Seashore Cabaret

Seashore Cabaret is perched precariously on the shore of Petone. The waves crash closely against the old rowing club—I'm painting the picture perfect scene for your endless Sunday, and at Seashore Cabaret it is so real. Each panel of the outside of the cafe is decorated carnival style, a pinball machine greets you at the bottom of the stairs and it's only up from there.

Notes of fresh baking and delicately ground coffee beans reels you in, it's a scent you want to snuggle into. Owners of Seashore Cabaret, Matt and Freya, have graced every inch of their new space with an eccentric touch. Having already set up one gorgeous cafe in Maranui, they've done it again. Matt has countless coffee cups lined up in front of him as we arrive, above him there's a counter of how many coffees they've made since opening in April, at 10.30am on Sunday it read, 11781. Matt shows absolutely no strain in keeping up, I can safely assume this is his haven. Freya, while harder to spot, is always somewhere keeping the place ticking over; the dream team.

The menu, not especially long, is a carefully curated list of Kiwi favourites, with a touch of yankee hotdogs and a kids menu. While the wait for the food wasn't long, it did give us time to relax into this buzzing seaside getaway. Conversations melt into each other creating a busy vibe, complimented by the carnivalesque music wafting between pinball machines.

The waitresses fit effortlessly into the scene, all smiles, they appear to float through the cafe, impossibly balancing dishes on every hand. The pancakes, stacked dangerously on top of one another were fluffy, home made and accompanied with free range bacon, they were hard to fault ($16). The same can be said for the big breakfast ($21) and eggs bene ($16). The cabaret takes your favourite brunch essentials and adds their own delicious touch. I wish you luck in any attempt to walk past the home-made donuts without nabbing one on the way out.

All in all, it really is in the atmosphere. Oh, and the smooth decaf I cheekily grabbed on my way out really sold this cafe. Brewed with Good Fortune coffee beans roasted in-house, the owners of Maranui Cafe and now Seashore Cabaret have nailed it once again. An old rowing club turned wonderland, it's fast and fun, and hard to fault.