Bite Cafe - Smith + Caughey

"Bright n' Bubbly Service go a long way."
7/10 *******

Not usually my first choice, a cafe inside a department store, however after walking the length of Queen Street via Lorne Street on a Sunday it seemed like the better option to Esquires or Sierra. And better it was...

Bite Cafe has history. It is the new interior designed version of the old Smith and Caughey Cafeterria and if memory serves me correctly, it’s moved as it used to be in the opposite corner of level two. And although my memory is slightly blurry from the days I was a toddler in a push-chair shopping with my Mum and Grandma I can’t help but remember how good the cucumber club sammies used to be. Would the food stick with my memory even today?

You still slide your tray along the the self serve cabinet, unless you order something from the kitchen. The food is solid, fresh and tasty without too much delay. The coffee is also pretty good. The service however was excellent. The lady taking the order was friendly and bubbly, very efficient while managing to also make us feel welcome. The decor is classy (I still have a neutral opinion on the cane chairs) and the booth seating is not only comfortable but clean. Too often booth seats get little bits of everything stuck in the knooks.

The food was fresh and delightful, looks great and smells awesome. I had a delicious Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad. Sophie had the Button Mushroom, Spinach and Feta Omlette. They have a self serve bench where you claim your cutlery, napkins and limitless fresh iced water. Even then if you miss this little area (as I did talking with Soph about why girls say 'in the loo' while boys say 'on the loo'?) the bubbly cafe girl still offers to get everything for you... Great!

Overall it’s a great little cafe in one of Auckland’s landmark stores. Worth a visit and a bite - and you can even browse homewares afterwards to realise that with the current price of frypans and pots we could’ve never afforded to make the brunch ourselves anyway. Good work Bite, I'll be back!