SO delicious!! Haven't found any vegan Vietnamese options around Auckland yet, until we got to Cafe Viet. We had the vegan shaking beef and vegan lemongrass chicken- both were absolutely amazing! We also had the spring rolls and they were so yummy! Definitely coming back here, would totally recommend for both vegans/non-vegans.
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There are many Vietnamese restaurants in Auckland, but there is something different about Cafe Viet. Not only it’s unique interior, this Cafe/Bistro offers fusion twist to Vietnamese cuisine with a decent selection of Vegan options.
I was warmly greeted by the waitress, with professional and prompt services. I ordered the Vegan Duck Rice Paper Rolls, the Beef Rice Noodle Soup and the Bang Bang Prawns. The dishes came in small portions, but were great for sharing or if you want to have a bit of everything.
First arrived was the Vegan Duck Rice Paper Roll. The roll was freshly prepared, with seitan duck and other fillings tightly wrapped. The seitan was nicely flavoured and tasted very much like meat.
The Bang Bang Prawns were quite average. The fried prawns coated in green rice flakes were very dry. The coconut lemongrass dressing didn’t exert to reducing the grease of the dish.
The Beef Pho which arrived simultaneously was also disappointing. I prefer my beef to be medium rare but these was over-cooked and tough to chew. The soup could have been more brothy.
So surprisingly, I enjoyed the Vegan dish more than the meat.
This is a place I would be recommending to my Vegan friends, but probably not for any who enjoys a traditional meaty Vietnamese food.
Taste: 7/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Ambience: 9/10
Value for money: 7/10
Price $20 per person (excl alcohol)
Beautiful authentic food! Best I’ve had in a long time. Will definitely be back.
Delicious vegan curry. Creamy and full of flavour. Loved the bang bang prawns they were crispy and cooked well. 😊 Will definitely be back to dine in as I got takeaway.
The lemongrass beef was tasty and very filling however we were unlucky enough to have our order slowed by a glut of uber eats orders.
Neat restaurant tucked away in Grey Lynn. Had entrees of spring rolls, fresh rolls to start with followed by soft shell crab salad, lemongrass chicken and tofu on rice dish Good selection of vegan options and food was represented beautifully. Loved the decor and service was great. Food was nice but if there was more sauce or flavours in salad and rolls would have been even better!
Very nice place to enjoy the Vietnamese pho. Pho soup delicious and can tasty fresh herbal. Summer roll nice to try. Environment clean and nice, service quite friendly and patience.
Nice place to have your Vietnamese meals. The restaurant decor looks realy cool. Food is amazing & authentic. Staff are vert friendly. Service is promt. Will definitely visit this place whenever i crave for Vietnamese food again & again.
C A F E . V I E T - Free Farmed, Free Range, Freaking amazing! 😝🥰
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I’d been here once before and I thought it was alright, went back a second time and it knocked me off my feet, it was incredible!! Everything is so fresh and the flavours and textures of the food complement each other perfectly!
I highly recommend getting some starters the rice flour crepe rolls and the bang bang prawns were two of our favourite dishes of the whole meal.
For mains it’s good to each order your own meal. I had the Ginger Kaffir Lime Chicken- it was beautiful, the others ordered Grilled Fish in Banana Leaf and Lemongrass beef- of course I tried their food too and it was all cooked perfectly! With mains all priced under $30 it’s a bargain for the quality of food that you get. I recommend you go... now
Terrific authentic flavours, fresh and well priced too - and their meat is free range which is fab (and rare for this type of restaurant in NZ). Can’t recommend Cafe Viet enough!
I love Cafe Viet. Have been here so many times and never once had a bad meal. The service is amazing. I think I have tried pretty much everything on the menu and it's all you.
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Had a planned menu for a party of 10. Starters were the Bang Bang Prawns with coconut lemongrass dressing rice lemony with a bit of heat; spring rolls were yummy with a twist on the sauce with peanut rather than just the traditional hoisin rich sauce that can be a bit overpowering, summer roll with began rust duck added the crispy texture to the soft roll and nicely paired with the nuoc mam. And finally the fried calamari that was perfectly fried leaving the squid just cooked.
Mains started with the lemon grass chicken served with BunCha and herbs. Best lemon grass chicken yet in Auckland. Just nicely grilled and the chicken moist yet nicely charred. A word about the nuoc mam at Cafe Viet.. simply great balance of lemon juice, palm sugar and fish sauce...
The Caramelised Pork Hot Pot was to die for. The pork belly was slow-cooked with the skin and fat melting in your mouth. The fried hard boiled egg was a nice touch and the braised gravy... Yummy. Very nice dish.
The grilled fish in banana leaf served with nouc mam and rice... As a Malaysian, that's comfort food, and well done ... Would have loved a little sambal belacan on the side but that'd make it Malaysian and not Vietnamese... The nuoc mam with grilled fish was a great combination. Our planned set came with a grilled scallop for each diner.
Our last dish was the yellow curry with chicken. I would have liked it with more heat but nevertheless, still good.
Dessert was a real surprise... Ordered the Summer in a jar which was an interesting take on the Sago pudding. Came in a jam jar with the Sago pudding base topped with palm sugar, coconut flakes, coconut ice cream and the surprise... The schnapps soaked raspberries... The combination just came together so well ... Will be going back for more. The wife ordered the whiskey coffee chocolate mousse with plum ice cream... Also great. Nice touch on the dessert
Amazing Vietnamese Pho! It had a very rich clean tasting soup, with fresh tasting beef! The summer rolls were to die for, and had an amazing dipping sauce! Can never go wrong, with their slaw too.
The services was amazing, greeted right at the door and seated promptly. They're very caring, and asked if we'd like deserts to be brought out during our meal.
Best Vietnamese in Central Auckland!
Food - Nice to see a decent sized vegan menu! Would love to see some lighter mains (ie no rice or noodles but obvs that's a personal pref)! I had the Tofu Summer Rolls/Vegan Shaking Beef - both were great!
Ambience - The restaurant has a great look/great music (not too loud too).
Customer Service - Front of house + wait staff were very polite.
