A lovely all-day café/restaurant that we visit regularly as we live in Mangawhai. The scenic drive there is part of the experience. The food is good quality with a solid variety, although the menu hasn’t changed much in a while. We often order the fish of the day, and the lamb and pork dishes are consistently excellent.
Overall, we really enjoy the food, with one exception — the Turkish eggs on the breakfast menu were disappointing, as they were simply poached eggs without the expected flavours or any other significant add-ons.
Ugly bagels are really good especially one with salmon!
The atmosphere is always pleasant, even when it’s busy, and some tables have a great ocean view. Staff are friendly and efficient, and food is served quickly.
The only area I’d like to see improved is the cabinet desserts. We’ve tried many, and personally I find them overly sweet and buttery. It would be great to see either an improved recipe approach or a different supplier. To be clear, the plated desserts on the menu are fine - I’m specifically referring to the cabinet desserts near the entrance.
Aside from that, it’s a great restaurant and one we’ll continue to visit. Thank you for your effort and consistent quality.
Rosiepov
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March 16, 2026
The Cove Cafe was a beautiful surprise. You can sit in the restaurant and look at the ocean at the same time. The food was tasty and the service was good. The only thing I would change is the gluten free bread, but honestly most restaurants in New Zealand have exactly the same option.
Grace M
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January 05, 2026
Got the salmon and the steak. Salmon was delicious with a yummy sauce. I will say the steak was slightly tough. Overall we got seated quickly and service was great. This is more on the pricey side but you get what you pay for. Lovely location with parking and outdoor bathrooms. Dog friendly.
Brandon Wells
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February 13, 2026
I had come here almost 3 years ago when I was in the country last, so I had to make it a mission to come again. The fish and chips here are worth the drive. Extremely fresh, moist, and fried perfectly. The salad that comes with the dish is also great. The service was excellent. Everyone was very kind and attentive. Views from the restaurant also don’t disappoint. I would again come here next time I come back.
Sang Hyun Kim
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February 23, 2026
We visited The Cove Café on a busy Saturday when the weather wasn’t great, so it seemed like everyone had come in from the beach at once.
Despite how packed it was, the staff were efficient. We waited less than five minutes for a table, and the food came out in about 15 minutes, which was impressive given how busy it was.
We ordered the salmon bagel and the fish and chips. The fish was the highlight, really well cooked wiht some crunchy batter. The salmon bagel was also good, and the capers added a nice touch of flavour. The space is a little tight, which could be tricky if you have young children or accessibility needs, but overall it’s a great casual spot in a fantastic location.
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910 Cove Road, Waipu 0582, New Zealand
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A lovely all-day café/restaurant that we visit regularly as we live in Mangawhai. The scenic drive there is part of the experience. The food is good quality with a solid variety, although the menu hasn’t changed much in a while. We often order the fish of the day, and the lamb and pork dishes are consistently excellent. Overall, we really enjoy the food, with one exception — the Turkish eggs on the breakfast menu were disappointing, as they were simply poached eggs without the expected flavours or any other significant add-ons. Ugly bagels are really good especially one with salmon! The atmosphere is always pleasant, even when it’s busy, and some tables have a great ocean view. Staff are friendly and efficient, and food is served quickly. The only area I’d like to see improved is the cabinet desserts. We’ve tried many, and personally I find them overly sweet and buttery. It would be great to see either an improved recipe approach or a different supplier. To be clear, the plated desserts on the menu are fine - I’m specifically referring to the cabinet desserts near the entrance. Aside from that, it’s a great restaurant and one we’ll continue to visit. Thank you for your effort and consistent quality.
The Cove Cafe was a beautiful surprise. You can sit in the restaurant and look at the ocean at the same time. The food was tasty and the service was good. The only thing I would change is the gluten free bread, but honestly most restaurants in New Zealand have exactly the same option.
Got the salmon and the steak. Salmon was delicious with a yummy sauce. I will say the steak was slightly tough. Overall we got seated quickly and service was great. This is more on the pricey side but you get what you pay for. Lovely location with parking and outdoor bathrooms. Dog friendly.
I had come here almost 3 years ago when I was in the country last, so I had to make it a mission to come again. The fish and chips here are worth the drive. Extremely fresh, moist, and fried perfectly. The salad that comes with the dish is also great. The service was excellent. Everyone was very kind and attentive. Views from the restaurant also don’t disappoint. I would again come here next time I come back.
We visited The Cove Café on a busy Saturday when the weather wasn’t great, so it seemed like everyone had come in from the beach at once. Despite how packed it was, the staff were efficient. We waited less than five minutes for a table, and the food came out in about 15 minutes, which was impressive given how busy it was. We ordered the salmon bagel and the fish and chips. The fish was the highlight, really well cooked wiht some crunchy batter. The salmon bagel was also good, and the capers added a nice touch of flavour. The space is a little tight, which could be tricky if you have young children or accessibility needs, but overall it’s a great casual spot in a fantastic location.