Having lived in the Eastern Bays for most of my life, I can safely say that the addition of a new joint in St Heliers was well overdue. In terms of great lunch or brunch places, the offerings were few and far between and too many times I'd find myself at that annoying place that doesn't take Eftpos.
St Heliers Bay Cafe and Bistro is a humming wee joint located right opposite the beach. And when I say humming, I mean it. Definitely don't come if you're in a rush, we ended up waiting 15-20 odd minutes for a table and apparently that was a good day.
But, if there's a bit of a wait, it's gotta be good, right? Correcto.
The cafe offers a pretty extensive brunch and lunch menu, which is then reinvented into a dinner menu with flavours of a similar vane, but no double ups. We opted for the pulled pork burger and the market fish, which for $24 each made for a relatively steep lunch, but were pretty well justified by means of deliciousness. There's also a well put together drinks menu, with plenty of fresh juices, shakes and gelato smoothies for those after a non-alcoholic beverage.
St Heliers Bay Cafe & Bistro is definitely worth the journey out of the city especially if you're looking for a spot that lends itself to more than just a grab-and-go set up. Make sure to stop by the gelato stand on your way out and get a scoop for the road. Chances are you'll be full from your meal, but if you're after a sugary full-stop, the salted caramel flavour is the business.