I have tried so many different cuisine and got to admit vietnamese cuisine is one of the best when it comes to fresh ingredients and depth of flavour. There are so many vienamese restaurants in Auckland that claimed to be authentic but they are not the real deal. Viet cafe is my number one go to restaurant whenever I'm craving flavours from home. The service was really good, I felt looked after. The food were superb and ambience reminded me of when I was on the street of vietnam!
Service: 4.5/5
Food: 5/5
Ambience: 4.5/5
Cool smooth jazz, quiet enough to actually have a conversation but allow for privacy, absolutely delightful, friendly, attentive staff. Now the food... it was GOOD! Southern Vietnamese style, a rare thing in Auckland. Reasonable prices too. Firm classic summer rolls with a rich peanut sauce, the lemongrass beef was perfect, and the lemongrass chicken a flavour explosion. This place is obviously popular with the locals, regulars being welcomed... regularly. And the food was flying out the door, the Uber food people were constantly popping in and out. Definitely coming back, I have to try the banana sticky rice!
your food was so nice it reminds me of Vietnam the beef was so delicious. excellent spring rolls and the service was fast and friendly. thanks
Went out for a dinner on a weekday so it wasnt packed. Nice ambience. Lovely service. We ordered banh xeo for starter, then crab salad and pork noodle for main. Food was good and the price was quite reasonable. Will be back.
Lovely food and so many choices for the Vegan Menu which me loved as we are Vegan.
The Gentleman on the phone was so polite when we booked and even more when we arrived.
Greeted us and showed us who will be looking after us for the night
We were seated in a nice area outside away from the loudness of the inside dinners.
The lady looking after us was lovely. Showed us what was most popular and guided us throigh the Vegan Menu.
We had Stuffed Tofu and Veges which was delicious and Curry Puffs with Noodle Salad of some sort with Coconut going through it. Both were delicious.
The dessert though was a masterpiece in itself. I would legit just come back to have the dessert twice 😍😍😍
Sago in Coconut Milk , Schnapps with Marinated Raspberries and Soft Coconut Shards was amazing.
Thank you for such a lovely evening of ambience and yummy food.
Will be back with family.
Warm and welcoming cafe for authentic Vietnamese food. Their Pho is great as are Bang Bang prawns. The spring rolls are to die for. Have enjoyed all our meals here and Darren is a great owner and front guy.
Absolutely perfect. We ordered quite a few dishes and all of them were exceptional. The service was friendly and prompt and the coffee was also perfect!
Come here for the Pho !! Ordered: bang bang prawn, beef pho and grilled fish in banana leaf. The prawns were a miss. The coating outside did not taste amazing and the sauce did not go well with it. The PHO was amazing ~~ the soup was well balanced with all the correct herbs. It went perfect with the noodles and beef. Get the regular size ! The fish however was plain. Did not smell or taste of banana leaves and the sauce was very very average.
Pretty nice and cosy place. Menu had a good variety. Price range $80 for two people with a entree, main and a drink. Food presentation is authentic but taste not quite authentic. Need to use Vietnamese basil or mint, lemongrass and limes a fair bit more to give it more that Vietnamese hit.
Went there on Saturday with family, the food was amazingly good. I had the fried squid for starter and the slow cooked pork belly, i cannot stop raving about how yummy each mouth full was. The portions were plentiful, so much that i was able to share it around the table, this was the same with all the other dishes, we were able to taste each dish. Highly recommend this place to anyone who is hungry for Vietnamese. The owner is the most delightful and welcoming person i have ever seen anywhere, we will be back again.
This place makes the best spring rolls! I have been here a few times and the food never disappoints. Really friendly and attentive staff as well. Only thing that could be improved is the toilets...very dirty everytime Ive visited.
Sophia Angela Collins
+4.5
Cafe Viet deserves every good review it gets. The food was super fresh, tasty and affordable. My partner and I ordered the rice paper rolls and ribs as a starter, both were delicious and just the right size so as not to make us too full for the Pho we ordered for mains. I've eaten A LOT of Pho lately (I'm talking a lot) and Cafe Viet was definitely top 3 for me, and I'm going to say the best Pho in Grey Lynn without a doubt. Staff were relaxed and friendly and we were seated in a really warm part of the restaurant during a cold night which I appreciated immensely. The restaurant itself is super cute with fairy lights and an eclectic atmosphere. Would be a good place to go on a first date! Loved it, can't wait to go again.
Super accommodating to vegans, the vegetarian menu is wonderful and the staff happily and easily can make it vegan. I had the stuffed tofu which was amazing! Very friendly staff. Very private tables, fairly lights, it's lovely
Surprisingly good! Our starters were the bangbang prawns and beef with sesame spring rolls. Our mains were the pork belly and the galangal fish. Everything was nice except for the fish which was a bit over cooked. The jar dessert was amazing.
Three of us went to Cafe Viet last night. Very nice place. The service and food were both great. The servings were very big but the price was reasonable. The decoration of the place was very cosy. Love to go back again.
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I love Vietnamese cuisine as I find the food light, refreshing and reasonably healthy to eat! My friend and I ordered the Tamarind king prawns and lemon grass chicken to share. I'm not the biggest fan of prawns, but when they are cooked well I LOVE them. This dish was ok for me, I absolutely love the sour flavour of tamarind, but their sauce was more on the sweet side. I liked how this dish had several different elements on the plate including coconut prawn skewers, Vietnamese salad, prawn crackers and rice however the flavours could have been stronger.
The lemon grass chicken was really good! It was served with nuac cham, spring rolls and vermicelli noodle. The chicken was tender and the spring rolls were nice and crunchy without being too oily.
For desert we ordered the chocolate raspberry donuts with coconut ice cream to share. This desert was horrible, the donuts were so dense and hard, they should be golden and slightly crispy on the outside and fluffy and light in the middle, but these ones were like rocks. The coconut ice cream was good but unfortunately the star of this desert - the donuts, were just so bad. The desert menu in general was a bit boring, hopefully they improve this!
Wow what a gem! Drove out all the way to grey Lynn just to try it for a night out with the girls. The decor is so quaint! Brick walls and paint displaying street side Vietnam. The food tasted amazinggg and the service genuine, friendly and helpful. We can see the owners chatting away with diners and treating their staff quite kindly over an error made. Pleasant experience, would return to eat!
