Brunch: Stripe, Titirangi

Stripe Cafe, Titirangi, Auckland. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Herald Rating: 5/5
Address: 521 South Titirangi Rd, Titirangi

We came here because we were meeting up with visitors from Wellington and wanted to try somewhere new. Stripe has been open just a few weeks and we had already heard good things.

Parking was two doors along, in the carpark behind the optometrists. The cafe apparently has an arrangement to use their carpark. We were lucky to find a spot as it was market day in Titirangi and the place was humming.

We walked in and thought it was lovely. The big courtyard was sunny and appealing but one of our group had forgotten her sunglasses so we headed indoors. The interior is light, modern and colourful.

The most unusual thing on the menu was toasted banana bread with mandarin compote and mascarpone ($14.50).

We ordered lemon and oatmeal hotcakes with blueberries, maple syrup and yoghurt ($14); the Stripe breakfast of herb potato cake topped with poached eggs, bacon and hollandaise, ($18.50), homemade muesli with yoghurt and seasonal fruit ($11) and sourdough toast with jam, which came beautifully presented with a little jar of homemade berry jam ($6.50). All were terrific.

The service was terrific. However, friends who visited later that day said there was a long wait for coffee.

The coffee was spot on.

We recommend if you come here you visit the Titirangi markets, a short walk up the road, afterwards. They're on the last Sunday of each month.

Overall we thought what a good find. Titirangi has a few cafes but having tried them all we'd bet this is by far the best.