TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in New Zealand - Updated November 2024

Barista

87/100 (2072 ratings)

Restaurants

New Zealand

Cafe

Vegan Options

Cafe

Vegetarian Friendly

European

New Zealand

Gluten Free Options

European

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Breakfast

Dinner

Lunch

Brunch

Cappuccino

Prawns

Lamb Shank

Eye fillet

Soup of the Day

New York Cheesecake

Tiramisu Cake

vegan chocolate cake

French Toast

Mochaccino

Toasts

Fish of the Day

Beef

Mocha Latte

Florentine

Cheesecakes

French Toast Breakfast

Creme Brulee

Sticky Date Pudding

Pasta

Cakes

Eggs Any Way

Salad

Carrot Cake

Duck

Lamb

Crème Brûlée

Salmon

Pesto

Calamari

Salt & Pepper Prawns

Crème Brulée

Fish

Pork and Sage Meat Balls

Cheesecake

Tea

Sit down

Café

European

New Zealand

Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Highchairs Available

Full Bar

Accepts Credit Cards

Outdoor Seating

Reservations

Takeout

Accepts Mastercard

Accepts Visa

Street Parking

Live Music

Seating

Table Service

Lunch

Brunch

Breakfast

Dinner

Mid-range

"Wonderful lunch yesterday. The chicken salad was to die for and the latte bowl was the best coffee I've had in..."

Bronwyn Dacre

"Can't get any better than this in Palmy. I've since moved out if the country but often find myself longing for the great food, great atmosphere and..."

Kali Ducré

"We absolutely love Barista and is our favourite eating, going for coffee or just popping in for a dessert! David makes us feel amazing every time we..."

Scottie McIntosh

"The atmosphere, food and staff are amazing. Excellent coffee created too. The waitress Amber is delightful always ready with her beautiful smile and..."

Beth Kearney

"Nothing short of perfect! High tea with a group of friends was amazing for a winter Sunday afternoon. I highly recommend it to..."

Cherie Smither

"Another great meal and a good recommendation on the wine always worth a..."

Jacinta Mccreery

"On our recent trip to the windy but wonderful Palmy for the National Young Performer Awards we were on the hunt for dessert. We were encouraged by..."

Deb Massey

"Best Hot Chocolates in Palmy Friendly people and beautiful..."

Genevieve Le Bas

"Love the food, the venue and especially the service. Thank you to Dave and the team...always have a new fave meal..."

Sherrece Tanner

"Simply stunning food! It doesn't get much better and excellent value too... will be back for..."

Alan June Mobley

"My wife's review.. The best cheesecake I've ever had. And I have had a few. The cheesecake peanut butter flavour combinations were sensational. Love..."

Jonathan Ford

"Had ratatouille for lunch. It was so tasty & the feta pillows on top really elevated the dish. Service was efficient and friendly. Staff clean up..."

Christine Muckersie

"Good for brekkie; but not many veg options on the evening menu. The staff are generally friendly and the setting is pretty quirky and cute. Worth a..."

Zainab

"Love this place. My new favourite. Coffee is great, food is great and the atmosphere is lovely (perfect place to study with my laptop). Did I mention..."

Shania Williams

"This has been my go to cafe living in palmy I was introduced by a friend and since then have taken many people with me. Let's start with the coffee,..."

Angie Liu

"One of the better places for coffee in palmerston north. small portion sizes but good taste. However got eggs Florentine and salmon was far too..."

Kiwiana

"This place is my breakfast favorite in Palmy and as usual I ordered my usual, eggs benedict with salmon, with a Roobois tea to try. Food..."

Christina

"Stopped by for breakfast here a few weeks ago. Ordered the Corn Fritters and Coffee. A bit disappointed on how little was on the place for the..."

John Chin

"A busy café on George Street. Great service. Odd decor but a good ambiance. We went at lunchtime. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of..."

Tracy Morison

"Been here for Brekky a few times now. It's nice to be greeted by the friendly staff and invited to sit down at the table to have your order taken...."

Dan

"I've been about once a month over the past year and Barista is consistently good. I've eaten a broad array of the menu and while the food is..."

Jeff

"Barista has a casual trendy feel to the place. Came here with 20 people for a work function on a very busy night. The waiting time for everyone to..."

HENRYandANGIE

"Popped in for lunch on a short weekend trip to Palmy (from Welly) and was pleasantly surprised with this cafe.The coffee was reasonable..."

