Cafe Review: Be Rude Not To

Be Rude Not To - 1153 Pukuatua St, Rotorua

Be Rude Not To cafe opened only weeks before Christmas last year.

To a casual onlooker it seemed a risk - would they attract enough customers so soon before the festive season?

They did - and more.

Few days go by when this popular breakfast and lunch eatery is not bursting at the seams with clientele.

On the day we ventured in for lunch during the the school holidays the joint was jumping.
"We're getting hammered," said an attentive staff member good-humouredly multi-tasking coffee orders while whipping up a delicious fresh fruit smoothie.

The food, by the look of the dishes offered on the blackboard menu, is fresh and nutritious with a wide range of vegetarian, gluten or dairy-free, or allergen-aware options.

My friend orders cajun chicken ($19.50) and I take a more conservative approach - a steak sandwich ($21.50), done medium rare.

Both our meals are served on top of a thick crust of toasted ciabatta bread, with a fresh salad, bacon, and tomato.

My steak has a blue cheese dressing, while my friend's cajun chicken is accompanied with a herb aioli.

The steak was tasty and tender, and my friend says his chicken was more than adequate to fill his appetite.

Prices range between $10.50 breakfast (spelt fig and walnut toast) and $21.50 lunch (risotto, or slow cooked lamb). There is also a cabinet selection including pizza, frittatas, pies and quiches - all which can be heated before served.

For drinks we gulp down a Phoenix organic ginger beer, and a fruit juice from the beverage options available from espresso coffee, loose leaf tea, and cold drinks.

Overall we can see why Be Rude Not To is proving popular with regulars wanting a business rendezvous over breakfast or for lunch.

During our visit, several tables are occupied by groups of four or five local businessmen while a few families sit at several of the longer tables.

The narrow, elongated floor plan stretches through the length of the cafe, towards an outside eating area under umbrellas.

In spite of the full house, noise levels are not so excessive that we cannot talk about the important issues of the nation - weather, All Blacks and fishing.

For a nutritious, tasty breakfast or lunch which won't break the bank, served by friendly staff, Be Rude Not To is to be recommended. It'd be rude not to pay a visit.