We ordered shakshouka (eggs baked in a spicy tomato sauce with date chutney, dukaha, yoghurt and sourdough toast, $18.50), coddled eggs (eggs baked in a spicy sauce of tomatoes, pancetta, pork fennel sausage and haricot beans, $18.50) and a bagel with a side of bacon ($12.50). Both egg dishes were outstanding. We'd happily eat them every day.
The coffee was Ozone, a New Plymouth roaster, and terrific. We had seconds. But coffee is only a part of the extensive drinks menu, which features a terrific range of juices (freshly made to order), soda water with syrup, spiders, smoothies and nectars. We tried the apple juice ($6), raspberry and lemon syrup with soda ($5) and a banana berry smoothie ($7) and loved all of them. Pricey though.
The service was great. Nice waitstaff and plenty of them.
We recommend if you come here you should take a walk through Victoria Park Market to see the changes. A lot of the shops are still vacant but they were being made good use of on the day we visited with a boutique wineries offering wine tastings.
Overall we thought Buttermilk has a terrific menu and great coffee but the buzz isn't quite happening yet. We suspect that's due to Victoria Park Market not being fully occupied - come summer when more shops are open and crowds arrive we reckon this might be the place to be. The food alone makes Buttermilk worth a visit.