The staff was so kind and helpful. The food was nice as well
The new owners have seriously turned this place around. The new menu provides a good selection of tasty choices and the cabinet boasts a decent number of yummy snacks and sweet treats. The service is amazing and super friendly, the new owner took the time to remember our names and treats us on occasion with his experimental drinks 😊 Highly recommend this cafe for everyone!
Had an excellent Egg Benedict here. The outdoor area at the back is really nice but you only see it if you go around searching for toilets. Service is decent. Standard cafe prices. Can get busy at times.
I don’t get all the bad reviews! This place is lovely and food is delicious (bit expensive but yum). I love the courtyard out the back as well.
The coffees I had today were great, and one had a cute bunny face picture on it!! Roast veggie foccacia was also very good. Friendly staff. Will go back.
Great coffee, supreme coffee. Decent portion sizes and a wide variety of tasty food. The staff are great, always very friendly! lots of parking options right out the front too.
A favourite cafe to visit during my lunch break. Fast service. Pretty good, pretty good! Have some nice options in the cabinet . Will return again for coff3e no doubt
Nice coffee & and cafe.will recommend to my family and friends. Love the food and coffee.
It was sunny day and sitting area at back was really good .
I love the food coffee and the grumpy manager/owner
The atmosphere is great outside area private too. This place is unique now in dominion rd
Pleasant service and excellent coffee (Supreme) with fern leaf latte art. Both of us had the Sticky Pork Sandwich which could better be described as pork belly sandwich. It was delicious though I would not have ordered it had it been described on the menu as pork belly - which only goes to show!! Quite a small menu which in my book is a good thing as long as you can find something you really like - which of course I did.
Love this place! Great coffee. Excellent cabinet food and a good breakfast and lunch menu. The staff are friendly and the owner is always good for conversation and a bit of a laugh.
What more could you want in your local cafe?
Its a bit stuffy inside but i loved having breaky in the garden. This place although was way too pricey for what came out. Very underwhelming at the tastes of the food. The outdoor seating in the garden us probbly the best thing about this place.
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Thought I'd pop in here this morning to have some brekkie as i always drive past and the name is so cool. When I saw the prices of the food I thought damn it must be awsome for it to be that expensive.. well...
At this moment I was standing at the till waiting to be served.the barista told me "I'll be with you in a moment" after a few minutes, I asume it's the manager or even the owner, came in behind the till. Not saying a word.so I said good morning to him. Still no word, not even a smile...just nothing... and I'm there like..." ok I'll have the eggs Benny and a fw"
He replied with " that wil be $23". So I said thank you,took my number and sat down.. still nothing from him. 😕 I'm just shocked with the service.
The meal was pretty good! Loved it!
Coffee is good.a bit on the cold side but the right temp for me.
The place could do with a bit of jiff and a scrub as the walls and doors where that of a fast food takeaway shop.
Love the little courtyard at the back.would be good to chill out with the family for lunch.
Over all it was good that no one (staff) was in your face the whole time like in some other cafes.. would definitely go back to try something of the lunch menu.
Rate this 3.5 as the food makes up for the lack of service. Thanx chef!! :-)
A cute little cafe on dominion road, complete with big prints adorning the walls of musicians. There is an outdoor courtyard but as it was raining on the day I visited I sat at the table in the window and watched the world go by. I wasn't too hungry so skipped the meals on the menu and choose a chocolate croissant from the tempting selection of savoury and sweet pastries and scones at the counter. Along with my coffee the perfect start to a rainy Saturday morning!
Nice coffe and courtyard. They have the kiwi classics for breakfast and lunch: Eggs Benedict, French Toast , Spanish Baked eggs, Pancakes, Fruit etc. Good Coffee. Service is not the warmest they charge you and deliver that's all.
Mommy Friendly:? Yes, 👪 enough space for trolly and Menu for the Kids. I didn't see changing room.
Excellent breakfast & good coffee, recommended :)
Four of us had lunch here today. thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere outside in the beautiful garden courtyard.
Coffee and food were great too.
The Big Beat is terrific - what a beautiful garden setting out the back - plenty of room , incredibly relaxing, & terrific coffee !
To the earlier review that complained about the owner's manner, - I say: the owner is actually a very intelligent, and witty character, - he isnt out the front, pouring overblown & insincere greetings to everyone who walks in the door, but puts in the hard work out the back, and is indeed an interesting and engaging person to talk to.
This place is a refreshing change from some of the 'seal breeding colony' scenarios that pass for cafes in Auckland.
We, and several of our friends love it !
Big Beat is our semi-local and we love it.
having now been at least a dozen times, I find it unbelievable that this cafe could get any less than 4 stars.
We have tried a number of things from both the breakfast and lunch menu - my partner is addicted to the eggs benedict, so struggles not to get that every time we go. The eggs benedict (and florentine) are definitely one of the better in Auckland.
the coffee is great, the portion sizes are generous and the food fresh, inventive and well made. The beer garden is going to be great for summer, and can't wait for a cheeky vino outside.
As a point for improvement, I could definitely say that sometimes the service could be more friendly, but having lived in London for a number of years anything in NZ is better than the friendliest service there!
I absolutely love Big Beat!
It has taken the place of my local (even though it's slightly a bit out of the way).
The staff are brilliant and it always a lovely experience going in!
Also, because I often had kids in tow, the outdoor area is perfect! and the kids love being able to run about.
I am a daily visitor to Big Beat and am so glad to finally have a decent Cafe in Balmoral.
I have read all the above reviews with surprise as I have always found the staff, the food and in particular the coffee, great!!!
All I can suggest is that maybe you have caught a bad day but its sad if you won't give them a second chance or talk to Paul and his staff to reach a satisfactory resolve.
They are only human and things can go wrong, especially when busy!