RaeRae

"Great place for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We have been impressed with staff hospitality. They do our favorite coffee – L'Affare. Great coffee..."

Igor Anany

"Not too bad... We ordered soup of the day which was fantastic, the Mediterranean meatballs, and the confit duck leg. All the portions were very..."

EpiCurious

"A very cosy cafe to go too. The fries and chicken filo are amongst the best I've ever had. The cakes and cheesecakes are enjoyable and look devine...."

Olivia Nitschke

"Come here mostly for their desserts, their desserts are great and never failed to satisfy my sweet tooth. My favourites so far are the raspberry..."

Tara

"the atmosphere is great. the lights however are blinding! I had a chocolate nutty slice from the counter which was scrumptious in its small size. the..."

Mrs K

"We had enjoied a fabulous brunch at Barista Cafe. Notice by the best cafe of Manawatu, which were making a brillian coffee, taste smoothy and..."

Stella Ren

"Fantastic. Had a quick bite here after a morning at the Rugby Museum and enjoying the square. Food and service were both absolutely amazing. Would..."

Burberrytanqueray

"Just finished another great meal here, this is the second time we have had dinner here and both times the food and service were of a high standard,..."

David

"Had a fantastic sunday breakfast. Really hit the spot! The girl who served us was friendly and very patient. There is some really cool..."

Steve Alexon

"Great food, great service and love the unique vibe..."

Coffee Fueled !!!

"A group of us went to Barista before an evening wedding. I hadn't been to Barista before. Everyone enjoyed their meals, the restaurant had a nice..."

Matthew Whittington

"I had the pleasure of visiting Barista tonight while in town on business. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, and was very impressed with the..."

Jon Vee

"Lovely place, the chef sure knows what he is doing. We had the pan fried fish and the steak both of which were perfect. Nice atmosphere, we were a..."

Karina

"My wife and I accompanied my grandparents to Barista on Wednesday the eve of 13th November for my grandmothers birthday. We were a bit apprehensive..."

Justin

"A wonderful place for the artistic soul! The wall is painted by one of the owners and it's amazing. Get a coffee and a slice and stare at it for..."

Keith Sanson

"Love going to Barista.Always welcomed with warm friendly smiles by staff. Damien makes the best coffee, cause coffee lovers know that there..."

Teresa Flavell

"Always our favorite hang out. Awesome atmosphere, great service, wonderful food and the best coffee in..."

Andrea

"Awesome high tea, a real treat. We had booked a large group and couldn't fault the service. Music was excellent and food YUMMY. Hostesses were..."

Anna L

"Fantastic afternoon of fun, food, entertainment and service on a Sunday afternoon - it was an enjoyable step back in time to an earlier era - staff..."

Robyn Smart

"Delicious mouth watering food and fantastic service by all staff, and owners too. High Tea on a Sunday afternoon is just amazing. Our every need..."

Julianne Olsen

"Delicious food all round. Shared the salt and pepper prawns (wish I'd got one all to myself, very yummy) although could change the dressing it came..."

Kay Adams

"I really nice Cafe, top notch food , service and surrounds, will be..."

Rich

"This is the cafe you go to for great service, especially since they have hired a new guy at front of house who is so switched on! He's fast,..."

Maree

"Coffe, food and service is always..."

Siobhan

"Have been coming to Barista now for a long time and it never fails to give me the best cafe/restaurant experience in Palmerston North...."

Gavin Goldsmith

"Arriving in Palmerston hungry and tired on a cold, wet holiday Monday evening isn't good for the soul. We didn't expect to find much open but when..."

Deborah G

"Agree with other reviewers, this place is really special, new owners deserve a pat on the back and a busy cafe, well done!! Very consistent menu,..."

James

"We went to Barista yesterday as it was my birthday. I ordered the beef salad and my friends ordred the steak and fish. We were all very happy with..."

Lyn Carmont

"Good food, fun atmosphere, great company. I think the best food so far in..."

M

"My favourite cafe/bistro place in..."

John Eyres

"My husband and I have eaten here 4 times, and each time it has been exceptional. The roasted garlic & whipped butter on the ciabatta bread is to..."

Leanne

"Have been going to Barista since it opened. Has fabulous food, a nice ambience, friendly staff etc. My partner and I eat there often and take..."

Penny Poutu

"Now I really wish I asked the staff who served me his name. He was super friendly, informative and proper when serving. I was given suggestions and..."

Yibeth Morales Ayala

"First time here... Came in for Breakfast, had the best Fresh Toast and Moccha. Thank you, guys. Had a great..."

