Brigittes Merivale — Restaurant in Christchurch

Yet another brunch/late night option in Merivale. While it's best to make a booking, there are plenty of tables inside and out that walk-ins in small numbers (2) should be fine. We made a booking and were seated immediately at a cute little table overlooking the patio seating. The cafe is cute and no frills, but offers a full lunch menu (after 3pm, and looked amazing) and serves breakfast until 3 pm.

Our coffee orders were taken immediately and water was brought to the table. We waited for over 10 minutes for our coffee to be served (one barista making coffee for the entire restaurant = sleeping zombies grumbling at tables) and for our food order to be taken. Finally someone came to our table and we ordered pancakes (with bacon, cream and strawberries) and the Big Breakfast (tomato, mushroom, bacon, sausage, poached eggs, toast, hashbrown). The food was served much quicker.

The Pancakes: large and fluffy (looked whole wheat maybe?) slightly overcooked for my taste. Not enough syrup (and I don't even care much for syrup) but the bottom pancake was soggy with a concoction of strawberry juice and syrup. The bacon was cooked perfectly and the cream pairs well with the pancakes if you're not a big syrup person. Very filling meal.

The Big Breakfast: The sausages were spicy for my palate, but someone with a (American) southwestern flare will love them. The bacon was cooked perfectly and the eggs were poached to perfection. I didn't try the toast, hashbrown (golden brown and crispy), tomato or mushroom as it wasn't my breakfast, but my husband cleared the plate.

Overall, the food is slightly above average but no stand-out to the rest of the options around Papanui Road. The service could have been slightly more efficient, but with only one barista and a small service area, that would be hard to change. I won't rush back here for breakfast, but it definitely is a decent option if you want a quick and filling breakfast. I'll update again once I try out...

Wonderful breakfast! Went along at suggestion of a coworker, and I was very pleased. Nice cosy layout, casual & friendly staff and delicious food.

I had the French Toast, but swapped the bacon for the potato stack. A VERY generous serving of French toast with blueberry compote and a tart and extraordinary lemon marscapone.

The French toast also came with a dusting of Cinnamon sugar, which added that little extra complexity and joy to the dish, but if you're not a sweet tooth, you've been warned!

I have to make a special mention for the potato stack. Layers and layers of crispy potato. If you love potato in any regard, you HAVE to get a side of potato stack. I promise you will not regret it. I would happily have 3 sides for a naughty breakfast or dinner!

I'll be back, and with friends next time!

Only downside at all was it doesn't seem the most accessible space if you're in a wheel chair or mobility scooter. Some tight spaces, tricky to get to toilets and a step at the shop entrance. Hopefully something that may...

i am disgusted with what happened with bridgets yesterday. i had called and made a booking for 9 people the day before for a last minute late lunch with some friends at 2.30. when we all got held up by 10 minutes at 2.40 i got a call from them saying that since we were so late the chefs were waiting around for us and we were wasting there time stating that they could of closed earlier. they close at 4. this was horrible. they lost a whole lot of money and the lunch that i had organised was off. i couldn't believe how rude these comments to me were. they told me "we actually wouldn't like you to come due to you holding us up". it was 10 minutes people are sometimes late. if you want ok food and horrible costumer service then this is the place for you. I've been there many of times before and the service is always the case. bridgets treated me rudely and unprofessionally and i would never want to support that...