Only got takeaways from here tonight but it was NEXT LEVEL - easily the best meal we've had this year! We ordered the bourbon beef cheeks, pork ribs and the kaffir like chicken. All 3 dishes came with jasmine rice and they were all equally as good as each other. The beef cheeks were my favourite, they absolutely fell apart, it could only be described as orgasmic. And if you're concerned about the bourbon flavour, don't. It tastes nothing like drinking actual bourbon. The ribs were equally as melt-in-your-mouth and were pretty sweet, complimented by fresh coriander and chilli. The chicken was tender and fragrant and the dipping sauce was a really nice addition. The owner is also lovely and greets you with a warm smile and witty commentary. It was absolutely buzzing on a Thursday night and we would have loved to stay. We'll definitely be in for dinner soon, i have my eye on the pho
Absolutely fantastic! Always great service, great food, and wonderful atmosphere! We frequent Cafe Viet quite often as it is always wonderful. We have taken many there and recommended and all are more than happy and return. My favs are the galangal fish, and the banana leaf wrapped fish, and the kumara curry puffs, ooh and I can never go past the amazing Summer in a jar! Yummmo!!!
Darren, Joni and their team are always amazing! Thanks Cafe Viet, see you soon!
A lovely little spot but our pork was overcooked and very dry. We were here about a year ago and I'm sure the portions have got a lot smaller. A good wine selection and friendly service. We'll give this place another try in six months and see if they have improved. The portion sizes we had don't reflect value for money.
What a great spot for authentic Vietnamese food with a modern twist. Great options on their menu, we ordered the pork hot pot, lemongrass chicken noodles, rice flour crepe rolls and bang bang prawns and everything was delicious. Service was friendly and nice cosy restaurant, go check it out!
Easy place for a Friday night dinner out! Good was good but not as amazing as I had heard... Perhaps hyped up too much for me! But service was outstanding, friendly wait staff and servers who helped out with wine recommendations! I had the tamarind prawns, and they were good but want expecting this skewers of prawns to be cold. Would return to try more options as other dishes on surrounding tables looked amazing... Will try again! Good local low key night!
I went here to kill time before an appointment - the food is good, pretty standard Vietnamese, maybe slightly less tasty than other places , but some people may prefer that in NZ. The interior is really cool & the staff are friendly. Only gripe really is that some things are a little too pricey for what you get - 2 spring rolls for $9.50 when they're mainly just rice-noodles is a little steep.
Very authentic Vietnamese! Great selection and nice atmosphere. Food comes out promptly and portion sizes are enough to fill the tummy but you don't leave feeling bloated!
A favourite Vietnamese restaurant. Great food and cosy atmosphere👌The summer rolls are always freshly made and great to have a variety of options to choose from
Amazing food! Awesome and cute interiors
100% worth trying
We are definately going back
I love my Vietnamese and go to all the Vietnamese places that pop up. Having travelled to Vietnam I have high expectations
This definately hit all the keys
Thanks cafe viet I'll be seeing you again soon!!!
Was surprised by a friend one night and she brought me here - I was pleasantly surprised! The aesthetics of this place are to die for, so cute 🎀. The staff were lovely and very helpful for my friend who is on a fodmap diet. The menu was pretty extensive and it felt authentically Vietnamese which was nice to see. The pho was beautiful and left me feeling fresh 🍜. Venture out to grey Lynn sometime and give this place a try!
I have got dinner here a couple of times (takeaway). Where the food is good, I feel the portion sizes are far too small for the price you pay. Maybe eating in they may be bigger?
Our first time eating here and we were very impressed. Vietnamese culture is known for their food and this restaurant does them justice. Walking into a beautiful atmosphere and then served such well presented food.
We ordered the caramelised pork hotpot and the grilled fish in banana leaf. The pork was good, we know the dish very well and felt it wasn't the best we had tasted but still great! How ever, the fish was to die for! The dressing It was served with was so tasty, and the all extra condiments of the dish were delicious. (Crunchy salad, scallops, prawn crackers)
Very fast and friendly service. Would love to come here again.
Dinner at this Vietnam restaurant for the first time, the Vietnamese dish is fusions style but still lots of Vietnam dish flavor in it, we order spring roll for entree, we have lemongrass chicken and pork ribs for main, unfortunately we are full, so we did not order desert. Service is top class since they have 4-5 staffs working in this full house restaurant and deco is cool. We definitely coming back for more.
Been here a couple of times, service here is always superb, super friendly staff with big smiles.
We ordered the lemon grass chicken ($22)and caramelised Pork hotspot ($24) . Both dishes had good flavours,meats were tender and juicy and well balanced with a light crunchy salad.
Left happy and satisfied .
Very good can't fault it. Service exceptional, food delicious. Loved t@he venue.
Highly recommend Veitnamese food is becoming my favorite!
I've come for a restorative bowl of pho bo. Tonight I crave its simplicity. It's rustic broth with noodles and rare beef. Cafe Viet's version uses hand minced beef flavoured with ginger root. The soup is topped w raw onion (which I'm not fond of), coriander, mint and chives. I'm missing the kick of Vietnamese mint, and basil. It's served with a generous side plate of mung sprouts, lemon wedge, hoisin and chilli sauce instead of sliced fresh chillies.
They've extended their outdoor seating ready for summer - an area I prefer as it's rather more like eating on the street but you are saved from having to squat on wee plastic stools!
I like the ambience of this place.
Me and my partner went for dinner today . Got seated pretty quickly . We ordered the crab wontons for starters which was $16. It was good but overpriced according to me. My partner orders the kaffir lime chicken that he really enjoyed and I had the lemon grass chicken which was amazing and also a PB Chocolate frappe .Overall good customer service and good food tasty. Portions are decent but you pay the price for it.
At a busy junction in Grey Lynn, Cafe Viet is a Vietnamese restaurant with heaps of character. On arrival you feel like you've been transported to an indie-hip Vietnamese cafe, with flowers in vases, cracks painted on the walls and wooden beaded dividers. It is a popular, small-medium sized restaurant with relatively short wait times and extremely catering wait staff.
