Retro Espresso — Restaurant in Māngere-Ōtāhuhu

I visited Retro Espresso on 10th September 2025 around 8:10am with a group of friends. We ordered about 6–7 coffees, spending around $48. While waiting, a man behind me politely asked if he could place his order first since he was rushing for a flight. I agreed and tried to pass the request on, asking the lady at the counter if she could take his order before ours.

Her reply was: “you know, you don’t tell me what I have to do.”

That was unnecessarily rude. The man was embarrassed because I was simply trying to help him, and I was the one who ended up facing the rude response. He shook his head and left without ordering. It was uncomfortable to watch and left a very poor impression of the service.

I know they have cameras, and I hope the owner checks them. At the end of the day, it’s the owner who loses business because of this kind of customer service.

The coffee itself was nice, but the way customers are treated matters just as much,...

I have always come here for a coffee when at the domestic terminal. Last week I stood behind a man who ordered his $5.50 coffee with three sugars. I next ordered my soy flat white and was charged $7!! When I enquired about the cost she said soy was an extra $1.50. This is pretty outrageous especially considering soy and dairy milks are now almost the same price. I will be buying my coffee elsewhere from now on. The coffee was lovely but the price...

Had my first NZ flat white here, I was impressed then, but I hadn't tried anywhere else. Today, nearly 2 years later I repeated my order of a FW and a Berry Custard Muffin (for nostalgia's sake) and enjoyed both immensely... so don't think it was just rose-tinted taste buds first time round! BONUS: usually much faster than the AllPress bar inside the building.

P.S. The prices are totally fine by NZ cafe...