New Zealand Herald

Reviews for Barefoot in the Bay

by Noe
7th July 2012

This business is a MenuMania SponsorOne of the Business' Favourite Reviews

This is a lovely little place. Friendly service, good food. I had a delicious soup that was on special on that day. My friend enjoyed her food also. I would love to go back sometime and try something else from the menu. Would not hesitate to recommend.

by Bobbie
18th January 2013

Best vegetarian nachoes I have EVER eaten! I am pretty predictable in ordering these off a menu when going out for dinner, these were well made, very tasty and generous in the portion. My child had pancakes which looked lovely, well presented and also generous.
The staff were lovely and we were made to feel very welcome the moment we walked in.
I purposefully went to tell them they were the best nachoes and was greeted with a heartfelt thank you.
Will definitely be going back for those nachoes!

by Phil S.
15th January 2013

Something has changed here. Used to be good, but not so anymore.
Went for lunch on Sunday.
Pizza was extremely oily (actually dripping with oil)
Steak sandwich (Medium) was made of several different pieces of meat (odd right?) which meant that on average it would have been medium I suppose. Aioli served with the fries (well we think it was but it was rather hard to tell it was so strange) – and why do fries come covered in black pepper?
We had quite a large spill of water on the table just before the meals were served, and both the waitress who brought the cutlery and the one who brought the food left it where it was.
You’d think that with the new competition opened across the road, they’d have upped their game, not the opposite.
Funny that all of the bad reviews are not included in their patently ridiculous 4 1/2 rating.

by Olivia W.
15th October 2012

I enjoyed popping into Barefoot when I was out this way with two littlies in tow. We found a good spot to sit, where we could easily hear each other talk. I liked that the mezzanine area with tables is far enough away from the coffee machine, and the floor coverings seem to absorb noise – so hearing each other chat away was no problem – great!

The girls were happy with their ‘chicken nuggets and chips’, even though I almost managed to up-sell them to some fresh and tasty-looking tomato, lettuce, ham multigrain club sandwiches in the cabinet which looked great… but when I found out about the aforementioned kids meal, they were hooked on that instead!

I enjoyed a vegetarian sandwich – which was a range of nicely roasted veges on thick focaccia, with just the right amount of melted cheese. Salting it well to my liking, I very much enjoyed the flavours.

The lovely coffee was great.
It was good to have a wee basket of toys in the corner for the girls to quietly potter with after they’d eaten.

One downside to those great noise-friendly floor coverings, is that they’re getting quite well-used. So maybe time for a spruce up of the matting sometime soon?

But aside from that, we found the amenities were clean, the staff were smiley and very helpful. And of course free parking in the street made it all nice and easy.

by Chris V.
10th September 2012

Friendly service, place was busy which is always a good sign

by Natalie C.
16th April 2012

Barefoot In The Bay Cafe, what can i say, I highly recommend this great cafe all the time. Best coffee around, great food with a extensive brunch lunch menu and a wide range of cabinet food. The Mushroom Linguine is to die for as to their full breakfast, the cafe style fries we love. Iced Chocolates are a favourite with our kids. Love the atmosphere, a great place to meet up with friends or if just quickly calling in for a great take away coffee. The Manager and staff are very friendly they go that extra mile to please you, now this is service and with a smile. Visit this great cafe in the bay if you love good food, fantastic coffee and great service.