I have tried most of their non-red meat food options, and highly recommend the popular bang bang prawns (a coconut crusted prawn) and the crispy squid. Tonight I came with friends and we had the prawns, salmon and shrimp rice paper rolls, squid, lemongrass chicken and beef ribs. For dessert we had the raspberry donuts and the "special coffee" which is just divine - coffee filtered before your eyes with condensed milk. Prices are reasonable as well, which is a plus!
Overall, one of my favourite Vietnamese restaurants in terms of character, taste and value. Definite must try!
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Vietnamese is easily crawling up to my list of top choice cuisines so I wanted to go and try a new place.
FOOD:
-> Traditional Prawns & Braised Pork Fresh Rice Paper Roll: I like this especially with the dipping sauce it came with. I don't usually like fresh rice paper rolls with prawn in it but this was surprisingly enjoyable.
-> Cafe Viet's Spring Rolls: A fried spring rolled wrapped with a rice paper roll on top :D Something that I've never seen before. It was nice but nothing really special. I definitely prefer the fried spring rolls from Le Vietnamese Kitchen over these ones.
-> Bang Bang Prawns: This was a top recommended dish which was prawns covered in some fried rice pop-like layer. An interesting concept and quite tasty!
-> Bang Bang Tofu: Not as good as the prawns. Was too chewy and stuck in my teeth. Wasn't much flavour unless you kept dipping it in the sauce.
-> Open Crab Wontons: This was a crisp wonton shell stuffed with lots of salad veges then topped with a bit of crab meat. Was the least liked dish. It wasn't terrible, but really just meh. The sauce drips out making a mess which I didn't like.
-> Pho: I probably shouldn't compare with Le Vietnamese Kitchen buuut I preferred the Pho from Cafe Viet a lot more. The soup was really nice to drink and it didn't feel very msg-ey.
-> Grilled Kaffir Lime Chicken: This dish came donburi style with the chicken skewers and crispy roasted veges on top. The veges were the best part; so crispy. Overall it was a pretty average dish flavour-wise but the looks of it is very Instagram-worthy xD
->Lemongrass chicken: YUM. This is so far my favourite. Was flavoursome but wasn't overwhelming or too much. The chicken was cooked really well.
-> Grilled Fish in Banana Leaf: I'm not a fish lover but ordered it for the others to try. To quote my brother "it wasn't that great, it just tasted like fish"
-> Viet ribs: My brother ordered this but I was too full to try it. It also came with some crispy roasted as well so I had some of those xD
STAFF + ATMOSPHERE:
The staff were friendly and helpful when we had to ask about the portions and if they thought the amount we ordered would be enough or not. The atmosphere was lovely; we got to sit outside and it wasn't too hot or cold.
Overall, this place was enjoyable but it didn't really stand out to me. I would come back to try some other things on their menu though :D
Such a gem. We have been here a few times and the staff are always great. The soft shell crab salad is to die for! Defiantly the best place to eat between Grey Lynn shops and Richmond Road.
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I recently tried Cafe Viet with a group of friends as part of a belated birthday celebration. None of us had visited before. It is a cute wee place with a tight, cozy atmosphere and simple decor. The service is friendly and helpful. I also really appreciated the free parking on site. We ordered the bang bang prawns to start, which were crispy and delicious. Our mains included the beef pho, grilled lemongrass chicken (both the curry puff and spring roll options), and grilled kaffir lime chicken. I can only speak to the kaffir lime chicken, which I thought was succulent and flavourful. The veges were perfectly crisp. I'm generally a slow eater, but I got through the dish very quickly... All the dishes were beautifully presented, and well-portioned. We also enjoyed our desserts, which - if you don't have that much of a sweet tooth - were huge. Each could easily serve two people. All in all, this is an awesome little restaurant. I will definitely return before long to try more of the menu! Great for groups as well as dates. :)
Much better than the Nandos it replaced. Tasty flavoursome Vietnamese food...not quite on par with somewhere like Cafe Hanoi, but certainly much better value.
For a suburban Vietnamese restaurant it's very good.
My favourite Vietnam Vietnam restaurant. Fantastic atmosphere and great service. The food if to die for. We have done take away few times and great cosy place to grab a bite.
Can't get enough of this place. Food is amazing. Fresh, tasty and we'll presented. Staff are lovely, the owner is a friendly chap, and it's well priced! Decor is modern and funky. Definitely in my top 5!
Went for Father's Day. Great service and great food. Great spot for a quiet meal but recommend booking, not the biggest restaurant, definitely recommend the lemongrass beef
Cosy restaurant with fairy lights! We were greeted with smiles and attentive staff.
I've heard good things about this place, and no doubt I was not disappointed!
They have lots of varieties of spring rolls and summer rolls (delicious!) and you must try their Bang Bang Prawns (crispy on the outside but still maintained the juiciness of the prawns). There were many choices for mains, so I'm sure there is something for everyone! They also offer small size pho which is perfect for someone like me who always finds the need to order a PHO but now can order another main with it :p However, I did find the pho slightly plain and lacking the fresh herbs/ mint leaves that goes with it.
My favourite was their unique dessert list, serving durian ice cream (really good for durian lovers out there) and sago dessert.
My husband and I finally made it to this suburban gem and it was well worth the wait. We have driven past the place for yonks but never had the time to pop in so last night was a treat for us. Having been in Vietnam when we lived in Asia we can say with conviction that it is the best authentic Vietnamese fare that we've experienced so far in Auckland, over the past decade of living here. Thanks so much for trying to keep the authentic taste alive -- please don't change a thing -- keep up the awesomeness!!! Can't wait to go back there again!
Great night last night at Cafe Viet for my friend Jenna's birthday. Delicious food with fresh ingredients and a lovely refreshing taste. Ambiance, staff and service was fantastic. I will be going back very soon!
Just upped my review from 4.5 to 5... The food here is perfect. First time, I visited on a busy Thursday night and had a fantastic evening - impeccable service and beautiful food. Menu has just the right amount of choice and plenty of veggie options. Had the squid to start (v fresh, delicious) and we both had a fish dish for main. Just perfect - so full of flavour. Very happy customer, would certainly recommend and will be back!
Second visit - had the net spring rolls and fried squid to start (beautiful, squid was particularly delicious and fresh) with grilled fish in banana leaf for mains, my partner had the caramelised pork hot pot. Both just perfect. The pork was falling apart and packed with flavour. Impeccable food and service, fast becoming a favourite!
