Richmond Road Cafe

"All rounder that aims to please & surprise..."
9/10 *********

A few minutes from the main Ponsonby drag lies an absolute little gem, The Richmond Road Cafe. Upon arrival it is obvious that they must be doing something right as the whole establishment is bustling and has a busy almost inner city Melbourne kind of vibe. Instantly greeted by a friendly waitress we are informed of the short wait for a table... something tells me it’s worth it. Only moments later we are guided to a small table by a window and although the cafe is chokka-block full, this table is spotlessly clean and ready with menus.

The menu itself is short but every dish reads like a romance novel and it’s not long before I am in love with the sound of every dish. A well written menu goes a long way, it’s one of the first things you engage in during your cafe visit and as such it sets up the filter for which you view the experience through. They have delicious sandwiches, cakes and brioche displayed on the front counter but today I need something a little more substantial. I order the Buttermilk Pancakes with blueberry compote, lavendar syrup, marscapone and bacon... Sophie, my fiance opts for the twice baked stilton soufflé, granny smith & rocket salad with pomegranate dressing - both have coffee.

Looking on in anticipation I spot two things that take my seduction by this restaurant to infatuation. The first is Allpress Coffee... thankyou! and the second are meals that are being run out of the kitchen all looking incredibly delicious. An open omelette whizzes past me... Wow! hope I haven’t made the wrong choice because that looks amazing!

Our coffees arrive. For you coffee connoisseurs out there, these are perfection. The milk is steamed perfectly and the coffee is not burnt. Too often cafes don’t understand why coffee bean grinders have different coarseness settings or if they do notice - what grind is perfect for what humidity?... These coffees are awesome... and sure enough 5 minutes later I am requesting my second delightful caffeine hit.

Two plates leave the kitchen on track for our table and the brunch is placed in front of me. Wide eyed and smiling at my food decision I glance over at the Souffle... that too looks and smells incredible. The flavour of my pancakes is devine and to my amazement Richmond Road Cafe have perfected the syrup and marscapone (sweet) to bacon and pancake (savoury) ratio. There is no left over syrup or pancake by the end on my effort and I complete the meal satisfied and not feeling at all like I have over eaten. The mouthful of the Souffle I tried was outstanding, a very unusual yet surprisingly fluffy brunch choice. The only problem with the Souffle is that now Sophie has had it and loved it, she doesn’t think she will try anything else next visit as she will probably just choose ‘amazing’ again!

The decor is trendy but not overly intimate or quiet, but then this is part of it’s charm... you instantly feel like a local among friends. They serve Allpress coffee and Antipodes mineral water - both cool brands. They have delectable looking cakes, a huge array of fresh juices and are licensed to serve alcohol. Their food is incredible and the staff are very friendly. And the price is fair. Two people for brunch ordering off the menu is probably going to set you back $50, sure you could do it cheaper on sandwiches and cakes from the counter displays but when the menu is this good you really deserve the treat.

The owners have found a secret for success as they own Richmond Road Cafe, The Rosehip on Gladstone Road in Parnell, Kohi Cafe on the water in Kohi, and the Takapuna Beach Cafe - another one of our favourites.

Located exactly at 318 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn the Richmond Road Cafe is a gem, its won awards and I can see why. For more info checkout: www.richmondrdcafe.co.nz

Welldone Richmond Road Cafe... Another one loved by the Cafe Critic.