Which Auckland Cafes Do The Best Brunch In 2025?

Looking for a great brunch spot in Auckland? Whether you’re after a strong flat white, a stack of hotcakes, or a sunny courtyard to linger in, this guide rounds up the city’s most reliable cafes – places that deliver good food and even better vibes, from Clevedon to Devonport.

Dulcie

Dulcie’s prime position in a historic building on Devonport’s King Edward Parade means lovely sea views from streetside tables with your morning coffee and the prospect of a nice stroll afterwards. Opened by Scott Kennedy and his partner Tamsyn Capper in 2024, who have returned to Auckland after a long stint in Melbourne, Dulcie is open every day until 3pm and serves a brunch and lunch menu heroing local produce. “We try and keep things seasonal and as local as possible,” says Scott. “If we are creating a classic dish we try and create the best version of what that could look like.” On the menu, this translates to breakfast classics like scones (with vanilla cream and jam or ricotta and raw honeycomb), eggs and pancakes but elevated with seasonal ingredients and cheffy twists — Dulcie’s Eggs & Hollandaise comes with a cacio e pepe hashbrown, silverbeet and burnt butter hollandaise, for example. At lunchtime, opt for bistro-style dishes like clam linguine, heirloom tomato salad and market fish and chips, with many flavours influenced by chef Sid Sharma’s Indian background. The fit-out is impressive, with the high ceilinged space punctuated by polished wood floors, rimu-topped tables and frosted glass windows. Dulcie’s drinks list favours local wine and beer, and coffee is from Atomic Coffee Roasters.

Address: 33 King Edward Parade, Devonport.

Contact: Dulcie.co.nz

Juno

The news that John Yip and Jamie Yeon were opening an eatery on the ground floor of The Greenhouse building on Williamson Ave was a soothing balm to the closure of their Dominion Rd restaurant Omni in 2024. Their cafe Juno is a change of pace for the duo, with a daytime offering of excellent specialty coffee, brunch and fresh baking. If the interior feels relaxed yet polished at the same time, that’s thanks to input from well-known interior designer Katie Lockhart, who has rendered the high-ceilinged space in calming blue paint, neat white tiles, and a mahogany-topped central kitchen and coffee counter, with seating that wraps around three sides. Every detail is considered, from the crockery to the glassware. To eat, there is deceptively simple fare like toast with appealing toppings of poached eggs draped in anchovy, and smoked salmon with sliced boiled egg. Don’t leave without trying their signature coffee, the Vienna, an iced long black infused with orange peel syrup and topped with sweet whipped cream. Open Monday to Friday 7.30am until 3pm and Saturday from 8am until 3pm.

Address: 20 Williamson Ave, Grey Lynn

Moreno Cafe & Bakery

From some familiar faces in Auckland’s hospo scene, Chino, Demi and Adrian Chilton (ex Burger Burger and Ozone in Grey Lynn), comes Moreno Cafe & Bakery in Northcote. At Moreno, the team is putting Filipino twists on classic cafe fare, crafting “a playful, unique menu of always-delicious dishes and one-of-a-kind baked treats”. The name Moreno is the Spanish-Filipino word for “brown-skinned”, which the owners say represents the “warm, toasty shades of our delicious baked treats”. The weekend menu is slightly longer than the weekday version and includes appealing dishes like the chickpea “afritada” (a tomato-based Filipino stew) with labneh, poached egg and soft herbs and the Señorita toast, which features banana, chocolate crumb and coconut caramel. If it’s lunch you’re after, there are dishes like tamales with shiitake, and market fish kinilaw (cured raw fish). The bakery branch of Moreno turns out bread and pastries baked in-house daily. The coffee is Ozone. Open Monday to Friday from 6am until 3pm, and Saturday to Sunday from 8am until 3pm.

Address: 29D Woodside Ave, Northcote

Contact: Morenocafe.co.nz

San Ray

From the team that brought us the brilliant Cazador, San Ray is an all-day restaurant on Ponsonby Rd in the space once occupied by Orphans Kitchen. Its position in the heart of the Ponsonby strip makes it ideal for a pre or post-stroll and a shop. For breakfast, diners can enjoy Eighthirty coffee, crumpets with clotted cream and jam, quinoa loaf with toppings like smoked fish and pickled egg, and breakfast-friendly fare like bacon butties, breakfast bowls and salmon gravlax. For those who wish to linger or dine a little later, the menu has classics like caesar salad, crudo, and tajín fries. If you’re after more than coffee and juice, there are mimosas, micheladas and Bloody Marys. Co-owner Rebecca Schmidt says San Ray is a relaxed offering where you can’t help but “sink in and stay for extras. I love restaurants that make me want to steal time back for myself, to have that glass of Champagne, to add the caviar ... the kind of places that tug at the temptation part of the brain. Ponsonby is definitely the right place for leisurely luxury!” Brunch at its best.

