chocolate powder and cinnamon which was a nice touch, as partner and I love our mochas loaded with chocolate. The inside seating area is a bit pokey with not much room to get around the tables but there is only so much that can be done with a small interior space. There is plenty of outdoor seating with outdoor heaters and blankets in winter. The service team were friendly and professional. My only suggestion is to have outdoor speakers for music as it was a bit quiet and awkward, especially sitting amongst the other patrons. Overall, we really enjoyed our visits...

Wow, I was starting to think Hanmer was becoming a place of mediocre fried food joints and greasy cafes until we found Powerhouse. An exceptional place for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or just a coffee and cabinet food. This place isn't just a standout in Hanmer; I'd rank it in the top cafes I've ever visited. Love that the emphasis is on locally grown and in-season produce, with plenty of options for those with dietary requirements, not to mention fair trade coffee.

My eggs benedict was incredible, the best I've had, and the gluten-free platter my wife ordered was a massive eye-opener. As was the French toast and pancakes for the kids, with plenty of fruit. A huge relief from the [insert battered food] and chips kids meals of everywhere else in Hanmer! Great value for money as well.

On top of all that, the service was great. Lots of friendly help from the young lad and the staff all walked around with smiles on their faces, as you'd expect given the place they work for.

We'll...

Pretty underwhelmed. The staff looked exhausted and beyond caring. It must have been a long and busy holiday season. It was a shame as the menu looked quite inspired and tasty however the meal (brunch) was a disappointment. The bacon was very unevenly cooked, the beef rissole and potato cake where cold in the middle with the scrambled eggs being the only highlight. The kids pancakes looked like like they were from the supermarket and heated in the microwave, they were rubbery with little flavor. My son did not enjoy them and ate less then half of the 4 medium cakes provided. The accompanying fruit seemed rather old and even appeared to be moldy (see picture). The coffee was good. It is a shame because the meal looked really good but seemed poorly prepared and was quite a disappointment. A nice environment and decor but the tables outside had old food all over them. A disappointing end to a otherwise excellent stay at...