SURF ROAD — Restaurant in North Island

I’ve been looking forward to trying Surf Road. But with the excesses of Christmas (well, 2024 as a whole really) January is a lean month. As in no alcohol and slamming on the brakes in order to try to fit back in some clothes. Any clothes really. So it was with some excitement when the Favourite Husband and I decided we deserved a treat so today was the day. A cafe was always destined to do well in this prime spot and we were fortunate that it wasn’t too busy. There’s a small sunny courtyard at the back, some shaded outside tables on the road and ample additional seating inside. The interior is really nice, all wooden tables and a neutral decor. Not sure how that will come across on a cold and wet winters day, but that didn’t matter today. Because today was the day we’d waited for. We’d dieted, dried out and dusted off some clothes that now fitted. Still trying to err on the side of angelic, and make the Favourite Husband look bad, I ordered bacon eggs Bene, but without the English muffin and a side of mushrooms instead. I was so excited I was salivating. The Favourite Husband, true to form, went with his usual big breakkie. He declared his flat white as “very good” which is high praise indeed from a coffee snob. His big breakkie was also “really good” which meant that he liked it, was tired and was running out of words. He commented on “all the different flavours” which was positively floral language for him. I got to have a nibble of his sausage (boom boom) and it was super flavourful and actually, not that common, definitely of a high meat content. And then my little kiddie plate came and my joy bubble deflated. What I’d ordered was eggs bene without the muffin and a side of mushrooms. What I got was bacon and eggs and 3 mushrooms. I’d waited a month for this. I’d lived on a diet of steak and water since Christmas. I’d lost 7 kgs. I’d earned that bloody hollandaise sauce. I felt duly robbed. I’ve ordered my eggs bene this way multiple times and usually the mushrooms are on the bottom in place of the muffin, then maybe some baby spinach, bacon, poached eggs and HOLLANDAISE. Meh. I didn’t mention it, I didn’t ask for my missing sauce, I didn’t channel my inner Manu. And what I did have was delicious. I paid $26 plus I think $7.50 for my three mushrooms, so it felt like a really expensive dish. The 2 meals, plus one coffee and a sparkling water were $81. I know when my step-daughter came she had the granola that didn’t come with any milk, so I think we can assume little errors are teething problems and cut them some slack. The young staff were so beautiful and polite and smiley that I will go back...

Was very excited to try out the new cafe on Surf Road with family visiting from Australia.

The young staff members were lovely and very accommodating for our group. We booked the bigger table and was given high chairs for the two baby’s we had with us.

I was very disappointed that when I went to use the bathroom with my son there was no changing table in the accessible bathroom there for I had no choice but to to change my son’s nappy on the cold floor. (It was wet and windy outside so a car nappy change was not an option).

Upon leaving I asked an older lady who looked like the owner (she also was working behind the counter) if there was any future plans to add a change table into the bathroom. I was then rudely responded to with ‘no I have no plans to add one’ I then explained it was hard to change a nappy on the cold concrete in the accessible toilet. I then got a ‘you are the only person to complain’.

Although it’s not a legal requirement to have one, it’s a shame that this new cafe has no intention of accommodating family’s with young kids.

If you are a parent with a young child/children I would suggest going elsewhere that accommodate with changing facilities.

The food was great but prices were expensive. $9 to add bacon to a meal and after ordering one meal and a coffee the total was $41.

I will not be going back with any friends/family...

We were looking forward to a Waitangi Day lunch date together yesterday at Surf Road. When we arrived weweren’t greeted by any of the 4 staff that weren’t all busy. So we just made our way to a table and read the menu before heading to the counter and ordering a smoothie, soft drink & salad. We then waited 50 mins with no sign of our salad, after my husband asked the girl at the counter how far away it would be we were told not long. We then waited another 10 mins (now ticking over an hours wait time), before telling the younger blonde male waiter that we needed to get it takeaway now - as I really had to get back to work by this point. Another 15mins passed with no sign of this ellusive salad however. The cafe was not busy and we noticed that of the handful of diners, none of these other patrons had their meals either! The lovely couple at the table next to us mentioned they had also been patiently waiting over an hour for two simple egg dishes!! My husband was ready to just walk out at this point… but another staff member FINALLY returned with my $32 (+15% public holiday surcharge making it almost $39) salad in a takeaway container. But no actually apology. I was so looking forward to this cafe becoming my new local, however we were so disappointed by the very poor service and ridiculous wait times! Please do...