Best Cafe in Point Chevalier – 7 Pt Chev Cafes Reviewed
Point Chevalier, Auckland has an amazing variety of cafes and very few chains. Every one of the independent cafes deserves a visit, and some of the chains do a good job too.
I’ve selected my favourite Pt Chev cafes to help you make a decision when visiting the area. Each review is based on my personal experiences when visiting, not on a PR release. If I’ve been back several times, I’ve combined those visits into one review.
1. Best Cafe in Point Chevalier – Ambler
Ambler is the best cafe in Point Chevalier. It has the best brunch, the best lunch, the best beer and wine list and the nicest ambience and staff in the area. Big claim? Yes – but it’s been backed up time and time again. Coffee Supreme is well served too, but a local micro-roaster takes out my best coffee in Point Chev award.
Ambler has a light, warm wooden feel that reminds me of bars across France and northern Spain. Service is friendly, but can drift towards an inattentiveness that’s familiar to visitors to France and Spain too. But it’s table service at a cafe; and that’s not very common in Auckland. I like it.
They do an amazing line in eggs bene and ham and cheese croissants through brunch, and I’ve had excellent salad lunches too. At lunch time onwards, the excellent wine and craft-beer list kicks in. A great way to get your Sawmill beer fix.
As a cafe, it’s easily my pick of the many great options in Pt Chev. But the best coffee in Point Chev is across the road…
2. Best Coffee in Pt Chev – Anastasis ‘Matchbox’
Anastasis ‘Matchbox’ serves the best coffee in Point Chev. The big red eye hovering over the street watches you enter the tiny shopfront of the matchbox. Inside the small cafe, you’ll find a small selection of baked goods (think melt-in-your-mouth cookies) and a small selection of Anastasis coffee beans.
Anastasis is a local coffee roaster with several blends and just a handful of own-brand stores around Auckland. Coffee is roasted at their Te Atatu location, so there’s not too many miles on the clock by the time beans get to Pt Chev.
The Matchbox is so small it’ll only seat 3-4 people at a time on simple wooden benches. While that’s nice to escape a quick rain shower or chat with the barista, most people grab and go. Its popularity, despite its spartan comfort, helps back up my claim that it has the most interesting and best coffee in Point Chev.
Each time I’ve visited, I’ve been able to ask questions about the different blends on offer, and pick an espresso that suits my taste and mood. If you don’t care that much, their house blend is a solid default option. Along with coffee made for you, you can also buy bags of beans for your own machine, some coffee equipment and interesting arts and crafts.
3. Best Pastry Cafe in Point Chev – Little French Cafe
This was a tough choice, with the Little French Cafe and Daily Bread fighting it out. The Little French Cafe just do pastry better, baked fruits and berries better, melt-in-your-mouth better. It’s probably butter, and I’m here for it. I’m here for the macarons too.
COVID seems to have put a stop to their indoor seating, and the outdoor seating is at the whim of weather and council restrictions.
A small cafe, it’s best when outdoor seating is available; or grab a coffee and pastry selection for home, the office or the beach.
Point Chevalier Cafe Comparison & Photos
Here’s all the cafes in Pt Chev along with their supplier and reasons to go. Disagree? Out of date? Did we miss something? Hit the comments below.
| Cafe | Bean Supplier | Go For |
|---|---|---|
| Ambler Cafe | Supreme | Everything – best cafe! |
| Anastasis ‘Matchbox’ | Anastasis | Best coffee |
| Little French Pastry Cafe | Macarons, pastries and sweets | |
| Daily Bread | Supreme | Bread and baked goods |
| Corner Cafe | Toasted Espresso | Slice |
| Pt Chev Beach Cafe | Location | |
| The Twisted Tomato | Atomic | That Atomic coffee flavour |
Other Pt Chev Cafes worth visiting
Along with Ambler, Anastasis, and the Little French Pastry Cafe (all above), we visited…
4. Daily Bread
Part of the Daily Bread chain, this has amazing pastries, bread and sandwich products, and surprisingly poor pies. The small bakery opens onto a courtyard dining area which is a nice spot for a chat. Come for the bakery, not the coffee, which I’ve never found to my taste.
5. Corner Cafe
A little nook with great staff and prices. It is a lovely place to sit quietly with a book and a ginger slice while rain sleets down outside. Would be nicer to snuggle in without the hard plastic seating. Old school cafe food hits the spot; average coffee.
6. Pt Chev Beach Cafe
The location just up from Point Chev beach appeals and I’ve been back a few times. Poor service has made the modern decor seem cold rather than stylish; cabinet food has been dry each time (mid morning and afternoon). Coffee well espressed. Icecream annex in summer is great, expect queues for it.
7. The Twisted Tomato
Atomic coffee properly espressed is the highlight here, but a good menu is available throughout the day, and also evenings two nights a week. Cabinet food looks amazing, but the beef bap I had was surprisingly dry.
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