The Carpark - Matiatia New Zealand

Called in here on a recommendation from Mary Clare Bartlett on Friday 26 Jan 2018, we were meant to meet for a coffee but MC was called away. So was a sinking hot day so no coffee but had lunch here had one of there 'Happy Smoke Fish Pie Day ' specials. Yummy yummy yummy. Staff were very pleasant has outdoor seating clean facilities.

The name says it all. It's in a car park. Heaps of parking. Mussel fritters are to die for and I usually stop for Sammie a for lunch or a bacon butty.<br/

As visitors to the island we went to the Ostend Market and spoke to some locals and they recommended this café opposite Countdown supermarket.Always trust the locals, they have the knowledge! Great food, excellent service. They have a fantastic selection of fresh food in the display cabinet as well as a tasty blackboard menu with lunch specials. The pies, deli rolls and soup was very well received and the steak sandwich is very nice! The staff were warm and friendly and the service was quick and the place was clean with modern décor.

Most lunch times whilst pondering of what to partake I find myself wending my way by default to this cafe. The steak and cheese pies are actually some of the best I've ever had; crusty pastry, rich gravy and tender meat, never an unwelcome morsel of gristle, unlike many of the alternatives. Once, breaking away from tradition, I chose a bacon sandwich, mostly due to the permeating aroma of previously cooked bacon. This delightful treat did not disappoint; it was full back bacon, well middle bacon as back bacon is rare in this country, no rind nor fat, perfect. They even offered a choice of red or HP sauce, such a welcome variety as red sauce (tomato) is prevalent in NZ, so being British I obviously opted for the HP. Although far better than red sauce I'm not sure that this was actually HP, maybe HP fruity sauce, for it was rather sweeter than the ones in my larder. On Fridays they offer a fish pie, most notable for causing long queues and traffic jams and by selling out by noon; such is their popularity. Definitely my place for luncheon.

We enjoyed our lunch having come all the way from port waikato. Thank you