Taemoata Fong Junior Faatili
Cafe viet has very tasty starters and desserts !!! The bang bang prawns are to die for!!! The rice rolls are very flavoursome!!! The mains leave a little to be desired BUT The banana doughnuts are very delicious 😀 the service very fast and friendly waitress !!! Over all great experience!!!
We ordered the pork belly , bang bang prawns and the pho. The food came very quickly. I was very surprised. The prawns was nice with a bit of spice to it. The pho was ok but not as flavorsome as it can be compared to the viet restaurants in melbourne. The pork was cooked nicely and tasty. Only complaint is the waistresses kept coming over wanting to clear our dishes even though we havent finished. It made me felt as if they want us out.
We ordered the viet coffee too and its ok. But not as nice as the real thing. Overall not bad but not super great either.
Food was excellent - tasty and good value with outstanding genuine Vietnamese flavours. Relatively small restaurant, and on the noisy side. Highly recommended
I like this Vietnamese restaurant. The interior is very Vietnamese style, with some antique displayed and hand painted wall painting, it was very warm and welcome. The food was delicious. We ordered prawn, beef ribs, pho and chicken. They were all very tasty. The waitresses were very friendly. The food was quite pricey but worth to try.
A modern take on Vietnamese cuisine. I personally prefer traditional styled Vietnamese . But the food here is pretty good. Great Decore and atmosphere definately worth a return trip. Highly recommend the bang bang prawns & the peanut butter frappe
Cannot fault - fast friendly service, absolutely AMAZING food! We had never been before and didn't book a table but they managed to squeeze us in thankfully. We will definitely be back.
I went with a party of 9 and was not disappointed! The restaurant was recommended to me by a friend and given I was craving Vietnamese food, expectations were high. I liked the fact it was cosy and tables close to each other - the fairy lights and colourful walls created an ambience fit for dining. The crispy prawn starter was divine (pure heaven!) and the lemongrass chicken was tasty. In fact it probably had too many components. The Summer in a Jar dessert is highly recommended and a great way to top off a wonderful dinner experience. I'll be back :)
Nice little Vietnamese resturant, I had the Saigon Lemon grass Chicken, and a Saigon Beer, the dish was full of flavour, and loved the hot dipping sauce that came with it. Great atmosphere, it was my brother in law's birthday, and it was awesome when the whole resturant joined in to sing Happy Birthday. Great place to go in a cold winter night.
I throughly enjoy Vietnamese cuisine, so coming here was inevitable. I walked in to beautiful decor, friendly staff and gorgeous arrangement! After such a wonderful impression, It was then left to the food to put that in concrete... And wow, did it do so! We ordered the Saigon Lemongrass chicken and Caramelised pork hot pot. It was beyond mouth watering -- it was simply to die for. Every bite was an orgasmic savour, so rich in tastes and flavour! I will definitely be back... Multiple times at that!!!!
Who can resist a nice Vietnamese restaurant for a funky evening out, and this place certainly doesn't disappoint. It used to be hard to find Vietnamese but now they are popping up everywhere... Even though from the outside it looks a bit bland, it's actually full of character, and fitted out just like a small Asian side street with lots of tables and artefacts around. It's a little bit kitsch but could easily be taken to the next level like Mexico for example. On the night we arrived they were pretty busy but they still managed to fit us in before a booking arrived, thanks!! Staff very friendly, if a bit disorganised, and the odd rubbish bag carried through the restaurant, but otherwise very impressed by the service! Food was sensational, beautifully presented, soft shell crab salad delicious, banana and coconut doughnuts also fantastic, perfect marks on that front and overall definitely a place to visit again!
Fresh, unique delicious food. So glad to hear it's child friendly as my gourmand kids are so looking forward to trying another cuisine. Loved the fresh spring rolls, rice cakes with prawn, soft shell crab salad. I wish I could have ordered more! I will have to return for the pork hotpot. My only gripe would be the drinks list. Two requests by members of my group were unavailable and service was slightly sketchy at times in the sense of drinks orders being forgotten rather than rudeness.
Great food..Really love the Pork and its definate a try and dessert is a must.
Great service they were busy that night but were kept topped by our drinks.
Will definitely be back..
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My husband and I strive to eat only free-range meat which guarantees not only a respect for animal welfare, but also better quality food. Most of the time this limits our menu options to beef, but Cafe Viet serve completely free range pork, chicken, and eggs. I can't praise this choice highly enough and let me assure you that the better quality is not reflected in the prices, which are extremely reasonable.
In Vietnamese food, nothing goes to waste, and everything is made delicious. Cafe Viet serves the traditional pig-ear salad (free-range pig ear, that is!) which is a lovely addition to a very approachable menu.
We find the best way to eat here is to share a selection of small and large plates. On our most recent visit, we had Cafe Viet Spring Rolls, which are stuffed full of herbs and have a wonderful fried filling of pork, vermicelli and woodear mushroom. Ginger sesame beef spring rolls were also lovely, and our waitress ensured everything was well-paced and the small table always quickly cleared. We love caramel pork and Cafe Viet's version is wonderful. Succulent pork belly with sweet and salty dressing pairs perfectly with crunchy, lime-y and peanutty cabbage salad; we also love the lemongrass chicken (and the nuoc cham dipping sauce, which is spot on).
Make sure to have a vietnamese "ca phe" drip coffee which, hot or cold, is a fantastic accompaniment to the meal, with a richness and flavour (rather like an intensely concentrated plunger coffee, but far better) unique to this intricate and very different method of coffee-making.
This restaurant serves fantastic food in a gorgeous setting, and is a trendsetter with a menu that reflects a high respect for animal welfare and quality ingredients. I highly recommend a visit or three.
Tonight was our first visit to Cafe Viet (we've had friends rave about it for ages) and we loved it. This charming little restaurant has a great atmosphere, friendly staff and the food was excellent, with really beautiful flavour combinations. We'll be back.
This would have to be the best Vietnamese food I've had in Auckland. I would have eaten at Cafe' Viet at least a dozen times this year and it has been consistently outstanding. The food is delicious , the service is friendly and quick, and it's very good value. It's become a well known restaurant just off the Ponsonby strip so it now pays to book ahead for a table. Lemon grass beef is excellent, as is the pork belly, and the ribs, and their own brand of Cafe' Viet spring rolls are a must.
