Crave, Morningside

Crave cafe in Morningside, Auckland. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Rating: * * * *
25 McDonald St, Morningside

We came here because we'd been before and were so impressed we're now neighbourhood regulars.

Parking was easy to find on the street.

We walked in and immediately thought what an unlikely street this is for such a funky cafe (slap-bang in among industrial buildings). The decor is unpretentious but modern, clean and welcoming.

The most unusual thing on the menu was banana bread with Greek yoghurt, honey and almonds ($11.50).

We ordered eggs benedict with bacon, rocket and potato cakes ($14.50) which was everything it should be and more - the right ratio of hollandaise to egg, and the home-made, crispy potato cakes especially delightful. And the French toast with caramelised banana ($10.50), with a side of bacon ($3) was great - spongy, eggy thick toast with the happy addition of sweet, plump boysenberries on the plate.

The coffee was really good.

The service was not as spot-on as previous visits. Lovely, friendly staff but they were busier than usual and dropped the ball a few times.

We recommend if you come here you do what the lady at the next table did and customise your order to have the creamy mushrooms atop the potato cakes (instead of on toast). It looked divine.

Overall we thought what makes this place such a great find is it delivers more than it promises.