Brunch review: The Tannery, New Lynn

The Tannery, New Lynn. Photo / Michael Craig

Address: 44b Portage Rd, New Lynn
Phone: 09-827 6608
Open: 7.30am-4pm, 7 days
Cost: $59.50 (for three adults and a toddler)

Set up & site:

There are not many cafes in Auckland that do a bagel-only brunch, and there are even fewer that do it in the light-industrial heart of New Lynn. The Tannery used to be called Kohu Road and was a fairly conventional cafe based around the astonishing icecream brand whose name it shared. Kohu Road icecream is still a big part of the menu, but you're probably not going to have that for brunch, although nobody would judge you for it.

Sustenance & swill:

It's not quite accurate to say it's bagels only - they also do a breakfast granola with fruit and yoghurt - but it's quite confronting if you're not easily swayed from a bacon and eggs-based brunch. Still, they've put a lot of thought into covering all your needs in bagel form. There's avocado, tomato and pesto ($10.90), which is a good option for earlier in the morning, and there's the bbq brisket ($14.90), which is better closer to lunch. There's the blueberry compote, with ricotta and lemon curd ($9.90), which

is straight pancake plagiarism, and there are regular specials, if you're after something a bit unusual. The trouble with a bagel is that, unless you've already eaten a light breakfast, it's probably not quite enough, so you're left with the question of how to fill up, having already spent up to $15.90 (for the pea and feta mash with ham and parmesan). It was a problem we didn't solve. The bagels were, however, good. The "bbq brisket" featured a pile of pulled beef, topped with shredded red cabbage and three small sliced pickles. It was pretty to look at and tasty but a little messy. The "grilled" ($9.90) was mostly halloumi, with a little chargrilled capsicum and some onion jam. Realistically, you need to have a strong love for haloumi to order something like that, and my wife does. She liked it. The coffee is good.

Photo / Michael Craig

Service & other stuff:

Kids can play in a caravan parked inside and filled with toys. The staff are casual and friendly. The room has a cool, industrial feel. It's a really nice space in an interesting area, sitting next door to a beautiful red-brick gym called The Strong Factory. New Lynn is a suburb on the make, but this particular part of it still feels real and full of character. It's everything an early-stage gentrifier on the lookout for a good brunch could want, unless they also want bacon.