Jack Atherton.
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It's hard to find Vietnamese food in Auckland so we got quite excited when we found out about cafe viet. There was a bit of a hiccup as our reservation got mixed up and cancelled, but they were very good and quickly put together a table for 5 in their tiny little restaurant on a night that was fully booked out. The place may be small, but it is perfect for small get togethers, very cozy with painted walls, raised ceiling and decorative lighting. The staff were very friendly and patient with us as we took awhile to decide and enquire about various items on the menu. I've got to say that the one thing you must try when you come here is their bang bang prawns. It's deep fried and coated with Thai green curry (i think) and served with mayonnaise on the side. It's simply amazing and a good starter while you're starving and waiting for your mains to arrive. The starters come out very quick too, even before our drinks. Overall it was a good experience, and I'll def go back again to try other things on the menu (mainly their pho).
This little gem in Grey Lynn is a must visit.
Service is great and food is fantastic. We had a table of 5 and each of us got something different so we could all have a taste of each dish. I can't remember the exact dishes but we pretty much got half of the entree menu which there was nothing we could fault; portions were generous for the price. The mains which were absolute stand outs was the spare ribs, soft shell crab salad (melts in your mouth!) and pork hot pot. All I can say is DELISH.
We had been meaning to go to Cafe Viet for some time - but our kids aren't very adventurous eaters so we weren't sure how they would go. We shouldn't have worried - there is a kids menu with hot dog, chips and an icecream sundae - sorted!
We were free to roam across the menu - rice paper rolls & spring rolls as entrees. (which, to my immense surprise even the kids liked!) , the beef noodle soup, lemongrass chicken and the most unusual dish - Viet ribs with Kumara chips - which the kids also devoured.
The service was good, we were seated and served promptly - which is unusually important for parents with kids - and the food was sensational - delicious, fresh flavours, and all accompanied by a nice bottle of wine. We'll definitely be back, but we know to book next time as the place was filling up despite it being mid-week. We have a new favourite local!
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We live a couple of doors away from this place and have watched as restaurants come, die and go away on this particular spot. Our hopes were high that something awesome would move in and the curse of the old gas station would be lifted. We feel it might have been, finally. We've eaten at Viet 3 times now and each time have found it to be really well prepared food from a menu that changes enough to keep you interested. The pho is a treat and it's good to have a decent bowl of noodles in your hood. The soft shell crab is a new family favourite and we just about have to lick the lips of our 6 year old son to get a taste now. It's all been good for us so we'll keep going back. The important thing folks need to remember is that it's also REASONABLE good food. We're not talking silver service here so wind your neck in. Sure the service can be a little hit & miss when they're slammed. Relax and chat a little or something for chrissakes! Or go eat quick garbage elsewhwere and give the rest of us your seat!
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Cafe Viet was a cafe we always wanted to try after hearing so many fab reviews from family and friends. So our newly formed dine-out group of six friends came here last Sunday night.
The place was already "bustling" when we arrived at 6.15pm. The atmosphere was exciting and the decor had a great authentic Vietnamese feel to it. We had a great posse right in front of the kitchen where we could see all the Vietnamese chefs there busily cooking away.
Our friendly and charming waitress took our orders within moments of our being seated. Approx 30 minutes later, all our entrees had arrived. My Mini Rice Cakes with prawns at $12.00 was really delicious!! My mains was the Beef Pho at $15.00 per bowl which I'm sorry to say was a little "disappointing". It wasn't as big a serving as I had hoped. More soup would had helped. Also it wasn't as nourishing as it could have been. While most of the basic herbal side ingredients like fresh mint and corriander were included, I felt they had forgotten to include the most essential herb "Thai Basil". So to me, that most important aniseed flavour in Pho was missing.
My wife ordered the Lemongrass Pork mains at $22.00 which she enjoyed, though she did mentioned that the lemongrass flavour was "a bit bland".
Our other friends all seemed to enjoyed their mains which included the Caramelised Pork Hotpot dish, and the Lemongrass Chicken dish.
All in all, it was an very enjoyable evening with good friends and good food in a very exciting environment!!
On a side note; there was a happy white man serving drinks. I thought he looked rather out of place working there among all the other Vietnamese staff last night. It would have been better if he had worn a Vietnamese type uniform as well, more like all the others. Perhaps he was one of the owners??
Impeccable service, great value and the food is super delicious. Loved the atmosphere also! We are not people who often eat out (two kids, one income), but if and when we do, we usually find ourselves at Cafe Viet.
We had dinner here for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. In fact excellent food at a reasonable price. We will definitely be back. The only down side was when I rang to book I asked if the were byo and was told that they were fully licenced. Then asked if they accepted byo only to be told the same thing. Checked the website to see they do accept byo. So rang back and asked again, still to be told they were fully licenced. The gentleman who I spoke to on both occasions I presume is the owner who needs to get his act together and be honest with the customer.
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We tossed up whether we should write a review for Cafe Viet as we were worried that our glowing review may mean that we might not be able to get a seat here anymore! However, we figure that it is best to review great restaurants to ensure their success thus they stay put in a city full of great places to eat!
'Date night' for us usually consists of us going to one of our 2 favourite restaurants as we are creatures of habit! Cafe Viet had received some great reviews and as we live less than 2km away we thought we should try local for a change - and how glad we did! On a rainy Wednesday night we found a park easily right underneath and made our way into what we were delighted to discover was a little slice of Vietnam in Grey Lynn!
We started off with the panko crumbed squid and little rice cakes - both were beautifully cooked and presented plus the portions were really generous. My husband chose the fish cooked in banana leaves and I chose the lemongrass chicken. Both dishes were superb, lovely clean fresh flavours beautifully seasoned and cooked to perfection. Both dishes came with a delicious noodle salad on the side which was full of flavour and a lovely accompaniment.
All in all we were totally impressed and could clearly see why this wee restaurant was gaining such a great reputation. The service was friendly and efficient, the food was faultless and we thought it was great value for money. We'll done Cafe Viet, we can't wait to come back soon!
We had lunch at this restaurant today and enjoyed the experience for the most part.