HazaO DeNorth

"Nice, very quick friendly service. I ordered the vege breakfast and it was..."

Tracy Hay

"Very nice cafe, they still serving brunch in the afternoon. Coffee was all right, food was all right. But the service was good. The great weather..."

Steve He

"Fast, efficient service. Good quality food. Wait staff were well presented, helpful and friendly. Barista is popular, so there were many people..."

Rebecca Brook

"We had a family breakfast to celebrate Fathers day. A wide range of diets catered for- vegetarian, keto and gluten free. Great tasting food and..."

Amanda Rouse

"Absolutely Fabulous food. As good as any restaurant in Auckland or Wellington right here in Regional NZ. The Fish of the Day (Terakihi) pan-fried..."

Allan & Rose Hansen

"Lovely busy cafe on a Saturday am. Clear signs of Level 2 outside & inside as well as staff smiling to request all customers to register on their..."

lmt6618

"10:10 Perfect Cappuccino. Perfect temperature, texture and taste. Had extra large Cappuccino in a bowl - Awesome. If you enjoy great coffee - this is..."

Geoff C

"Barista do the most excellent fillet steak we have ever had at any restaurant in NZ. My only gripe is women get a smaller steak if ordering than any..."

Wendy Jopson

"Went for a simple coffee date with my hubby. 5 star for being open for coffee after 3pm! All other cafes closed by 4pm. Didnt order food but will be..."

TravelNut New Zealand

"Brunch menu looks better than lunch menu ! Have a good atmosphere and wide seating area. Large portions. Food took a while but good..."

Dana Young

"As usual the food and service lived up to their fantastic reputation. Confitt duck and pork & sage meatballs , roasted potatoes were divine. The chef..."

Wendy Green

"Three of us called in for an afternoon break. We received a friendly greeting, we ordered, and were served at the table quickly. The tea was in..."

John Archbold

"This is a great spot with options to sit outside or inside. The staff is very hpful and the menu is varied and very tasty. I had the breakfast and it..."

Steve Macbeth

"Came here for breakfast with my son. The Eggs Bene were delicious and the egg yolks were done to perfection. The coffee was excellent as well. Thanks..."

Josie A

"Enjoyed my dinner. The staff made us feel welcome, were accommodating and very helpful. I'm going back again next time I'm back in..."

Bart Signal

"Great food as always. Staff were very friendly and the coffee was..."

shaunpmb1

"A friend of mine from palmy recommended this place for brunch, it was funky! Loved their breakfast and coffee. Great..."

Rex S

The Elm Cafe

85/100 (824 ratings)

Restaurants

Cafe

European

New Zealand

Vegetarian Friendly

European

New Zealand

Cafe

Gluten Free Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Dinner

Lunch

After-hours

Brunch

Breakfast

French Toast

Medallion of Beef

FRUIT CAKE

Beef Medallion

Omelette

Kumura Hash

Salmon Bene

Crepes

Yoyo Melting Moments

Cakes

Beef

Fish

Eggs Florentine

Cappuccino

Salad

Eggs Benidict

Big breakfast

Duck

Potato Cakes

Irish coffee

Salmon

Carrot Cake

hot chocolate

Fish & Chips

Linguine

Pancakes

Spanish omelette

Eggs Benedict

French Toast

Mocha

Sit down

Café

European

New Zealand

Parking Available

Highchairs Available

Outdoor Seating

Takeout

Reservations

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Brunch

After-hours

Breakfast

Dinner

Lunch

Mid-range

"Went here for brunch with three friends, all were very happy with our meals with two of us having the kumara hash, one having French toast and the..."

Maggie Jaques

"Came here for breakfast... nice place friendly service. Ordered the Kumera hash stack with sauce on the side.... presented nicely...kumera hash was..."

Donna&Shane

"Very good food and service. We ordered the big breakfast, crepes and spring onion potato cake with smoked salmon. All the meals were delicious and..."

Stefan Thieu

"Awesome staff. Really nice drinks and food. I came for lunch and enjoyed the decor and outdoor seating area. Nice location, actually. Really..."

Zack Dupuis

"Wow amazing I love this cafe very excellent service really approachable staff. The food is so amazing and how the design of this place is so romantic..."

Rose Niegos

"This was the first cafe I visited in Palmy and I keep going back because the food is delicious and they make a great soy flat white- not everywhere..."

