St Heliers Bay Cafe and Bistro

Saint Heliers Bay Café and Bistro

387 Tamaki Drive,
St Heliers, Auckland.

Large flat white: $4.50

Picture taken from http://stheliersbaycafe.co.nz/

This place has a massive reputation for being an ‘it’ spot, it doesn’t take reservations, and is very popular. When I go in, I can see why. The lady behind the counter gives the man in front of me the finer points of a latte vs a flat white. My order is taken promptly and then I’m greeted by no less than 3 people, directed to a long bar with newspapers, and given a glass of water which I do not drink. The service here is outstanding already, before I take a sip.

Coffee: The coffee slips after the first sip, like so many, but has enough legs to hold on for the majority of the cup. I wonder if this is a quirk of Allpress beans? (4/5)

Milk:  I thought it might be too creamy at first, but after some time, it settled to be a great foil to the coffee.  (5/5)

Presentation: Another day, another Allpress cup. So uninspiring, but ultimately, I care more about what’s in the cup (3/3).

Verdict: The place has a lot of hype and for good reason. Great service + good product = popular. Not a 13 yet for the coffee but it’s certainly not bad at all.

Overall rating: 12/13. Great service, good coffee.