Natalie C.

by walksinauckland.com
24th March 2012

I haven’t tried the food, but they do very good iced coffee. It is a popular cafe especially on Market Days (last Saturday of the month) and it’s worth waiting for a table.

by Dianne M.
28th March 2010

We enjoyed a superb dinner at Barefoot in the Bay. There were 7 of us and everyone really loved the meal the meal they chose. I had the lamb shanks and the meat was superbly tender and well presented. The service was excellent and the restaurant was not too busy or noisy so we were able to enjoy a relaxed friendly family dinner. Thanks Rita and team.

by Jana J.
14th March 2010

Feeling adventures we headed to cafe in Blockhouse Bay. We were astonished at this great little cafe that we discovered in Blockhouse Bay Village. The Service was incredible. Our Waiter was Helpful and delightful. The Breakfast Menu had great options, and the food was amazing. Will definitely be returning!

by Richard W.
9th March 2010

Having recently moved to the area we’d been looking for somewhere for weekend brunch and evening suppers when we didn’t want to have to cook. Barefoot is such a find and we’re really happy to recommend it to others (though not too many though otherwise we won’t be able to get in……). Really friendly staff, fast and efficient service and great food and coffee. Parking is easy and right outside, but we’re within walking distance anyway. Great place to meet friends as it’s easy to get to, doesn’t have the crush of Titirangi and has loads of other shops around so you can get all your other bits and pieces before heading home. Excellent work everyone at Barefoot – thanks for making The Bay an even better place to be!

by Sarah B.
22nd February 2010

We pop in regularly for a coffee or tea and yummy snack, but went for dinner the other night. It was a revelation! The fries were superb, Dad and daughter had the steak which was tender and delicious, and I had the risotto of the day (spinach and smoked salmon) which was creamy and sublime. Pudding won hands down though – the most gooey and scrummy brownies we have ever tasted, beautifully presented with cream, ice cream and a velvet smooth berry coulis – top class. Would definitely recommend!

by Rebecca J.
20th February 2010

Have been there plenty of times for a coffee, and a couple of times for something to eat… including one Valentine’s Day… and it has always been fantastic. The staff are REALLY friendly, and the chef is excellent. He even came out of the kitchen and shared one of his recipes with me (when it was quiet enough to) when I complemented him on it. Definitely one of my favourites.

by Melissa P.
5th February 2010

Barefoot in the Bay is an undiscovered Gem. They are local, the parking is a breeze, e.g Thursday night parked right out the front!
The staff are all very friendly and helpful.
The food is extremely good, compliments to the chef. Tried the fish of the day and the ribs last night all of which both loved and well the brownie, it is always good there.
To anyone that has not been, I suggest you pop in, whether just for a coffee, lunch or dinner.

by Tracey A.
10th December 2009

I have been going to barefoot quite a lot recently as found its a great place to meet clients for coffee, its not too noisy,the staff arent trying to hurry you along to clear the table and there is heaps of free parking. All in all much easier to get to than the hustle and bustle of Titirangi.
Food was lovely and found the staff to be really friendly. Since the new owners have taken over this place has really started to shine with the new decor and menu – well done guys keep up the good work.

by Karin
22nd September 2009

Excellent local cafe. Staff are friendly and welcoming, environment clean and tidy and the food is well priced and delicious. Have been back several times, and will continue to visit.

by Steph
24th May 2009

Be wary of the black pepper! We each had the steak sandwich with fries (an extra $2) and everything was liberally coated in black pepper, even the few fries that we’d paid extra for. We also ordered two apple juices and it wasn’t until they arrived that we realised they were freshly squeezed, we just thought we’d get the Phoenix ones out of the fridge we could see. The staff didn’t give us the option.
This was out first visit to this cafe although we live locally and we won’t be back. Yes it was clean, parking was easy and the staff reasonably welcoming but the food was disappointing.

Comment from Rita U. of Barefoot in the Bay 20/01/2010    Hide »

Hi Steph Firstly I must apologise for the delay in responding to…    More »

Hi Steph
Firstly I must apologise for the delay in responding to your review of May 2009. There have been significant changes since you last visited us, a new chef being one of them, and the Steak Sandwich is now the Kiwi Steak Sandwich, still with options of with or without fries. While we season the steak and fries we do not coat them.
In respect to your mention of the apple juice, I would like to clarify that we have never freshly squeezed the fruit and work under the premise that Charlie’s do this for us.
I hope we will see you again

Write Review