The salt and pepper squid was coated in light panko crumbs, the shredded Thai basil on top gave it a fresh twist and the lemon sauce served to complete the dish nicely. The fried spring rolls were lovely and crisp but wrapped in rice paper which was a surprise and hit the spot. I am a big beef pho fan, unfortunately the soup suffered from underseasoning. Having said that I liked the clean homely style and it wasn't poor enough to stop me from slurping soup straight from the bowl!!! The pork belly hotpot rounded out the meal, not as sweet as the last time I ate this dish at another restaurant, which suited my palate. One piece needed a fraction more cooking (understandable for a slow cooked dish so early in the morning) but the other two were meltingly tender. All in all a very good meal, a bit more salt and it would have been great.
We went here for dinner last week, it was very busy and we hadn't booked but were found a table within 5 minutes of walking in. We had the fresh spring rolls, bang bang prawns, beef pho and lemongrass chicken. Everything was delicious and the staff were great. I cannot wait to go back.
We went for dinner as a spur of the moment decision and were very impressed. The service was fast, efficient and very friendly. The food was delightful... generous serves, beautiful presentation and great flavours. The best judge of our dining experience is to ask whether we would come back and order the same dish again and our answer here is without hesitation yes.
I'll keep this short and sweet - just been for lunch and thought it was worth a quick thumbs up. Bang Bang Prawns were a winner, as was the Pork Spring Rolls. I'm a big Pho fan and this was great - although I'm also a chilli lover so might ask for some extras on the side next time. Two full, happy tummies...
New to the neighborhood and husband's birthday, so a natural choice to try. Absolutely packed on a Wednesday night, that was the first surprise. We were given a table outside and the promise of blankets if needed, which we didn't.
We really enjoyed ourselves, we were served with charm and considering how busy they were, quite quickly. The entree of spring rolls was very good, with flavors that burst in the mouth. We both had the Belly Pork Hot Pot that was also good once I overcame my disappointment that this belly pork wasn't with crackling. Again beautifully cooked and presented. Pudding was a joint share of Deep fired Banana donuts with chocolate, some what like Spanish churros and decidedly yummy. We would definitely go back again and feel lucky to have this across the road.
Lovely fresh food but the initial impression was slightly marred by the lack of an immediate welcome - we realized that the woman at the "front of house" was busy but she needs to learn that an immediate acknowledgment means a great deal to customers regardless of how busy you are (I am always much happier to wait if an immediate acknowledgment is made with a promise to "be with you" in a moment).
That said it's a great addition to the neighbourhood.
Have been several times to Cafe Viet and have always enjoyed myself. Yes there are minor issues with the service such as the odd prompt for cutlery and top up of water, but one needs to remember your not paying 'French Cafe' or 'Prego' prices - put it into perspective.
Not having been to Vietnam myself but with friends that have, they commented the food is pretty authentic. Myself, I love the food.
Value for money, great atmosphere and Darren is always obliging. Keep it up.
Lovely fresh flavours - very authentic Vietnamese. The prawn and pork fresh spring rolls were particularly memorable. Very reasonably priced - it is nice to be able to go out for a mid week local meal for two and not have it cost a fortune. Definitely will be back.
Very tasty food and as authentic as I've had anywhere in New Zealand. It was nice to have some fresh herbs with the dishes. The owner said he'd provide even more but they are difficult to easily source in quantity.
We had the pho, which was lovely and came with coriander, Vietnamese mint, fresh lemon, mung bean sprouts, and chilli and hoisin sauces so you could season it to taste. My only criticism is that it could have done with more liquid (versus noodles). The ban xeo was nice - although to my palate it could have done with a tad more salt. The lemon grass beef was fantastic - probably the nicest I've had anywhere in NZ.
Cafe Viet is all a great addition to Auckland's Vietnamese restaurant scene and I will definitely be back for more.
I have enjoyed lunch at Cafe Viet twice this month after it was recommended. The meals are beautifully fresh, artistically presented and absolutely delicious. The ambience of the surroundings are colourful relaxing and original. This is a new spot. We dined with a group of 7 individuals. All were unanimous in our wish to return. The staff were friendly, informative and paid close attention to various requests. I wish the owners every success. Let the crowds roll through their doors. Thank you.
The best Vietnamese restaurant in Auckland! The service is good the food is great. Tried almost everything from the menu its awesome! Lots of flavors and all the chefs are from Vietnam! Relaxed atmosphere exactly I like. Highly recommend.
Went for lunch today and loved it. The summer rolls were freshly made and full of lovely herbs and fillings, we had a selection of other things from the shared plates menu and enjoyed them all. Liked the decor, plush cushions and staff, will definately go again.
Really like this new addition to our local scene. Genuinely good service and food. Nothing pretentious or overpriced and you can actually talk to your dinner companions without competing with the "vibe" - life as we once knew it!
These guys definitely deserve a plug. Food fantastic, fresh and flavoursome. Staff friendly atmosphere was warm and friendly. Highly recommended! Priced reasonably. We will have to make this a regular.
What a great find! Loved it - fantastic food, friendly staff and great vietnamese coffee. Will definitely be back.
This is a great local. Fresh food with friendly service. Loved the Banana leaf fish and coconut mussels. Great relaxed place to take the kids who loved the food as much as us . The staff were really friendly and accommodating to requests . Have been back twice now and will be going again .
Fantastic food!!!!! the best viet food we have had in New Zealand yet - our vietnamese homestay was soo happy she felt like she was eating at home. The fish in banana leaf with muscles in coconut was just amazing. Really lovely staff who are a bit new to the job & needed a bit of prompting for cutlery & napkins but the flavours of the cuisine more than made up for that & they were so friendly & helpful when we asked for anything - we were eating with two young children & they bought the kids meals out straight away so the adults could enjoy their delicious entree's & wine. - highly recommend the squid, the net fish & prawn spring rolls, the caramel pork hot pot & the BANANA DOUGHNUTS YUMMM!!!!!! will definately be back to this lovely friendly little local.