Address: 118 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby

Rhu

At Parnell cafe and wine bar Rhu, from chef Tushar Grover, the focus is on simplicity and quality, offering a space where people can enjoy well-crafted food and drinks throughout the day. Highlights of Rhu’s brunch menu include a French omelette, which is stunning in its simplicity, its Instagram-famous, golden and crisp honey toast with vanilla yoghurt and seasonal fruit and the fried chicken sandwich. Sourdough and toast are both passions of Tushar’s, and at Rhu the formula of toast paired with something delicious is a winner, especially the charred avo toast with kimchi). Sourdough “represents the essence of good food – simple yet deeply satisfying. It’s quintessential to how Kiwis grew up, if you make a good toast they will come. Crafting sourdough is like nurturing a child, a tender relationship demanding constant care. This bread is more than food; it’s an experience, a connection to tradition, embodying love, care and effort.”

Address: 235 Parnell Rd, Parnell

Phone: 022 059 1967

Bestie

Down the back of St Kevins Arcade on Karangahape Rd, diners at Bestie are awarded with one of Auckland’s great views: the Sky Tower and Auckland city skyline and the trees of Myers Park framed through giant leadlight windows. Tables spill out into the bustling arcade and are always full with happy people eating chip butties, beignets dusted in cinnamon sugar, hot cakes and Bestie’s famous cheese toastie. To drink there is Eightthirty Coffee, bottomless single origin filter, as well as cold-pressed juices, housemade sodas, or try their turmeric latte sweetened with housemade turmeric and ginger syrup.

Address: Shop 13, St Kevins Arcade, 183 Karangahape Rd

Contact: Bestiecafe.co.nz

Burnt Butter Diner

Petite but mighty, this cafe on Rosebank Rd in Avondale might be on the small side, but it packs a big punch when it comes to food and attitude. The creation of Claudia Long and partner Ryan Pearce, who are masters of sweet and savoury, in that order, Burnt Butter’s menu is far from boring brunch. The kitchen turns out ridiculously appealing sweets like Milo custard tarts, chocolate Bavarian pie and blueberry and lemon tarts, but also an ever-changing roster of savoury plates like Caesar salad with chicken schnitzel and a generous dowsing of parmesan; smoked fish crumpets; and poached eggs on flatbread swirling with chilli oil. It’s all served on charming mismatched retro crockery. Like they say on Instagram, Burnt Butter’s food is great any time of day: “Our menu is an all day one so you can eat eggs for lunch and pasta for breakfast, no rules here.” We’ve heard murmurings the team is expanding to create a larger dining room, so watch this space. Open Tuesday to Friday, 7am to 2pm and Saturday from 8am-2pm.

Address: 62 Rosebank Rd, Avondale

Duo Eatery

Helmed by Sarah and Jordan McDonald (who own Uno and Bon Pinard next door), this Birkenhead cafe is a busy all-day affair with a classic brunch menu of smashed avo, mushrooms on toast and Eggs benedict. While those options might sound pedestrian, what sets it apart is the passion for food evident in every dish, and the service, which Viva dining out editor Jesse Mulligan describes as close and confident, “giving you as much information as you need to make a choice but revealing a great depth of knowledge when required”. The coffee here is Supreme and there are boozy cocktails if you’re in that kind of mood, from a vodka yuzu fizz to a cappelletti spritz. At night Duo transforms into a buzzy restaurant with a menu that changes every few weeks and has placed consistently in Viva’s Top Auckland Restaurants list. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 7am to 9pm.

Address: 138 Hinemoa St, Birkenhead

Contact: 027 213 8591

Honey Bones

If you can get a table at Grey Lynn cafe Honey Bones, congratulations, you’re in for a treat. Locals love it here, but people come from all over Auckland for its bacon butties and vaguely Middle Eastern-inspired menu. Favourites include the Cilbir eggs (poached eggs atop yoghurt and drizzled with chilli butter), merguez sausage with tzatziki, potato, eggplant, dukkah and a fried egg, and the ‘Bones’ granola with seasonal fruit. To drink, there’s Supreme coffee, smoothies and soda. Everything looks good here, from the crockery to the tabletops to the silky finish on all those flat whites. Open Monday to Friday, 7am to 2.30pm, Saturday to Sunday, 8am to 2.30pm.

Address: 480 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn

Contact: Honeybones.co.nz

Ozone

New Plymouth-based specialist coffee roasters Ozone Coffee have a thriving home in Grey Lynn locals in the form of their Westmoreland St cafe, serving an excellent breakfast and lunch menu and a long list of coffee options, from batch filtered to cold brew, AeroPress to piccolos. The menu features creative takes on classic dishes, like house baked beans with crispy onions and smoked onion butter on sourdough, and smoked fish kedgeree with labneh, poached eggs and salsa verde. The space melds the best aspects of industrial design with soaring ceilings and an impressive central open kitchen. The best seats are the big green leather booths along one wall, but the intimate round wooden tables for smaller groups are lovely too. Open Monday to Friday, 7am to 3.30pm, and Saturday to Sunday, 8am to 3.30pm.

