Winona Forever — Restaurant in Waitematā

First time customer at Winona Forever. Several friends who live nearby recommended it in the past and it’s been on our to-do list for some time. We finally decided to make it happen.

Our initial impression was positive. The cafe is set in a charming building in the heart of Parnell, and the ambience when we arrived felt warm, cozy, and a little niche in a good way.

It wasn't long though before the space filled up and we started to feel the effects of claustrophobia and misophonia - unfortunately changing our initially welcoming experience. It became extremely cramped, with barely any space between the tables. The backs of our chairs were touching those behind us, and the noise levels and echoes were so overwhelming we couldn't hear ourselves talk. Some acoustic panels and a rethink of the table layout could go a long way in improving this, especially during busy periods. Even walking to and from the front to pay was a challenge - we had to physically brush past other patrons trying to enjoy their meals, which didn't feel ideal for anyone.

Moving onto the food - this was another area where our expectations didn't quite match the reality. The cabinet food looked genuinely enticing, and in hindsight, that's probably what we should have chosen. Instead, we ordered from the menu, which features some rather unusual flavour combinations and presentations. Some dishes felt a bit too basic for the price point, while others leaned into a "deconstructed" style of a classic dish that made eating awkward without offering much payoff in taste or creativity. It felt like the menu was trying to be different or fancy for the sake of it, rather than offering something genuinely special.

Service was a mixed experience too. The person who served us directly was friendly and attentive, but other staff seemed too busy to engage - at one point I waited several minutes to pay while being seen (and overlooked) by multiple team members who simply carried on doing what they were doing. We also overheard another table expressing a concern, only to be told it could only be resolved if they paid extra to change their order which didn't meet their expectations. A small gesture of goodwill could have easily resolved the issue and possibly prevented a negative lasting impression.

Overall, our experience was a bit of a mixed bag. It sounds like our friends may have visited before some changes were made - perhaps to the staffing, menu, or overall management. While we wouldn't rush back for a sit-down meal, I'd still be curious to try the cabinet food if the opportunity presented itself - it really did...

The interior of this cafe was absolutely stunning, and the staff were incredibly bubbly, energetic and helpful. We were warned that the portion sizes were large, but simply thought they were just overexaggerating - oh how wrong we were. The portion sizes here are HUGE. I can eat a lot, trust me, but these portions were borderline un-finishable. The five nut granola was served with lots of coconut yoghurt, a few pieces of fresh fruit and bruleed pear. The coconut yoghurt helps tone down the strong molasses and nutty flavours from the granola, however there was so much of it that I felt sick. Coconut yoghurt is very rich, therefore I feel as though greek yoghurt would be more suitable. There were very few pieces of fruit on my plate too which was disappointing. The description of this meal on the menu mentions black doris plum, thus I was somewhat surprised to only receive 1/6th slice of a black doris plum served.

The eton rifle was absolutely and utterly humongous, but I can't fault the presentation whatsoever. Surprisingly, all the decadent flavours went together very well. The brioche bread/toast was a very generous portion size, and was so fluffy and soft. Again, the meal was just way too large to finish. This is definitely not an everyday meal, but a fantastic choice if you are really wanting to treat yourself.

Didn’t get any cabinet treats however the food looked delicious. Will...

Arrived with our group of egg benny eaters and thankfully got a chilly table outside. I say thankfully as inside it was busy and the noise in what is effectively a glass box was deafening. On a Saturday morning it was under staffed as the service was painfully slow. When orders were taken I was told that they don't do special orders as they are busy. I needed a half meal due to stomach restriction, yet they would add sides to a full meal? When the meals arrived in dribs and drabs they served the wrong meals and I ended up having to scoop the extra sides off someone (not my partner's) elses plate. Other comments from the group. There seemed to be a plain hollandaise and a citrus hollandaise with no reason why two people got the plain and everyone else got the more tangy one. The brioche in the egg benny did not work and having looked at the cabinet fair and the over abundance of brioche product maybe the name could be Winona forbrioche. Some interesting menu ideas etc but the basic service standards and kitchen rules mean WF scored second lowest of the recent cafes we have been to. Coffee was rated average...