Dunk

Dunk is located towards the upper-​end of Parnell road and has been operating for many years. The food has always been consistent, but I find it a little better for lunch than breakfast. Their chicken club sandwich is quite tasty and there is a great selection of salads and pre-​made sandwiches from their cabinet. The coffee is Allpress and is well-​made. On the weekends they will have breakfast specials for $ 10-​$ 12, however, the breakfast portions are probably not as generous as from other cafes in the area. I get the feeling that perhaps ownership has changed in the last year and that Dunk may have dropped a step or two from their previous levels.

There’s nothing I love more than a milkshake on a hot, sunny afternoon. So while I was out perusing the shops around Parnell on said hot, sunny afternoon recently, I went into Dunk to satisfy my craving. I don’t know why I chose Dunk, I think possibly because I was standing right outside it and, unlike most of the other restaurants and cafes in my immediate vicinity, it wasn’t busy.
I now get why. It’s not as if it’s horrible or dirty or anything like that. It’s just a bit characterless. There’s nothing particularly inviting or intriguing about the atmosphere. I liked the fact that they had a good selection of milkshake flavours on the menu, like raspberry and mint, which are a bit out of the ordinary. They are only $ 5 and come in a takeaway cup. I wasn’t blown away by my raspberry one, it was, like the premises, average.
In fairness to Dunk though, they’ve got a cabinet full of delicious looking cakes like Rocky Road and chocolate brownies for $ 3 each, and the slices are absolutely massive! So these look like great value. I’m just not sure I’ll really go back in a hurry to find out.

This café has a good location in the middle of Parnell but it’s all a bit basic and run of the mill. I came here one day as I was in Parnell and didn’t have a lot of money in my pocket. It looked like somewhere you might get a coffee and a cheap bite to eat. I think I got a pasta dish which was fine but the coffee wasn’t great. The reality is coffee is of a very high standard all over Auckland and there is no excuse not to get a decent flat white. There are far nicer cafes to eat in Parnell, such as Mink or Rhythm café. I mean even the Coffee Club next door is far better. I guess this place appeals to tourists and students who want to do it on the cheap but if you want to meet with a friend for morning tea, you should look elsewhere.

I came here not so long ago to meet a friend who works in the area and I am not sure why she chose to come to Dunk, there are better places that aren’t more than a 5 minute walk away from here. Considering the fact the place looks mediocre and therefore I would judge the coffee to be the same I had a diet coke, that is consistent, you know what you’re getting. My friend confirmed my suspicions stating that her flat white was okay. Glad I went with the coke. The food from what I remember was more what you might find in a Hollywood bakery type place (not that I go, just saying) so not sure how they compete with some of the other places around Parnell. I would not come back, I also did not like the seating, or maybe I am too critical.

Dunk has a nice location in Parnell with big glass windows, so there is lots of nice natural light. I ordered the spinach and feta scone for lunch, which was alright, but I think I liked the date scone I got here last time. It almost kind of felt like I was eating because I was hungry, not because I was actually enjoying it (I didn’t end up actually finishing it). Staff were unfortunately a bit rude, and the radio was playing which can be a bit irritating after a while in a sit down café. Bathrooms and table tops could also be a bit cleaner. Dunk has been here a long time and is never empty when I pass it on Parnell rise, but I definitely think there are nicer places to go to in Parnell for lunch or coffee.