GOOD DAY CAFE: ORAKEI AUCKLAND

THE GOOD DAY CAFE

The Good Day Cafe is a destination not to be missed in Auckland especially at Xmas time! Firstly the cafe is a top shelf experience, and secondly, having lived in Auckland for sixteen years, in the interim since our last visit, I had forgotten how beautiful the city is at Xmas time. The pohutukawa trees (euphemistically called NZ’s Xmas tree), fully in bloom along the beach road from the CBD to Mission Bay where we stayed for part of the break (before moving on to stay with family). Mission Bay is a great suburb to stay in, as it is on the beach, has some good restaurents and a great holiday vibe. Plus, it is close to Good Day Cafe in Orakei which is also en route to the city and Newmarket when you go the back way.

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Good Day Cafe one of Metro Magazine’s Top 50 Cafes 2023

I’m a bit of an espresso and breakfast food snob, believing it is easy to spend $30 or $40 dollars on terrible coffee and food, yet with a little research that same money can be spent on superlative espresso and delectable treats.

Reiterating a favourite aphorism; superb cafes have four or five things in common: an obvious welcoming ambiance, perfect espresso, amazing pastries (or food in general), a flourishing communal atmosphere (it is a destination for locals and their dogs; the same people routinely go there, and they bring others), confident, attentive and friendly staff, and while the interiors may not be designer listed, they are interesting and a little dis-shevelled from the hustle and bustle.

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Despite loads of people, food and coffee arrived in no time!

As soon as we pull up, we appreciate how well chosen this cafe is, because there is a general flurry of busy-ness! It is humming with all kinds of people and activity.

Into the mix of defining exceptional cafe experiences is that the owners are customarily on site, for them it is a lifestyle choice and they are invested in ensuring the punter’s enjoy all aspects of the positive hospitality.

While you’re at it, grab some beans for home too!

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A bit of background, when I was researching espresso in Mission Bay, Good Day popped up with a connection to a cafe I loved when living in Auckland called Dizengoff: as soon as I saw that Good Day’s Jacqui and Dan were managers of Dizengoff in a former life it was immediately on my list.

We repeatedly visit for coffee and pastries – the brioche and almond croissant to die for: that’s it for me! The others had more healthy options like Good Day Bircher museli, Chorizio and scrambled eggs, and the Croque Monshaw toastie; old favourites alongside new and ingenious foodie creations! Everything fresh and delicious!

Staff are consistently open, engaging and unpretentious, the espresso and food perpetually superb and the atmosphere excellent!

Each time a unique experience delivered with age old techniques and confidence!

Good Day Cafe owner’s Jacqui Crichton and Dan Shaw: image courtesy La Marzocco NZ

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We visited three days in a row which set us up for a busy day of shopping and tippling! And as often mentioned, it is heartening to realise more value for money than anticipated because the wonderful wholesome experience hovers in the margins of consciousness throughout the day.