Raven & Cook

Now opening nights from Thursday to Sunday, their menu has expanded to include delicious mains like steak. Valentine’s meant to be spent with those you love, I chose food to be my lover and it surely didn’t disappoint. Had the fish main from the new dinner menu and the mango pudding as dessert. Friend had the steak main. Fish was done well, portion size was good, good balance of fish and sides. The steak was beautiful — juicy and perfect medium rare. The pudding was definitely the highlight — it had a runny mango filling! So creative and definitely worth it — huge portion for the dessert!

What a neighbourhood treasure! It had taken me so long to actually get here and on a rainy Sunday morning it did not disappoint. The coffee was hot and quickly delivered and the menu had plenty of interesting sounding dishes. I chose the poached eggs on corned beef hash which was warming, filling and all kinds of good. My eggs were perfectly poached and when pricked spilled out deliciously onto the corn beef hash which had a nice tang and kept me full all day afterwards!
It’s a small space with a drool-​worthy pastry cabinet and we’ll definitely be back to work our way through the menu!

Sunday Brunch… a popular little place. Glad to have arrived before 10am as the place is snug and filled up quickly. Not suited I think to groups of more than four. lovely coffee, even a fluffy for the little person. I had the hot cakes and the lad had the eggs n beans. both delicious. Pricey but consistent with the neighbourhood, and they seem to have a lot of staff to pay! parking down a side street no problem.

Well after visiting ‘Raven & Cook’ for my birthday brunch, I was slightly underwhelmed unfortunately. I decided on the blueberry pancakes without the (homemade) strawberry ice cream: dry, tasteless and very average for $ 17. My friend had the eggs Bene which I concur was a better option. The coffee: Allpress was milky, after asking for a triple shot? The couple sitting beside us, arrived before and waited longer to be served brunch, around 45mins. Maybe this was an off day? The venue was packed on arrival and empty when we left — however the wait staff still remained flustered and rushed. I had read a couple of fab reviews rating this café, so thought I should visit. Not sure if I will be back or not:)

Raven and Cook is one of my favourite cafés in Auckland. It has everything a great café should, great coffee, delicious cabinet food and a relaxed atmosphere. After recently moving from Wellington, Raven & Cook reminds me of my local cafés there. Their chocolate brownies are amazing, as are their donuts and brioche (both sweet and savoury). Yum! They have an interesting brunch/​lunch menu and the specials change regularly. Definitely a great place to visit for a coffee date or brunch.

When I first walked in here I was surprised at how pleasant and trendy it was inside because from the outside it doesn’t look like much. They have pink streamer type stickers on their front windows and microwave meals for purchase in their display. However inside it really is a whole different story.
They have white tiled walls (a personal favourite of mine) a big blue coffee machine and a big roll of brown paper that they write things on, swoon! The café itself is small but it didn’t feel that way because you could look through a metal-​link curtain into their large open kitchen where all their food and catering is prepared I assume.
At first I didn’t know if I felt like any of their cabinet food until I saw the gingerbread loaf! It was so delicious too I throughly enjoyed! Speaking of delicious there was also a rather good looking boy behind the coffee machine, always a nice addition methinks!

Remember those crazy subway scenes from The Matrix. Well take those while tiled subway stations, leave them abandoned for a year or so, then reclaim the space as a trendy new café. It almost has a steampunky, Bioshock-​esque feel to it and manages to pull it off nicely. They also dress the large front window with meats and cheeses you can purchase, presumably to take over to the near-​by Cornwall park on a spring day.
Sadly, by the the time I arrived at Raven & Cook the nibbles had been packed away. My espresso was rather lacking and served in a large shot glass. Sensing my dejected demeanor, the barista struck up a small conversation with me and offered me a small coffee cocktail he was experimenting with.
A fun, friendly café pumping The Black Seeds is a nice addition to Greenwood’s Corner.