L'atelier du Fromage — Restaurant in Waitematā

It was our first time trying this restaurant because my friend recommended it. When we arrived, it was absolutely packed, so we had to wait. A staff member asked her manager if we could have a seat upstairs where the wine store is, and they agreed.

After we ordered, a guy with light brown curly hair asked us if we needed any wine. My friend is pregnant, so we replied that we didn’t need any wine. Suddenly, he complained about why we were seated there if we weren’t having any wine. We were upset because a staff member had checked with her manager before seating us there.

When the lady who served us initially came to give us our food, we told her about the situation. She immediately apologized on his behalf and made us feel comfortable. A few minutes later, the manager came to apologize for his behavior, and other staff members came to check on us and see if we needed anything else.

Despite that one rude staff member, the rest of the team was very professional and made the restaurant feel cozy. Their service recovery was very quick, and we ended up having a great lunch in a good atmosphere thanks to their efforts. We strongly recommend this restaurant because most of the staff are very kind and friendly, and the food is very good at reasonable prices.

We would especially like to express our gratitude to the lady who served us initially and solved the problem immediately. Unfortunately, we didn’t catch her name, but she mentioned she is from the Philippines. She was very kind, friendly, and had a beautiful smile. Thank you to the team for making us happy...

So french, so chic, so authentic, L’atilier Du Fromage was recommended to us as a must-try before we departed Auckland. We came early on a Monday morning and received the warmest of greetings with a merry “bonjour!” from the waitress behind the counter.

An array of patisserie greeted us to tempt us behind the glass counter, shiny and expertly crafted. Likewise I was surrounded in cheese-heaven by every different kind of fromage I could concieve. We settled in for our brunch; a filled croissant, a pain-au-chocolat, and from the kitchen menu the Duck & Porcini Mushroom Sausage, Poached Eggs & Potato.

The coffee that accompanied my breakfast was among the very best I’d had in Auckland; I soon found myself ordering a second cup. We agreed that the croissant was the nicest presentation of a croissant we’d encountered on our travels, coming with a vibrant side salad and dressing, toasted golden perfectly. The pain-au-chocolate was so fresh and flaky, it was divine. The duck & porcini dish had its own bistro elegance, the creamy eggs the perfect accompaniment for the richness of the sausage, the potato element a boulangere stack holding the dish together.

Bathrooms were clean and tidy and soon there was a procession of regular clientele as the Monday morning picked up. One of the most memorable brunches we had in...

I've been here twice now with my colleagues from work. We usually all grab a Croque-monsieur each with a couple of bottles of wine. The atmosphere is very French (funny that), and I like it. In a good way, it's a very informal vibe you get when eating in.

The staff are extremely knowledgeable about the food they serve, which earns them their fourth start in this review. It's awesome to be able to ask them questions about their extensive cheese-range (which we also frequent).

Staff have a good command of the English language (which is a plus), meaning we're able to ask questions about the wine selection and cheeses, which yields great results in my books.

Aside this, the wait times are very satisfactory, the food tastes great (a humble chicken sandwich is bliss from L'atelier du fromage. The Croque-monsieur is devine, and the house-wines are great (an homage to the traditional house-wine culture in France).

Upstairs, you can also dine inside their cellar. Yep; you can eat your food in their upstairs cellar, which is cool.

Prices are moderate - could be cheaper; could also be more expensive. I have no gripes.

Solid pick if you're in the area and want a decent dining experience with good staff...