The Collins Cafe & Bar

The Verdict

If you’re anything thing like us, you take food very (very) seriously. Nothing comes between you and brunch—especially when Auckland’s best French toast is involved!

Let your love of all things delicious take you to Greenhithe where you’ll discover The Collins Café & Bar and—you guessed it—the best French toast in town.

Situated in a renovated villa, you’ll immediately feel at home in the bustling café. The sprawling interior of The Collins is divided into three areas: a moody foyer, a light and bright dining area, and break-out space with armchairs and a cosy fireplace.

If you prefer to dine al fresco, you’ll find a massive outdoor space scattered with picnic tables and an abundance of greenery—it’s the best pozzy to eat (and drink!) the day away. If you’ve got cherubs in tow, they’ll love the Collins Park playground across the road. Fur children are also looked after with water bowls and complimentary dog treats.

As for the food, The Collins has a mouth-watering all-day brunch menu—yes, you can totally have your French toast for afternoon tea. Speaking of, this signature dish is not to be missed. The Southern-style French toast showcases chunks of brioche bread encrusted with macadamia and cornflakes. The dish is then topped with pistachio crumble, grilled banana, mascarpone and—the best part—honey-roasted bacon. Talk about heaven on a plate.

The heavenly deliciousness continues throughout The Collins’ menu. In terms of sweet, you’ll find Belgian waffles stacked high and topped with seasonal fruit, mascarpone, lemon curd, bacon and the all-important maple syrup. On chilly mornings, warm up with spiced porridge topped with crumble—it’s the perfect winter warmer.

If you’re after something savoury, choose between the likes of avo smash, mince on toast and an aptly named ‘all the good stuff’ salad starring grilled chicken, soba noodles and edamame. Other lunchier numbers include a grilled chicken burger, fattoush salad and braised lamb shoulder paired with quinoa and roast veges. We love the ‘huevos benidictos’—a Mexican take on the classic eggs bene with chorizo, chipotle cream and salsa.

If you’ve got room for a ‘lil something extra (go on, you deserve it), the cabinet is brimming with tasty treats made by the resident pastry chef. Think ginger slice, passion fruit cheesecake and slabs of carrot cake with lashings of cream cheese icing. Wash down with a smoothie or a piping hot coffee. Or, for something ‘stronger’, the licensed café has wine, beer and spirits available—on ya, Collins!

Speaking of alcohol and fun times, The Collins know how to host a party. Weddings, outdoor barbecues, birthday shindigs…they do it all. Their canapé menu has an abundance of delicious finger food and the friendly team is only too happy to cater to your requests.

So, what are you waiting for? Discover this North Shore gem for yourself. You know you want that French toast…and everything else the café has to offer!

Image credit: Lydia Arnold