Foundation On George — Restaurant in Waitematā

A group of 7 of us met for lunch here. While it has a lovely setting outside, the menu is limited and having a dairy allergy (as in I throw up when I eat dairy) this is the first cafe or restaurant in the whole of New Zealand I have been to where they are unwilling to alter dishes to suit (ie take the cheese out of a burger, or not use butter on the bun). I was repeatedly told there is one item of the menu marked dairy free, so that is your only option. I did not want the single offering of a Paleo salad and was so offended by the lack of flexibility that I chose not to eat at all, but sat and watched my friends eat their meals. I will certainly not return to this cafe and would recommend anyone with food issues to avoid it...

The food at Foundation is pricey for fairly standard cafe fare, but is generally pretty well executed. Their pies are especially tasty and their Southern Fried Chicken burger is highly recommended. We were disappointed with the service last time we were there though. We sat outside in the courtyard, and the waiter was quite rude to us and to other customers on numerous occasions. He behaved like he was doing everyone a huge favour by doing his job. He also seemed in a big rush to make us leave as soon as we finished our food even though it wasn't that busy and no-one was waiting for our table. It really was disappointing, as we are regulars at Foundation and usually enjoy our...

I wandered in at a bit of a weird time. Foundation was still moderately busy. It took a few minutes for someone to find and seat me (I wasn't sure what the procedure was). Once seated I ordered French toast off the breakfast menu and a latte. The food was absolutely delicious, beautifully presented and a generous portion. The coffee was just ok, though certainly not bad. Service was very good and the staff were friendly. I thought the prices were quite fair. I imagine the outside area must be absolutely lovely on a warm day. I will definitely be back to try out something savoury. I would certainly recommend Foundation on George if you are...