Agnès

Enter Agnès—the latest neighbourhood cafe, wine bar and bistro in Birkenhead, bringing comforting classics from day to night. Open seven days, Agnès is all about taking it back to unfussy, honest and approachable food, along with service that’s second to none. With owners Aaron and Fran of rockstar hospitality fame (you may have heard of Pie Rollas, Major Tom, Hello Friends + Allies, Winona Forever, Just Like Martha, Rude Boy, and Friday I’m In Love to name a few) and Chef-owner Alfie Ingham at the helm (previously Ada, and ex-chef owner of of Hugo’s Bistro), you know you’re in good hospitality hands. 

Located on the ground floor of the heritage Marinovic building, Agnès pays homage to the building’s former life as Hellaby’s Butchers in the 1910s (and later a coffee shop and cafe). When Fran saw that the space (at that time, the ex-Ravenhill Cafe site) was for sale, she called Alfie in to take a look and the rest is history. For them, the next dream was to co-own a restaurant together that brought their shared food values and love of hospitality together (and Agnès happens to be both Alfie's and Aaron's aunts' name, so it was a coincidence and confirmation of sorts that this was meant to be). 

Agnès is all about bringing back old school hospitality of classic bistro food done well. They wanted the place to breathe with this new chapter, and have allowed the history of the building to shine while rebuilding the space too. Thoughtful touches like the vintage wooden butcher’s counter found out the back, has been brought back into the room and given a new lick of paint. It now serves as a cabinet space, showcasing their baking offerings (expect a modern take on the usual cafe bakery offerings from pastry chef and baker Jaz)—along with charcuterie and cheese during the day.

At night, the counter transforms into a dessert bar (more on that later). Old butchers’ hooks hang above a wooden shelf with wine and a dried golden and maroon floral centrepiece. They’ve kept the historic wall tiling from the butcher’s shop, adorned with pops of vintage painted green florals here and there, and a royal blue painted cow on the ceiling nods to the former bones of the place (and is reflected on their menus too). The historic marble countertop from the butcher’s is still there—and now wraps around the front windows (which open out into outdoor seating on the street). It’s the perfect spot for a glass of wine while admiring golden hour on Hinemoa Street. 

Step through into the cosy dining space. Black and white gingham fabric line the chairs and booth seats by the window, reminiscent of Italian checkered tablecloths but in black and white patterns that you’ll find throughout the space—from the black and white floor out the front, to the black and white photograph of David Bowie dining at a restaurant along the wall.

There’s a mix of creative artwork framed along the walls—sunlight pours in from the green and pink stained glass window seat, capturing the greens from the ethereal paintings by local artist Hannah Morris. The kitchen is directly ahead, with smells of fresh baking and sounds of things being diced and mixed. Suppliers and locals pop in to say hello and welcome the team to the neighbourhood—there’s such a community feel about Agnès. 

Start the day with Agnès’ all-day breakfast menu featuring elevated classics. Choose from eggs your way, or fried in a bacon butty situation (complete with HP sauce). Scrambled eggs also come in a chilli crisp variety dotted with salty pops of anchovy, or add them to truffle cream mushrooms on Wild Wheat sourdough (from down the road) to name a few on the list. There’s something for every appetite—from a healthy wild rice bowl to a perfected housemade Cumberland sausage with fried eggs and beef fat chips (they seriously had me at the latter).

There’s even a soft serve machine for breakfast offerings on the sweet side—and yes you read that correctly. Take your pick from their matcha frozen yoghurt soft serve, with strawberries and coconut granola, or decadent pistachio soft serve and cherries on honey butter toast. When it comes to drinks offerings, take a moment to admire the custom cream powder coat on their La Marzocco coffee when you order your daily coffee, or opt for cold brew—they are one of the handful of places with Allpress seasonal single-origin cold brew on tap (it’s tempting with their specialty drinks line-up featuring Biscoff syrup with milk foam additions too). 

If you have a hankering for a steak (a classic hanger steak with herbaceous café de Paris butter that is) or a hearty burger, they’re on the menu too (and from 11am). The Agnès Burger isn’t any ordinary beef patty in a bun situation—with dry-aged beef, raclette and onions, it’s the kind of burger that has been thought-out by a chef who wants to eat something unpretentious and most importantly, delicious. Best enjoyed with a glass of wine in hand, the wine list is curated by Alfie too and inspired by “what you would drink on holiday.” I don’t think there are many places in Tāmaki Makaurau that offer this kind of indulgent combo. 

Dinner continues with approachable bistro classics—from sharing plates like baked camembert with roasted grapes and toast, juicy heirloom tomatoes with all the textures of silky buffalo curd and crispy garlic croutons, to Agnès’ take on Oysters Rockefeller—reimagined into a mussel gratin. Move onto larger mains like market fish, house-made Cumberland sausage with mash and jus for next-level ‘bangers and mash,’ dry aged beef chalkboard specials, fazzoletti (delicate “handkerchief pasta”) and pork chop with butchers’ sauce and glazed witloof.

This is a menu that all looks seemingly simple on the outset—but we know it takes someone with that level of culinary knowledge, skill and attentiveness to make it all look and taste so effortlessly delicious. It’s the kind of food they all want to eat—approachable and comforting. 

Finish the night with pistachio ice cream with olive oil, candied pistachio and sea salt—or choose from a classic rum baba, or a decadent chocolate mousse with hazelnut praline. 

Agnès is the kind of place for whatever the ocassion—whether it’s for a solo drink and snack, catch up with friends or somewhere to go with the family, this is a great addition to the Hinemoa St. neighbourhood. 

Words by: Vicki Young | Images: Supplied (1-4), Vicki Young (5-6)