1874 Cafe - Gisborne

PBC is our go-to spot whenever we’re in Gisborne. The food is always beautifully presented, and we’ve never been let down by our experience here. It’s always bustling (which is to be expected), and if the menu doesn’t catch your interest, the variety of cabinet food offers plenty of choices, with an impressive selection of sweet treats. The barista consistently serves up amazing coffee, no matter what time you drop by. Today, we tried the bacon bene, which isn’t usually our first choice, as we typically opt for the potato jumble. But let me tell you, bene is bene is bene—until you’ve had it at PBC. It’s on another level of deliciousness! I might have just found my new favorite dish!

The food was reasonably priced given its quality, presentation, and flavor. We were impressed with the phenomenal and friendly service, especially for our last-minute walk-in group of nine. You place your order inside at the counter and receive table cards for dine-in meals. We ordered around 9:00 AM and received our food in about 20 minutes, which was an easy wait while enjoying the beautiful and spacious courtyard. Everything we ordered tasted incredibly fresh and was just the right amount of filling. Thank you for the delicious and beautifully presented breakfast! (Included in the photos are the banana bread, which was sweet yet perfectly balanced with fresh fruit, and the salmon eggs benedict.)

Went for brunch, meal size is very generous and so tasty, loved the hash browns. Presentation was top draw. Was quite busy and there was a 30-40min delay until the food arrived. Having said that though there was a note at the counter explaining that which was appreciated so didn’t mind the wait. Great venue with lots of outdoor seating. Well worth a visit.

Generous portions and delicious food, I had the massive avo and bacon. Very busy and had a 45 minute wait which they told us about before ordering. Friendly staff and quirky building.

I had a wonderful experience dining on the terrace on a beautiful sunny day. I returned with a work colleague not just once, but twice during our three-day visit. There were a couple of minor issues with the food on both occasions. On the first day, our bread and dips took quite a while to arrive, and on the second day, the Chicken Caesar salad was served without any dressing. However, once we brought these matters to their attention, the food was excellent with generous portions. The service was friendly, and the staff acted promptly to resolve our concerns, keeping us informed throughout the process. The menu offered a great selection, and the display of cabinet food looked fresh and of high quality. I will definitely return the next time I'm in town.