Orange Cafe — Restaurant in Manawatū-Whanganui

Visitors from out of town on a first time trip to Whanganui. This Cafe had a great location, enticing cabinet selections and awesomely unique decor - loved the walls and variety of seats.

Service at the front could have been friendlier, 'lighter', and being on our way to appointments, we specifically asked if the food would be quick, " yes, two minutes to warm", so we purchased two salmon quiches and coffee to go.

Unfortunately, the food took around 15 minutes, the barista was socialising and happily mingling with customers, which was great and warming to see - though we were is a rush! :)

In the ended we couldn't eat, as the food came so late and was too hot, so our food waited in the car for 2 hours until we could finally eat.

However, the coffee was sooo good, I returned for another on the way out of town, though had the same mediocre service at the front. I was grumpy from my first experience, but still made an effort to be a friendly customer... to no avail.

Will happily return when I'm in the area, but will make the time due to the leisurely vibe, and won't expect smiles - except from the...

We popped in here on way up to New Plymouth a couple of weeks ago now. . They had a cabinet food option at the front of the cafe and then you go through to a large room which looks like a bar running down the side...perhaps it was a hotel at one stage. Anyway the food was great, the atmosphere was really interesting.....lots of orange colour .... hence the name. One guy serving, the one with the beard, was just so friendly and warm, we felt really welcomed by him. Another server, bought my coffee, a woman, not even a smile. My wife noticed the beard guy being very helpful to a large group who came in and could not find a table, and he welcomed them in and sorted out some chairs and a seating arrangement for all of them. Just proves the old hospo saying you should not work in a cafe unless you like smiling and helping people. The guy with the beard was just so much more friendly than most people are. He must be the owner I thought. Then I though again he might not. Just might be one of those guys who likes helping people and creating a...

I first visited this place in 2022 (before making the move to Whanganui). The eggs benedict was delicious, service was good and so was the coffee. The decor is fun and the outdoor area a bonus; the building is a historic beauty, beautifully restored.

Since 2022, I have visited here on 5 other occasions and unfortunately this place has lost it's appeal. The service is average, the cabinet food is below substandard. I had the pistachio slice which had an odd gooey - gluey thick texture, not even a hint of pistachio flavour. (one bite and left the rest on the plate). Beef sausage roll was an after thought for the baker - lasagne mince wrapped in pastry, there was more pastry than beef so it was very tasteless; the best part was the relish they sparingly smeared on the side. When standing at the counter trying to make a careful food choice (based on past experience here) I noticed the custard slice was not fresh. The custard filling was very dry and cracked - a sign to most that it was time to bin it 3 days ago. The Orange has...