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Café Viet…there has been quite a buzz recently. Everyone seems to be talking about & I finally made it along there last Friday night for an early dinner; they just managed to squeeze 2 of us in at 6:30pm. With cyclone Lusi on the horizon we were very happy to be settled in inside in amongst the fairy lights & brightly coloured cushions. And then there was the menu; focusing on fresh & traditional Vietnamese dishes bursting with flavour & fresh herbs & spices. We wanted to try just about everything but that would really have been a case of eyes being bigger than the belly. A repeat visit will be in order to continue the Vietnamese journey.
We couldn’t even really make it past the small plates, with 4 of them & 1 main we were well & truly sated & satisfied. To start some fresh rice paper rolls with prawns & braised pork that were bright & fresh & served alongside some classic nuoc mam. I would have like it a little spicier but each to their own when it comes to heat. Next the Café Viet’s spring rolls. These were a real treat; golden & crispy fried spring rolls filled with diced pork & prawn wrapped in fresh rice paper rolls & herbs for a freshness alongside the crunchy crispiness.
Mini rice cakes were topped with a prawn, spring onion & mung beans for a tasty little morsel. These were dipped in nuoc mam & popped whole in to our hungry mouths to be devoured. Alongside these a basket of Bang Bang prawns covered in crispy batter with a coconut & lemongrass dipping sauce that packed a wonderful punch & a good hit of chilli & is what made these more than just deep fried prawns. Not that there is actually anything wrong with deep fried prawns!
The one dish that we sample from the mains was the grilled lemongrass chicken. The chicken was full of that wonderful lemongrass flavour & it came served with a cold rice noodle & herb salad topped with crushed peanuts & a couple of little curry puffs. Little pockets of light pastry stuffed with curried vegetables that were quite the little treat.
There was just no room to even pursue the dessert menu, our bellies were happy & full. Café Viet is a happy little place, food is bright & fresh & we had the loveliest service from a very sweet little lady.
However I must go back for the pho bo, that traditional savoury beef noodle soup & the crispy rice flour crepe that is stuffed with braised port, prawns, sprouts & fresh herbs.
Café Viet is one busy little place these days so be sure to book so that you don’t miss out.
If you like this check out more eats & food at www.toast-nz.com
Carmella @ Easy Food Hacks
+4.5
Café Viet has a very cosy interior, with murals harking to Saigon’s street scene, - (painted) exposed brickwork, trailing plants, dilapidated louvered shutters, faded yellow-washed walls and even a bicycle. There is seating in the front courtyard, and an area at the back for groups of up to 16. The plump, bright floral cushions invite you to relax into the seats.
The menu consists of staples, such as phở bò (rare beef noodle soup), grilled meats, salads and everyone's favourite spring rolls. I love that the owners have put the Vietnamese names of the dishes on the menu plus a guide to pronunciation.
My absolute favourite culinary experience in Vietnam was my daily glass (or three) of cà phê sữa đá, Vietnamese coffee served with sweet condensed milk and lots of ice. This is called café Viet on the menu ($4.50) and you can ask for this to come with ice. The coffee is even brewed in the traditional style, with a single-cup metal French drip filter (cà phê phin).
The bún gà sả (flame grilled lemongrass chicken, $19) was the most tender lemongrass chicken I have ever had. The chicken came with herbs and rice noodles that we sprinkled generously with nước mắm (dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar and chilli). It was also served with sweet potato curry puff and a lightly pickled salad which we ate on crackers. Bánh hỏi thịt nướng ($19) translates to grilled pork (thịt nướng) on thin rice noodles (bánh hỏi). This dish also comes with three of the tastiest pork meatballs, and reminded me of the spectacular bún chả in Hanoi. Bánh xèo (crisp rice flour crepe, $17) had a great crispy outside, and was generously filled with pork belly slices, prawns, mung bean sprouts, split mung beans and served with fresh Vietnamese mint, spearmint and coriander. You almost never Vietnamese mint in the restaurants or supermarkets here (even though they grow like a weed).
The food was authentic and delicious at Café Viet. I prefer the texture of the bánh xèo at Try It Out, but in terms of atmosphere, presentation and service, Café Viet easily trumps. This place is rightfully busy, so it pays to book if you're looking to visit for dinner.
For the rest of the review and photos, see: http://easyfoodhacks.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/cafe-viet-grey-lynn-auckland.html
This is my new favourite Cafe. The staff are lovely, the food is fantastic and it is very reasonably priced. Make sure you book as it is very popular.
Just a wonderful experience here! A group of ten of us seated at their group booth definitely help set a good night of dining here at Cafe Viet. I personally had the Bun Cha with Galangal Fish and it was good, perhaps some spring rolls would have completed the Bun Cha combination, overall the dish was tasty. The service was awesome and one of the best I've had in a while. We were catered for from start to the end and had the best customer service. Would definitely be back here!
So excited to find my new go-to. Good vibe. Cozy atmosphere. Service was incredibly friendly and fast. Good selection of drinks. Their food was spotless. Not salty, not bland, just right for my taste. Our appetiser, summer rolls have good filling with tasty dipping sauce.
Pho soup was with real beef broth, I think. Not MSG soup. My dish, lemongrass chicken with rice noodle spoiled me. Came with salad & crispy chips. Enjoyed their tap beer too. Can't recommend highly enough. Definitely will go back soon.
Updated: opens only for dinner from 5:30. Monday closed. Parking available at the back but limited. Booking recommended. Some outdoor sittings.
Excellent address! Great vegan options. One of the best Viet adresses I have got to discover. Service was good, friendly and fast. Les rouleaux de printemps vegan Spring rolls were an absolute pleasure. Amazing adress to discover.
Good selection, food was great, good vegan options for our resident vegan. Staff were attentive and service was nice and fast
I absolutely LOVE Vietnamese food and this place satisfied my appetite recently. The food was outstanding, and so was the service.
The toilets were clean and parking was super-easy.
I will definitely be back!!
Really nice menu. Bit on the pricey side. The dishes a very hearty and warming. Service is good.
Our favourite Vietnamese restaurant. All food are nice and consistent, friendly service.
First level 3 takeaways : ) delicious.
Apologies to the kitchen - I was so hungry I did move things around before remembering to take a photo
I ordered the vegan yellow curry with "duck" and it was delicious! The flavor, textures and portions are just great. They have so many vegan options! 😍
Loved every bite of the food. Pretty decent portions for the price as well. Great place to take that special someone.
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