230115bf3 Museum cafe 23 January 2015 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser
230115bf3 Museum cafe 23 January 2015 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser
Rotorua Museum Cafe - Queens Dr, Government Gardens When my lovely mother comes to stay, the visit is usually planned around food. We will have dinner here, lunch there, visit so in so for morning tea, whip around the shops before ducking somewhere for a scone and coffee before stopping offand grabbing something or rather for dinner. Ooo and those tasty treats mum always brings in her bag are perfect for desert.
We have pretty much eaten our way around Rotorua over the years but the Rotorua Museum Cafe has never made the itinerary - until now.
The food: With recent rave reviews I decided it was time to try it. I went along two days before Mum arrived and had lunch with friends. I devoured my delicious chicken and bacon burger before developing food envy at what my friends ordered - the salt and pepper calamari salad with chorizo. So when Mum and I lunched there, I had eyes only for the calamari. Mum had the salmon bruschetta with salad. Mine was simply delicious and generous for $17.50. Mum equally raved about hers. My 4-year-old daughter was rapt with her chicken nuggets meal ($9.50) and we were rapt she couldn't finish all her yummy beer battered chips.
The drinks: Mum finished off with a cappuccino which she was delighted to report was hot and frothy. Miss 4 was stoked with her Barbie juice and I was happy with my Diet Coke (nothing worse than eating somewhere that only does the Pepsi range or those ponsy colas).
The service: Snappy and efficient and delivered with a smile. The prices: The blackboard brunch and lunch menu ranges in price from the cinnamon infused porridge ($9.50) to the open steak sandwich ($21.50).
Overall: The menu is chocker with good classic cafe style choices. If you're eating on the run, there is also an extensive range of cabinet food. This cafe, which is open seven days from 9am to 5pm, has one of the best views in the city overlooking the stunning Government Gardens. Nestled next to the popular Rotorua Museum, this fabulous cafe deserves a great reputation. Now, where are we going for afternoon tea Mum?
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