Kauri Gum Country Store & Cafe

Having recently moved to Riverhead we had to check out the Kauri Gum Café.
The place was hopping on a Sunday afternoon, we were lucky to find a table and I was very excited about our late-​afternoon brunch.
I ordered the mushrooms with avo, bacon and a poached egg on toast. It was HUGE!!! Great value. Unfortunately, the bacon was a bit cold and soggy (like it had been sitting for a while) and the poached egg had very little run in it. I love poached eggs that explode with golden gooeyness when you break into them, but this one was pretty well done. Soft, yes. Runny, no. But the mushrooms. OMG. What did they do to those mushrooms? YUM. They were incredibly seasoned with herbs and a bit of butter and cooked perfectly. I would have been happy for a large bowl of those mushrooms and nothing else.
We had a brownie for dessert which I let my husband finish. I am picky about my brownies, I like them soft and slightly undercooked in the center and crispy on the outside which I know is hard to achieve. This was a bit hard for my taste, and could have used a bit more sugar which I don’t find myself saying often (Many desserts are too sugary for my taste).

Nice setting, cool rustic interior and nice outdoor courtyard.
Food was sub par. Bread came out untoasted and soggy from poached eggs with bacon and a chunk of hard butter. Did not finish.
Grumpy, rude waitress

A very informal, rustic setting. Delicious menu that gives a feel of wholesome farm
food with city influences ie Paleo Breakfast.
Coffee is full bodied with a hint of almond.
Owner is on hand to have that friendly good to see you again conversation. Great place!

People driving through Riverhead normally do just that, they drive through, and give little thought to all the wonderful things this village offers.
Riverhead is actually a lot bigger than you would think, and it is home to schools, sports clubs and is a great boating destination. Plus it is also home to The Riverhead, an iconic watering hole.
One place that normally gets forgotten is the Kauri Gum Store, yet it should be on top of your list, and no visit to Riverhead will be complete without stopping here for an ice tea or coffee.
You can sit inside or out, enjoy a good meal and simply while away the afternoon, watching the shadows grow. Then on your way out, you can take home some of their home made products, all at a very reasonable price.