Above all, they fill my coffee addiction every single day!!!!!!!!!!
Great coffee, food and service.
Hoping that it will get a license for evenings soon. A nice little wine bar thing in the evenings would go down well there.
On a nice day the outdoor area at the back is very pleasant and
especially good if you have three kids in tow like us.
I've been to Big Beat a few times now and just love the brown sugar scones and the great coffee. My new favourite on the menu is the spice rubbed aubergine. It is unbeatable! I love the flavour combination - it comes with red quinoa, hummus, herb feta and toasted pita. I've had it twice now and it was really nice to have a glass of Alan Scott Pinot Gris with it the second time round. There's no doubt I'll be ordering it again on my next visit.
I have visited Big Beat Cafe regularly for the last few months and have always found the staff friendly and welcoming. The food has been great, from the hot hearty soups or the delicious risotto. One of my favorites are the date and brown sugar scones. The coffee is consistently good.
The garden area is a great addition to the cafe.
Will definitely continue to be a regular customer, this is a wonderful addition to the neighbourhood.
This is a local gem on Dominion Road. The coffee is consistently great, the menu great (especially love the date and brown sugar scones, shredded chicken salad, spanish eggs and eggs bene on a hash) and without doubt the best outdoor area I've come across in AKL so far. We've had many a morning gathering or weekend brunch in the sun while the kids are entertained with the coloring books and pencils.
Surprised by the other reviews as I've heard nothing but great things from all of the other locals I know who go here!!
The owner also went out of his way to make my birthday lunch there a special occasion with lots of little touches to the table and the cake we had.
I say support this great local!
Big beat is one of the best cafes in the Mt Eden region, the coffee is on point (the baristas are exceptionally skilled and do justice to supreme coffee), they have tasty and fresh cabinet food, and an awesome healthy modern menu.
The courtyard is wonderfully done and the staff is very friendly.
The only downside is finding parking on a busy Sunday afternoon but don't let this stop you from visiting this place.
Best coffee every. single. time.
Their bacon is delicious and their eggs on toast are a pretty good start to the morning - though it's a shame it doesn't catch the early rays of sunshine. Big Beat is perfect for nipping in to grab a coffee to go and a small bite to eat.
great outdoor seating area, with an overly friendly cat. Interesting original brunch menu items. Clean toilets. Mix of seating locations, inside , outdoor in the sun or under umbrella, semi inside. Highly recommended for a leisurely brunch away from the annoying whine of the coffee grinder on a pleasant day
What a pleasure it was stumbling upon this fine establishment. The place has cool vibes and the staff were super friendly. I’m currently on the hunt for Auckland’s best iced latte and these fine operators have placed very highly. It’s a 9.2/10 from me, and a result to be proud of. Thanks team!
Hamish Dorrington
Kakapo Business Sales
The vibes of the cafe is a throwback to the 90s with the old school classic songs playing and posters all over the walls. There was even a little garden in the back where you can relax! It was raining today so I stayed inside, but next time I visit on a sunny day I’ll try the garden spot to have my coffee ☕️🪴
Friendly staff, chill vibes and beautiful looking food. I didn’t have time to stop in so will be back to try the breakfasts asap. The coffee was smooth and tasty. Highly recommend a visit.
Firstly, we ate a very tasty breakfast. The espresso drinks were not outstanding, but passable. The dining room atmosphere was pretty poor though. It was a chilly Saturday morning but the dining room was not heated. We ate with our jackets on. There were pictures of old rock stars on the walls, but the music that was playing was from Disney movies. Weird. Probably better as a take away, or in summer weather when outdoor seating is appropriate.
Despite initial concerns about pricing due to some reviews, I found their offerings quite reasonable, particularly given the current market rates. But what truly set the experience apart was their exquisite pie. Boasting a perfect blend of flaky crust and robust fillings, their pie was a culinary delight, eliminating the need for me to venture as far as Kumeu Pie Shop. With quality that outpaces its price, Big Beat Cafe gets a well-deserved five stars from me. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking superb food at a fair price. Their pie is, in a word, rocking!
Such a cute cosy little cafe, food was delicious and coffee was great too. I ordered a Shakshuka and partner got the truffle mushroom on toast. Very flavorful and perfect for a winter brunch/lunch
It was a hangover day for us lol we ordered what you see in the pic plus 2 cold drinks and 2 hot drinks everything was nice and tasty. Friendly greeting from staff. Fast service considering the place was pretty busy at the time. First time there and discovered the backyard which is really great feature for the Cafe and comfortable. Our order was quite expensive around $90 but very fulfilling. We walked out full bellies and happy
Such a lovely place with nice staff and amazing food😋 Two of us had Eggs benedict, Omelette and Karaage chicken. Eggs benedict was great in taste and ita presentation, and it also had handmade hashbrown which was very unique. Also, the korean-style chicken and the sauce were one of the best in Auckland!
Not really fair to call it a review, I was here so fast and for my first time. I had a quick coffee and a steak sandwich and it was on point. Staff and atmosphere also great. I'll definitely come again
Delicious food, great coffee and welcoming staff.
Don't forget to bring you dog and enjoy your breakfast in the back yard
Fantastic atmosphere! Brilliant brunch especially coffee! Staffs are super friendly! Recommend to family and friends catch up💕💕
So friendly! Nice staff and clean. Was also very delicious meal and coffee tasted great.
Oh my god, I cant tell how much I love this place! Very nice service and place, very relaxing. They have a big back garden as well, quiet and lovely! The Korean guy maybe the owner, very nice service.
Just had labtest so popped over for morning coffee. Excellent latte and love all the quirky posters - spent far too long on loo checking them all out. There is also a lovely garden out back
I Appreciate for grant my request in my meal. Customer service excellent..cool ambiance..
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