Long Beach - Waikanae New Zealand

Being from Auckland so I'm bound to be critical about an out of town cafe. Perhaps at least NEVER give anything full stars: Allow for even a Ritz quality experience, room for improvement. However after asking for an Americana from the hot little barista girl and getting exactly that, my generally facetious Aucklander ego was left hanging. I sat outside near the amazing bohemian style vege garden that they supply their kitchen with enjoying the excellent americana and ordered fish and chips. What came was what you expect, fish and chips plus a salad made from some of the plants growing right there. The fish was fresh, the chips hand cut and crisp and the batter not semi transparent. You know, fish chips. It might have been the beach atmosphere or it could have been the cone I had in the car before, but I had found my place. A place with home crafted beer on tap, friendly staff , great coffee and a menu written in English. Next time I will try a more healthy one of the options they have on their menu or just order something with Brussel sprouts when their plants out the back are harvested.

Getting sucked into 'wedding madness ' is very easy when considering your special day. After booking in with a specialised wedding venue, my (now) wife and I decided that it wasn 't really us and that we needed to stay true to ourselves. We wanted to get married in a chilled out, homey setting in Waikanae (where my wife grew up) without it costing the earth. With a intimate guest list of around 60, Long Beach was an obvious choice. With its location right next to the beach (great for photos btw) and a leisurely stroll away from local motels and rentable bachs, it seemed incredibly convenient for allowing attendees to really enjoy the evening without having to drive back home. Planning the proceedings with Kiri from our home in Melbourne (via email/phone) was very easy and a no fuss matter, even considering the special dietary requirements needed for a handful of our guests. On the night, Kiri and her team delivered a fantastic, 10/10 experience. The restaurant looked both quaint and rustic with white table clothes, flowers on the tables and the fire roaring in the background. Even though we had brought our own speakers, the sound system was plenty loud enough for a 'good boogie '. Kiri and her staff looked after all the guests brilliantly with a top class menu, awesome food and alcohol/drinks. All of the guests commented on how great the food was, how friendly, attentive and helpful the staff were throughout the night, and just how much they enjoyed the evening. All in all, I 'd highly recommend Long Beach to anyone looking to get back to basics of getting married where the dining/dancing space, food, music and people are what make or break a wedding. I have nothing but the utmost appreciation for Kiri and her team for helping to give us the most memorable night for my wife, myself and all of ours guests for many years to come. Great job guys! You rock!!!!

OMFG tried new menu 2nite luv luv luv!! Took ages 2 choose all looked amazing had garlic bread starter yum!! Seared fish delist hubby had whitebait apparently yum!! Goats cheese platter 2 die 4!! We're so lucky 2 have this amazing menu in Waikanae!! Tks LB crew great dinning experience all round

Just had a lovely evening at Long Beach. Sat outside in the courtyard till the sun went down and the lights come on. Beautiful food pizza was amazing! The Raspberry Drop cocktail was just delicious. The wait staff were super friendly and nothing was a problem. A super relaxed evening. Thanks Long Beach.

What an amazing place! Crisp fresh vegetables from Long Beach's bountiful garden and delicious fresh snapper, served quickly by our friendly waitress you really have created something special down at Waikanae beach, Todd and team!