30 St Benedicts Street,
Newton
Auckland,
(09) 309 5001
The ViewAuckland Review
4 out of 5
Every staff member at Benediction seems to have a pet name for me: to the guy behind the counter I’m “mate”; to the girl bringing my muesli it’s “darling”.
They treat you with the familiarity of an eatery that sees its regulars very regularly indeed.
Located in Newton, Auckland, Benediction is the last word in industrial elegance. In the dining room, which is up a level from the service area, each wall is a different material: one wood, one steel, one concrete—and the last, an enormous pane of glass overlooking a cemented courtyard.
The buildings around this courtyard house music industry movers and shakers (EMI and Shock Records included)—the base of Benediction’s regular clientele.
At 8am on a Monday, Benediction is already half full with office staff grabbing sustenance before work (it’s a fashionable sort of place, so be prepared to feel scruffy if your t-shirt isn’t pressed).
Two things in particular pleased us on our visit: there were plenty of parks, and plenty of newspapers. On a weekend, don’t be so sure though—an early arrival is key.
You enter Benediction from street level and order at a long counter holding fresh and affordable sandwiches and other lunch takeaways. We chose to eat in, ordering muesli and the power breakfast from the blackboard.
The muesli ($8.50) came with berry compote and yoghurt; the power breakfast ($13.50) with bacon, eggs and tomatoes on a salad of spinach leaves. Both dishes were tasty, interesting and filling, and we were back within the week.
Benediction Café has been reviewed by 3 users