Waking up on a Saturday morning, filled with the joy of a full free day ahead, I often think "what would best start this day?"

Good coffee experiences have to rank in my top five things to enjoy over a weekend. So to accomplish this, I headed to the highly regarded Queenies of Freemans Bay.

Queenies is a relaxed suburban establishment where you can sit down and relax with the local crowd. Queenies Lunchroom has earned high regard for both its food and atmosphere since 2008. The personable service was magnificent (including the one lovely lady who presumably owns the place explaining in detail the instructions for making baba ghanoush). But our real reason for dropping by was the coffee.

The flat white was served in the smaller tulip cups, yet still maintained a pleasant ratio of milk to coffee. The cup presented some distinct deep cocoa, earthy notes, a mild grapefruit flavour with subtleties of toasted seeds and a full body complexity.

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The espresso was sweet, with smooth honey notes, a spicy aroma, and a pleasant lingering aftertaste. A perfect way to start the weekend.

Queenies Lunchroom
Manager: Allana Owen

Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-3.30pm; Sat-Sun 8am-3.30pm.

Address: 24a Spring St, Freemans Bay

Phone: 378 8977

Coffee: Supreme

* Hans Pronk is an Auckland barista who owns ME Coffee Boutique and roasting company Merito Espresso. by Hans Pronk