143 Carlton Gore Road,
Newmarket
Auckland,


(09) 522 9161

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My, my, my... hasn't Newmarket come a long way? Nuffield St to the left, Carlton Gore Rd to the right and Teed St sitting smugly in the middle. There's been a raft of new bars and cafes opening up, but holding strong against this wave of new are some stalwarts of the neighbourhood. One of the old-timers is Jones the Grocer, straddling the two worlds of deli and cafe.

We arrived early on a weekday morning, and already Jones looked like it had the pre-work crowd covered. The cafe has long tables which are great for a group sitting. That said, it isn't what I'd call co. It's got almost a slight clinicalness to it, which means that it's not as relaxing as say a Didas. But it's light, spacious and easy to find a table at.

My poor friend was in the middle of a super-strict diet (no carbs, one protein hit a day, you know the drill), but was quite happy with her eggs and mushrooms. The latter were big and juicy with a sauce that tasted like mushroom soup - sounds strange, but taste lovely. I had no such dietary requirements so went for the Andalusian eggs and toasted ciabatta, what came out wasn't quite what I expected. It looked like and had the consistency of warm gazpacho (right region, I guess) but the eggs weren't baked as stated on the menu - instead they were poached and then just dropped in. Thus the dish ended up being a sloppy bowl of eggy tomatoey soup, the chorizo having sunk to the bottom. I'm not sure if they meant it to be this way or not, but it was something of a disappointment.

The service was mixed as seems to be the case with a lot of places recently. The food came out quickly, but ordering a smoothie took an eternity. There is no Smoothie of the Day despite being stated on the menu, so don't ask for it. Instead, grab the berry one which was well worth the wait - thick and full of fruit and fibre. Delicious!

I don't think I'd make Jones the Grocer my choice for a weekend brunch, but I'd come here for a business breakfast or lunch. By the looks of it, Urban Cafe next door is more casual so would probably be my personal choice next time, but there's nothing wrong with Jones, especially if you're a fan of gazpacho.

A Flat White costs: $4

Must Try: The Berry Smoothie, but it may take a while