Vines Café — Restaurant in South Island

Upon entering Vines Café, the setting initially provided a glimmer of hope. Unfortunately, the food seemed determined to set an entirely different tone for the morning. My experience with the "big breakfast" was akin to a culinary train wreck: fascinating but ultimately disappointing.

Let's start with the toast, which was so cold it seemed fresh from an Alaskan expedition. Buttering it was an exercise in futility, requiring the strength and persistence of an Olympic ice sculptor. The sausages, boiled rather than grilled, were left lukewarm and uninspiring, as if they had taken a lengthy siesta in a tepid bath.

The bacon also suffered an identity crisis, with each piece cooked to its own inconsistent rhythm. At least the scrambled eggs were a silver lining, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the breakfast chaos.

As for the garden bene, it was an affair of soggy spinach and holindase sauce that could have doubled as sour facial cream. Again, the eggs were the unexpected saviors of the dish, proving that not all was lost in the culinary abyss.

The coffee was a rare respite, satisfactory in its mediocrity. The scones, when they eventually found their way to us, were decent, though their appearance came after a mix-up. The had an ample size and were served warm.

In summary, our past experiences at Vines Café may have set unrealistic expectations, but this visit fell far from grace. The barista, working tirelessly to marshal the troops, was a lone beacon in an otherwise dim situation. This place has potential, but whether it rises from the ashes...

This only applies to the ice cream shop. Advertising edible cup sundaes for $8. The cup was a rock hard thick wafer type thing. Young girl serving said it would go soft eventually. It didn’t. It went in the bin. She didn’t add sauce or nuts as displayed. We had to ask, and she blobbed what looked like the last of the sauce on top. They had nothing else. The cone ice cream was so small I asked if it was a kiddy cone in error. She said No that’s the size. The cone is pictured and No, it isn’t half eaten. Terrible value wouldn’t never purchase...

A couple of friends and I had lunch here yesterday. It is a really nice spot, just far enought out of town to be pleasant, without having to travel to far. Friendly staff and quick service, plenty of tasty cabinet food. Although I thought my frittarta was a little over spiced. However since that is really a question of taste, it should not be considered a criticism. Both my companions were more than happy with thier choices. A really good venue to spend an hour or two...