Jane K

"This place is happiness. Although you maybe wouldn’t guess it from the decor, it has a superb menu. So good in fact after I went the first time I..."

Wander Wonder Wonton

"Thanks for your consistently great coffee, impeccable service and fabulous, friendly staff. The Elm Cafe is now my favorite, regular coffee..."

Fiona Gordon

"Everything was great - customer service and food including entrée, main AND desserts (except the lamb rack was a wee bit overdone so be handy to be..."

M Mcgrath

"Everything about this cafe is AWESOME. We've eaten there on several Sunday's and have found that even at peak time, around noon, we never have to..."

Phatnesian

"Excellent food, fantastic service, friendly staff, great coffee! Love the terrace, especially on a sunny day. We have been there a few times for..."

Sophie

"Best cafe in town. Always good, always friendly, always yum!Food is always presented with care and cooked great. Service is top notch and always..."

Nena

"Delicious food, fantastic service, good atmosphere. We have eaten here twice and both times have enjoyed the whole experience. This is the kind of..."

Nick

"The Elm is the restaurant my partner takes me to on my birthday or any other time he wants to treat me...it is my all time fav. I am never wary of..."

Sarah

"Several of us went today for lunch and the meals were all great. I asked for a vegan option and they were most accommodating. Due to many folk being..."

Lynda Whitwell

"We highly recommend the Elm Cafe, we regularly go there for lunch, the food is great and the staff are always very professional. We have tried a..."

Felicity

"Highly recommend Linguini, chilli chicken. The food deserve 5 stars. The service is great. Will be our new favorite place to dine. If you live in..."

Hailey Tran

"We have been here a lot over the years, the food is consistently good, the staff are very professional, The only thing that lets it down is the decor..."

Rich

"Had a great evening at The Elm. Friendly, efficient waitresses and excellent..."

Kev

"While I haven't had a meal here, I've had coffees and hot chocolates and I've been very happy with the quality (and quantity) of the drinks and..."

F

"My favourite from when I lived in Palmerston North, Im going to miss you my friend. Thanks for sharing your scrumptious food with me and my friends...."

Sarah Cameron

"After checking out this site, I took the details down for this restaurant. I arrived with my daughter on a busy Friday night just before 6. The place..."

Heidi

"Enjoyed lunch today at Elm cafe, service was friendly and food was great, I enjoyed my big brekkie nicely done as far as big brekkies go and my..."

Ken

"Always good - love it, go treat..."

Jan Oram

"Have been here once so far..My partner and I are great fans of Eggs Bennedict and have been to a few other places around.. and we really enjoyed it..."

Kim M

"Visited this restaurant 2 weeks ago and have raved about it to all my friends ever since. Our group of 10 had the most amazing meal and service. ..."

Michelle P

"Good place for breakfast. Amazing friendly staff. Good selection of food and coffee. There’s also free..."

Jullian OXC

"Tried it, loved it. Fantastic service, vibrant atmosphere, great food, ticked all the boxes. Went for breakfast, and had a good selection to choose..."

Nirmal Grewal

"It's literally down the road from where I stay, and I didn't even notice it until my best friend took me to lunch there . I'm very happy with the..."

Paul Hill-Matthews

"A very popular cafe with delicious collection (not a lot though) of non vegetarian items. The prices for most items are above $27. While the taste is..."

ambarish biswas

"Warm in winter. I stopped in for coffee with friends and the tables are a good size for meeting with a small group. The decor is understated, cozy..."

Katherine “erebus” Rushworth

"A great cafe on the outskirts of the city. The coffee was a class above other cafes i've been to in the area and the food was excellent. It has both..."

Robert Westaway

"A pretty busy cafe. Love the coffee and the brunch. The French Toast is wonderful. The Salmon with crispy potato is yummy but the serving size is..."

TheNZLILY

"Really friendly staff and the best eggs bene I've had for a long time, quick service and great..."

leighton hall

"Nice food, great service. A bit noisy when they’re full, and they’re full a lot! Better book a..."

Sue Anderson

"I didn't expect anything special and was pleasantly suprised with the cafe. The pancakes that I eat were perfect! The service was quick and very..."

Valeria Kuznetsova

"Great cafe has a great menu and moderately priced cakes and slices are very nice and great..."

Marie

"Good food, especially brunch. Good..."

Jim & Marisha Reynolds

"Always beautiful. Sevice and food. Thank-you staff of the elm. Best omelet in..."

Louise Lissington

"A lovely experience with excellent staff and service. Meal was..."

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