Crucial Traders, Kingsland

The Crucial Traders cafe in Kingsland. Photo / Martin Sykes

Herald rating: * * * *
473 New North Rd, Kingsland


We chose this place because we wanted to see if the food was as good as the excellent takeaway coffee.

Parking was tricky (as always in Kingsland) and we had to go for a bit of a hike.

We walked in and immediately thought what looks like a tiny downstairs cafe seems to be a converted house, with seating in no fewer than three rooms upstairs.

The most unusual thing on the menu didn't exist. Short and to the point.

We ordered a huge vegetarian breakfast of poached eggs, spinach and potatoes with a mountain of other vegetables and toast ($16), eggs benedict ($15) and a chocolate brownie ($4). The meals were excellent and the brownie was the best we have tasted.

The service was great, just one man serving most of the time but he was a master of multitasking.

The coffee was excellent.

We recommend if you come here you sit in the front room upstairs, overlooking the street. And try the brownie.

Overall we thought it was the nicest breakfast we've had in a while. The only thing missing was some music for the slightly too-quiet area upstairs.