i don't understand why this cafe has had such crap reviews. i actually found it very pleasant. i went there twice in one day as i had an appointment nearby.
i had a decaf mocha and gluten free choc treat first. the coffee was good and the gf treat was excellent, moist, rich with a molten choc centre. i was intending to share some with my son but ate it all while he was playing :/
camebacklater and had a delicious kumara, cream cheese and caramelised onion tart with a nice green salad which was piping hot (i am pregnant and it is always annoying to have to send somethingbackto be reheated because it comes out luke warm and isn't safe to eat). summer lunch menu was very appealing and reasonably priced - all mains were $25 including the steak meal.
the environment was lovely, light and airy with heaps of windows, but enough exposed wood, funky artworks and black accents to avoid being washed out. nice outside table area with plenty of seating. staff were friendly and service quick.
it was really child-friendly. there was a sofa area with a box of toys, two good quality high chairs and a gated outside area with a mini table and chairs and small plastic fort.
the only bum note, which was a major one unfortunately, was that the environs needed a thorough clean. my son went for a 30 second crawl inside and when i picked him up afterwards the tops of his feet had gone from pasty white to charcoal!! there were a few too many deceased flies on the windowsill, the toys were very grubby (with soil in some, even though they were inside toys??) and both high chairs needed a clean, even when we first came in at before 8am, so it was unlikely they had been used that day. after feeding my son i gave the chair a thorough wipe with wet wipes and it was visibly cleaner than when we started the feed - not usually the way that goes!
apart from the cleaning, this is a great cafe and i would be keen to try a meal there.