Cafe from earlier age set to go

Bill Paxie and Alex Paxie in the National Cafe, a restaurant in Napier for almost 80 years and which is now for sale. Photo / File

Napier could lose its mainstreet stalwart National Cafe with the sale of the business and the building which has been an eatery for almost 80 years.

The business and its Emerson St building, also comprising adjoining shop and flats upstairs, is on the market, with plans to keep it operating until it is sold.

Often referred to as a throwback to the 1950s and 60s, with formica table tops, roll of butter and bread with each meal, on site-made salad dressing, and the waft of the mixed grill, it was a particularly popular haunt for the Friday evening, Saturday after the rugby (the 1967-69 Ranfurly Shield games) or a nosh after the pub closed at six.

Situated on the northern side of Emerson St and about midway between Dalton and Hastings streets, it was built post-earthquake in 1936 for Nick and Nicolette Paxie, and has been run for many years by sons Bill and Alex.

They do not use Eftpos and still do the dishes in the sink, dried with tea-towels. Bill was also known for picking when it was a birthday, and coming up with a professionally tuned serenade or pieces from the cabaret or opera, with sometimes touches of the family heritage in Greece. Despite mainly being filled only at Art Deco Weekend and for occasional nostalgic functions, it has been acclaimed by visitors hunting out a dining option.

One traveller wrote in a website review: "A bit of Basil a la Fawlty Towers! Food is basic, fish and chip/scallops and steak meals all served with fries and a small salad. Cheap, too, $47 for 2 people, 2 courses each. We were highly entertained by the whole experience, especially when the waiter turned people away just after 6.30 telling them they were full! When the place was clearly not!

"Don't go here for a gourmet food experience, go for a step back in time and a good laugh. The food was good for what it was."