Herald rating:
The menu was not short of options, canvassing the expected brunch fare of eggs (from $10.50), sides (from $4) and muesli ($13) but also branching out to revive classics such as lamb's fry and bacon ($19) and croque monsieur ($15). Owner Tim Tohill (the foodie who brought us nearby Jafa and Shore Rd Cafe in Remuera) describes it as "just basic, good cooking".
The look was clean and tidy, housed in the 113-year old building with a cosy brick-clad exterior and which was originally the Ponsonby Fire Station. With a beautiful leadlight feature window, Mary's is spacious and we liked the art choices. We only wished it was sunny enough to brunch in the alluring outdoor courtyard.
The food was affordable, with generous portion sizes. The red flannel hash ($20) was slightly underwhelming and seemed less hash and more morning-after fry-up. But we couldn't complain about the croque monsieur, oozing with bubbling bechamel sauce and loaded full of ham and swiss cheese. The side of greens cut through the richness.
The coffee was Allpress and flawless - we even got a second to take away.