Address: 18 Westmoreland St West, Grey Lynn

Contact: (09) 360 8125

Seabreeze

Westmere cafe Seabreeze is a hit with locals and its tables are consistently full, as people enjoy plates of tea-smoked salmon bagels, ham hock hash with fried eggs and a kitchari bowl (with moong dal, basmati rice, kale, peas, pomegranate and yoghurt). With views of the water just down the road, it’s hard not to embrace that weekend feeling at Seabreeze, with its sleek fit out of teal-painted walls, warm wood accents and Turkish pillows, housed in an art deco building on the corner of Garnet Rd. To drink, there’s Supreme coffee and breakfasty options like tea, juice and smoothies. Open 7 days, 7am to 2.30pm.

Address: 184 Garnet Rd, Westmere

Contact: Seabreeze.cafe

Catroux

Catroux is a popular spot for breakfast, coffee and take-home treats, with an impressive cabinet filled with salads, sandwiches, scones (they say they make the best), slices and cakes that we dare you to leave without ordering. It’s also known for its excellent catering and cakes, available to order online. Located in the Westmere shops, this petite, all-white space is the ideal spot to spend a morning ordering from a brunch menu that heroes classic and clean flavours like the ‘Fitness Bowl’ with Aoraki smoked salmon, avocado, rocket, haloumi, poached eggs and more lovely toppings; and a kūmara rosti with baba ghanoush, saffron mayo, poached eggs, rocket and prosciutto. To drink, there’s Allpress coffee, fresh juices and smoothies. Open Monday to Friday, 7am to 2pm, Saturday to Sunday, 7.30am to 3pm.

Address: 129 West End Rd, Westmere

Contact: (09) 376 3590

Paname Social

Paname Social is an all-day restaurant in the style of a Parisian bistro on Lorne St in the CBD from the team that brought us Atelier, Wander and Ambler. Owner Matt Gosset says he and the team wanted to bring Parisian flair and European style to Paname Social, which means the brunch menu is available all day, and yes, it features some French favourites. Opt for crepes with brown butter, apple tatin and creme fraiche, or oeufs cocotte with champagne ham, gruyere and soldiers — or keep it simple with a croissant and jam. To drink, if you’re after more than coffee, there’s a wine list of over 50 New Zealand and international drops by the glass, as well as Champagne and cocktails. “Our aim is to showcase French hospitality, and bring a real French bistro to Aucklanders,” says Matt, “whether it’s for a croissant and coffee on the sidewalk tables or a quick business lunch with colleagues.” Open Monday to Tuesday, 7am to 3pm, Wednesday to Friday, 7am to late, Saturday, 8am to late, Sunday, 8am to 3pm.

Address: 3 Lorne St, Auckland City

Contact: 027 309 7079

The Candy Shop

Part of the vibey brick-covered laneway that makes up Osborne Lane, Candy Shop is located in the historic Kent Flour Mills building in a beautiful space crafted by Cheshire Architects, with handsome bench seating along one wall, pink and green paint and Formica-topped tables. Just like a candy shop, the food is on the indulgent side in what the team describes as “brunch with a Korean twist”. Combining croissants and waffles with the flavours of tiramisu, which should be illegal, Candy Shop’s croffles are loaded with bruleed bananas, espresso mascarpone and marsala sabayon. On the savoury side, try a katsu sando or a prawn pho boy with sriracha mayo. Open Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm, Saturday to Sunday, 8am to 4pm.

Address: 2/8 Osborne St, Newmarket.

Contact: 027 352 0026

Amano

A Viva Top 60 Restaurant by night and a bustling brunch spot by day, Amano is the kind of reliable all-day eatery that has something to suit every mood. It even offers brunch on the run, if you’d rather grab a pastry and coffee from its on-site bakery. For breakfast you can order dishes like avocado on sourdough toast with poached eggs; a tomato, mozzarella and basil frittata; and granola with fruit, pannacotta and herbs. Located in an impressive space in the historic Altrans and Quay building on Tyler St in Britomart, brunch here is the ideal start to your day, and if you want to return for dinner and dessert no one would question your decision. Open Monday to Sunday, 7am until late.

Address: 68 Tyler St, Britomart

Contact: (09) 394 1416

Farm House Cafe

Set in a charming white villa with views of Clevedon’s countryside, Farm House Cafe has always had the location nailed, and now it has the food and coffee nous of the Hill House Cafe team behind it after they took the reigns in October 2024. The Hill House team have been top contenders in Viva’s best Auckland scones roundup and are purveyors of some of the city’s finest cinnabuns. At Farm House, the focus is fresh, seasonal dishes, with a diverse brunch menu that caters to gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian diets. Don’t miss the fully stocked cabinet and the handcrafted Farm House artisanal gelato, made on-site daily. For coffee lovers, there’s premium Flight Coffee and a curated selection of Noble & Sunday and Harney & Sons teas. There’s plenty of outdoor seating, a kids’ digger playground (and a children’s brunch menu), and a dog-friendly walking track. Bookings are recommended for weekends, but walk-ins are welcome.

Address: 400 Papakura-Clevedon Rd, Clevedon

Contact: Farmhousecafe.co.nz

Johanna Thornton is deputy editor of Viva and Lifestyle Premium at the New Zealand Herald, with an extensive background in magazines and lifestyle journalism, specialising in food and drink, design, culture and travel. Don’t miss Viva’s Top 60 Restaurants For 2024, which Johanna co-judged with Jesse Mulligan.

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