the larder

we went here with a large group of friends , and as with previous experiences the food was absolutely fabulous. unfortunately we were let down by having to wait 40 minutes for thetablewe had booked, and by the fact that they had sold out of the wellington on a plate burgers that we had specifically booked for - with the person taking our booking even going so far as to check enough portions were available the night before. clearly this was an admin error and doesn't reflect on the quality of the food at all - we'd go back again if i was dropping in, but wouldn't count on them to deliver to a pre requested item or service.

went here this morning for brekkie - service was good and we were lucky to get in and get atableearly as it gets very busy! scrambled eggs were amazing - was surprised at the small amount of chives and rocket as they were listed on the menu, however still very enjoyable. would recommend.

came here for a lunch break on a friday afternoon. the cabinet had limited gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options but possible just due to the time of day.

adam ordered eggs benedict with salmon and we both shared a side of fries. i also had an iced coffee, which was fully soy with honey that was delish. the food came out quickly and was really good according to adam - the chips were very good! hand cut and all.

big downer - they don't specify allergens, vegan or vegetarian options on the menu which always makes me feel like the annoying customer when i have to ask about substitutions.

otherwise would return.

would go back for to try more things.

update:
came back for dinner and the service and food was impeccable, never felt out of place asking for gluten free or pescatarian or dairy free - everyone at thetablefelt special and it was awesome.

tried this beautiful little cafe out only a couple of weeks ago and have only praise for the warm environment, service and menu. we went here for lunch on a friday afternoon and easily got a table. i ordered the scrambled eggs with salmon and beautifully roasted tomatoes. was eyeballing the watermelon, pomegranate and strawberry salad at the nexttableand will definitely be a must try next time

my last day in new zealand and i had to try this place out. it was packed out but i got atableoutside and zipped up the coat. i had the croque madame. it was delicious and very well balanced. it has been a while since i had a good one so thank you the larder! i also had a cinnamon hot chocolate which was a perfect partner for a breezy wellington day.

went here friday 9th jan for work lunch. on arrival were not greeted and had to walk up to barista to enquiry about available tables, even though there were plenty of staff behind the counter. oncetablewas sorted, after 5 minutes or so we were seated.
after being seated for 10 minutes we had to ask for menus. 3 menus were provided eventhough we were atableof 8. the items on the menu looked super tasty, especially the snapper fillet! we had the zomato app open looking at the photos of the dish when another waiter walked past, saw us looking at the snapper pictures and they advised they had run out of the snapper, shame we were not told about this or any specials at the time the menus were provided with 4/8 people wanting this dish.
once the orders were taken a nice gesture was the complimentary amazing piece of fresh bread and butter per person.
the 45 minute wait for the meals was a but dissapointing. on ourtablewe had 4 steaks and 4 parpapadelle pastas. the steaks were cooked well although quite a bit of fat and the pasta was well cooked with delishish lamb meat balls! ourtablealso ordered a side each of the hand cut chips. the chips were the standout. they were thick, crispy on the outside with a fluffy inside! the 2 types of dipping sauces were a nice touch.
overall an average experience, maybe too many tables for such a small place....

wednesday 27th august.
we booked atablefor 7 for lunch at the larder for the wellington on a plate and wasn't disappointed.
for starters i had terrine, rillettes and ballontine of wairarapa pork with cornichons relish and toasted larder rye bread, (which was pork pate with toast and relish and a couple of gherkins) and it was very tasty.
then for my main i chose yellow brick road snapper pie with onion purée and petit salad, (which was a fish pie with a salad) and it was really yummy. we also received a free glass of white or red wine. i had the pinot noir 2011. very nice and delicate for a lunch time.
we didn't have dessert as we were abit full, even thought the portion sizes weren't really big.
and it only cost $35, perfect.
the staff were very attentive, filling our water glasses and asking if everything was ok.
i really enjoyed my time here, very nice atmosphere.
thankyou the larder staff.

i would eat here for dinner anytime - after several visits i am very pleased with the quality of the food and service. you need to book in advance, as i have been disappointed several times trying to get atableat the last minute. this is well worth the trip to the eastern suburbs for those from a bit further away. can be very busy at times and there are delays with meals, but i don't mind the wait - chill out and have another glass of wine!!

i'd really love to say this place is fantastic, as i'm all for local great cafes, but the service was so appalling and slow that i'd be lying! in fact despite having a reservation ourtablewas given away to someone else while we had a drink outside in the sun, as we had been invited to, so we had to wait over an hour to get our table. the amuse bouche, while very tasty, was lukewarm, and we didn't receive our mains till 10pm, even though our booking was for 7.30pm. the vegetarian main was not good at all, although all the meaty mains were very good. there was no apology at all for the wait, and the tables were so close together that the wait staff repeatedly banged into me from behind, again with no apology. would definitely stick to the fantastic cafe just along the road. won't be going back :(