Whangarei cafe owner Shane Williamson was surprised that his cafe picked up another award recently - despite the fact that Caffeine Espresso had won the same award twice before.
Caffeine Espresso on Water St has been voted Northland Cafe of the Year in the Cafe Magazine 2005 Best Cafe of the
Year Awards. Northland runner-up was the Beach House Cafe in Waipu Cove while the best in the country was Matamata's Workman's Cafe.
It's the third time Shane's cafe has landed the Northland title, winning in 2001 and 2003, but the latest win was still a shock.
"I am surprised because there's so much competition out there, so many good cafes," he said.
Mr Williamson, who worked at the cafe for three-and-a-half years before buying it six years ago, said the secret to running a successful cafe is consistency.
"You need consistency of good staff - they are everything because they deal with your customers. And you need good coffee, variety of food, and high standards," he said.
The benefit of winning such an award is free publicity _ Cafe Magazine is available nationally, tipping New Zealanders on where to get great food and great coffee.
"The magazine says we are one of 25 best cafes (nationally), so it's a good accolade to have."
But he leaves all the thanks to his staff: "The win is a reflection on my staff. They're a major part of the business and need to be happy in their jobs."
