Fiona Eaton, originally from England, is trying out Whangārei's coffees, one sip at a time. Pictured here at 'Kafe'. Photo / Brodie Stone
Fiona Eaton, originally from England, is trying out Whangārei's coffees, one sip at a time. Pictured here at 'Kafe'. Photo / Brodie Stone
ABritish woman living in Whangārei is putting the city’s cafes on the map through her popular Facebook page dedicated to reviewing the caffeine fixes on offer.
It has been so successful that business owners are grateful for the publicity as many locals have discovered new favourite haunts.
Fiona Eaton got the idea for her Facebook page after moving to New Zealand to be closer to her three grown children. The 57-year-old dental hygienist had popped into a cafe, where she enjoyed a good coffee but noticed there were few customers.
She posted about her positive experience at the cafe, which was then shared on other Facebook pages. When she next visited the cafe she noticed there were more people.
Since, Eaton has been inundated with messages from cafe owners asking her to visit, or from locals seeking advice on where to go next.
“I thought I’d just do a post and see what happens, and now it’s gone AWOL,” she laughed.
Local cafe workers have even given her online persona the nickname, Sip.
“I called into Tūtūkākā Marina and they were talking about Sip and they said, ‘Do you know Sip?’ And I was like, ‘That’s me’ and they were all like, ‘Sips here’ and they were all excited.”
In a town with a thriving cafe culture – eateries on the waterfront, side streets and in garden centres – she is not short on choices for reviews.
Eaton said reviews come “from the heart”. She picks out the best bits from each place to share with locals, many finding themselves introduced to a new favourite.
Despite that, Eaton said her partner has reminded her to not become distracted by one cafe and forget to review others.
Eaton has moved from favouring a cappuccino to sticking with a simple flat white. But if she’s feeling brave, she will try out recommendations from cafe staff.
Dragonfruit Cafe co-owners Sherly and Rohan, who did not want their last names used, said it was difficult to know whether Eaton’s visit had increased their customer base because it has been the school holidays but they had noticed a steady increase in the week after her review.
The cafe, previously known as Palate Wholesome Collective, recently underwent a rebranding under its new ownership.
Sherly and Rohan said in the current social media age, people coming in to interview them or do live videos - which are common - help improve their customer base.
“You can’t be so private anymore, you have to be open to a wider audience,” Rohan said.
The colourful drinks on the menu at Dragonfruit Cafe forced Eaton out of her comfort zone.
Eaton, a self-confessed chatterbox, said getting to know locals is the best part of what she does. From encountering the “funniest man” she has ever met, to grateful cafe staff.
Eaton said what she loves the most about coffee is that it brings people together.
“If you can’t afford anything, you can afford to go and get a coffee. It feels like a treat. It’s the feeling it evokes”.
After many requests to review further afield, Eaton said her next step is to pursue ‘Sip on Tour’ where she explores cafes in other corners of Northland.
Eleanor Barnard and Fern Shaw-Williams at Kafe, where Fiona Eaton first started her reviews. Photo / Brodie Stone
Her Facebook page inbox is always open for suggestions from locals of a hidden gem or two.
Brodie Stone is the education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.
