'Got to be kidding': The $10 bottle of NZ's Antipodes water that has Australia up in arms

One Australian took exception to the price of this Antipodes water at The Grounds in Sydney. Photo / supplied

The Grounds of Alexandria has built a name for itself as a Sydney institution — a rustic oasis of fresh produce in the Sydney's industrial inner west.

It's a reputation which draws winding lines of breakfast fans to patiently queue at the Alexandria eatery for a taste of its homestyle food every weekend.

But among the potted plants and livestock, one menu item from New Zealand has deeply disturbed Sydneysider Nick Stoll, who popped in to grab a late lunch with his girlfriend.

He saw a humble bottle of water was being flogged for a whopping A$10 ($10.60) and quickly took to social media to express his dismay.

"You've got to be kidding me Sydney?" he wrote alongside a picture of the menu item.

Shortly after posting it on an array of social media channels, the 26-year-old was inundated with responses from commenters.

Many said he shouldn't be surprised, given he was in one of the most popular and trendy cafes in Sydney's inner west.

"I mean it's The Grounds aka 'that place where you queue for food and need to take on a mortgage to pay for breakfast' — what did you expect?" one cynical commenter wrote.

However, as the menu shows, this isn't just any old water. It's Antipodes mineral water from New Zealand, which can be consumed by customers in either still or sparkling form.

Now The Grounds has launched a savage response to the critics telling news.com.au it's "amazing that people have nothing better to do with their time" than moan about water on social media.

Antipodes water retails for around $6 a litre in New Zealand and Australia.

"Cry me a river (of antipodes pure artesian water) is what I would say first of all, I guess if you want a bottle of this ritzy brew you're really going to have to splash out," the cafe's brand director said.

"For those who don't want to pay for water, we recommend you tap out (if you know what I mean). We have tap water on offer in all of our venues."

But the menu's product description was scoffed at by cynics for claiming it has soul-refreshing qualities.

"A carbon neutral process that results in a pure Artesian water from deep in the New Zealand springs that will refresh your soul and tastebuds," the menu reads.

And, as commenters on social media pointed out, this posh brand of water can set you back A$6 per litre even if you buy it in a shop or online. It's about the same in New Zealand. So, although it looked pricey on the menu, it's actually just a standard restaurant mark-up price.

"Antipodes water is typically around A$6/litre so it's not that outrageous at a cafe," wrote one commenter.

"Mineral water costs wherever you go. If you don't want it, don't order it. Ask for tap water," added another.

The Grounds spokesman admitted the flowery language didn't come off well.

"If anything this exercise has taught us to review our copywriting much more often, who says 'water... that will refresh your soul and tastebuds'? We're better than that! We will be amending this copy immediately," he said.

Antipodes water is bottled at source in the Bay of Plenty.

But not all Aussies are so put out.

The "soul-refreshing" water is available from Australian liquor supermarket chain Dan Murphy's for just over A$5 — and some of the reviews from customers are glowing to say the least.

"There are so many waters in the world," one reviewer began. "Heaps in the oceans. Heaps spread across the water systems of cities globally. But of all the water, this is the best water," one wrote.

"I have never tasted a better and more refreshing sparkling water than this one from New Zealand," wrote another. "Best of all it comes in an unpretentious glass bottle. Do yourself a favour and demand the best.

"This water is pure refreshment. The distinctive glass bottles look wonderful, especially when coming out of the fridge, all cool and frosted. One cannot resist pouring out glass after glass."

However, not everyone was impressed.

"Too expensive. Not refreshing. Tastes like an old rusty bucket sitting in the rain. And mineral water should not have an aftertaste of sulphur."

Antipodes water comes to the surface under its own pressure, from a 327m-deep aquifer, and is bottled at source in the Bay of Plenty.

Cafe 101 backed down after charging customers A$6 for sauces. Photo / supplied

"The source has been recognised as the deepest, highest quality groundwater in New Zealand," a product description reads.

"Natural filtration through a substrata of ignimbrite means that Antipodes requires no processing and is one of only a very small number of natural, pure mineral waters available. Carbonated with the finest bead, Antipodes Sparkling Water is the perfect partner for fine foods."

However, Stoll was not impressed with the way it was marketed on The Grounds' menu.

"They are free to sell whatever they want, but whoever pays double digits for water should contact me to invest in some soul-cleansing snake oil I'm flogging," he told news.com.au.

"For the record I didn't try it. Maybe it's life-changing. Once you pay 10 bucks for water you definitely won't go back … to that restaurant."

The Aussie watergate drama comes just months after a nearby cafe, just a few streets away, was selling sauce to customers for A$6 a pop.

Strong criticism for the charge — at Cafe 101 — came from dozens of condiment fans online after a disgruntled customer uploaded a picture onto social media.

The backlash from customers was so strong, that the cafe's manager Eli Farrah had to change the menu and apologise to customers.

"We are always listening to feedback and learning from our customers every day," he said. "Sometimes you make mistakes."