After a long drive to Piha on the weekend with 2 small children in tow, the Piha cafe was a welcome respite from the rain. We were pleased to find highchair facilities for the 10monther and pretty good coffee despite the wait. Although the service was friendly, it was far from prompt and we were dissapointed that my main ( cabinet food) arrived a good 10 minutes before the 2 1/2 year olds and husbands soup. anyone that ventures out with kids really appreciates snappy service, where the fluffies arrive with, if not before, the adults drinks- as does their food. Sitting in a cafe for 30mins before the food even arrives can expend any good will of fellow diners towards reasonably behaved cute kids, and freys parents nerves meaning they rush through an outing without much thought to the food they are presented with. "Southern cheese rolls" were ordered by the 2 1/2 year old and dissapointment ensued when a LARGE pile of melted cheese on toast arrived - to a Dunedinite and a discerning small child there IS a difference. In addition the bread was too thick to get into a childs mouth.Luckily my husband had soup to spare for dipping, otherwise it would have gone untouched. To add insult to injury, a cafe that has no less than 3 high chairs did not have changing facilities for the 10 monther. We changed in the boot of the car in the rain!The food was nice enough, but this place need to sort out it menu, its timimng, and decide whether they are going to make more than a half herted attempt at being a family freindly cafe. Recent owernership change accepted, we will probably give Piha Cafe a second shot, but hope that they realise that many of their customers will have had a long drive and if kids ar involved then they need to step it up a notch.

Had an early morning trip planned to Piha today and thought we'd call in to the Piha Cafe for a coffee and fluffies before the day at the beach.
Really, really friendly staff - was thoroughly impressed by them, and the coffee was good (and much needed by this stage). Food looked very tempting - especially the Jam Berliner donuts but we didn't want to be one of those statistics on Piha Beach rescue.
The Piha cafe was really busy even early on - I don't know why there was all the fuss about the opening of it initially - I would imagine it would be a welcome addition to the Piha scene.

A beautiful winters day - let's drive to Piha and have lunch. Shame!! There was a queue but we were told 30 minutes wait for food. That's OK we can keep the 5 and 7 year old entertained. After an hour of waiting we asked how long our food would be and were told "it was on the grill". After another 20 minutes, and after witnessing guests who arrived long after us being served, we gave up. The meals were NOT on the grill, in fact they were several tables away from that. The Manager was lovely and offered us a refund and for the kids to choose something from the cabinet. But that is not the point. I don't know how they will survive - surely its a basic process of cooking meals in the order they have been placed. When customers ask how long their food will be please tell the truth. We walked 5 minutes away to Bretts on the Beach - something we should've done an hour earlier.

My second visit to this cafe in the last few months and oh what a change the place has gone through. Where have all the young energetic keen to please young staff gone ? On my first visit I was embraced and felt welcome like one of the grumpy old locals that have inhabited this spectacular place for the last hundred years. Instead on this visit I was faced with a very old and toffee nosed lady who was not interested in me or my accompanying party, rather seemingly more interested in what Chateau Vintage was on sale at her local in Parnell. Other staff members were ill informed about what they were serving or ever doing for that matter.

The food ? My first visit I was delighted with the array of fantastic looking cabinet food and a blackboard menu of original and tasty dishes. the grilled coconut bread with roast tamarillo and lemon curd still make my mouth water as I think of it. This visit however I was thoroughly disappointed. It seems they have gone done the road of every other mediocre cafe in Auckland with the likes of Eggs Benedict and a very weak attempt at French Toast. The cabinet was also empty and dirty looking.

All in all something strange has happened at the Piha cafe and it now resembles a generic, boring run of the mill cafe to be found on many a corner of Auckland town.

The owners of this cafe really need to think about what kind of place the want to operate in this unique setting.

I must agree with my fellow reviewer - go to the store at least it is local and unique.

Piha Cafe? I'd rather buy a drink and a bite to eat from the shop next door! Maybe I've unlucky but the couple of times I've tried it the food has been so-so (and so so pricey in my opinion!), but the service has been really poor.....disorganised, careless attitudes, little knowledge of the food on offer....pretty sub par actually. I was all in favour of the cafe at Piha, didn't really appreciate all the anti views to be honest, and I still think it is a good idea as such; I just wonder whether the team there is relying a bit too much on the location and not putting enough effort into service etc.

Am not sure whether to bother with it again next time we are out that way, and wouldn't rush to recommend it either.Take a picnic is my advice!

Fantastic Cafe

Superb food and coffee, well worth the battle that was under-taken to set it up.

I believe they are still under pressure from the bureaucrats at the council so get out there and support this fantastic cafe

what a beautiful place this is!! I love the beachy atmosphere they have created. and the food is great, you have to try it! my choice was the jolly roger burger and it was really yummy!
Go to Piha and visit the Piha cafe, you won't be disappointed:)

This place is great, the Ice cream was lovely, I tried speights flavour and white chocolate with raspberry.YUMMY! Add a coffee and you are in heaven! this is something you have to try!