Great drink options. Coffee beans and grind also available for takeaway. Table and counter service excellent. My only criticism is they have a brunch menu but not lunch, but nothing wrong with counter food sandwiches and salads.
Rathi R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Auckland, New Zealand
Kokako deserve a special mention with their menu predominantly designed for Vegetarians and Vegans. Kudos on standing out in that area! For such a niche café you would expect them to be less busy but it was anything but. The café was bustling and a hive of activity with a lot of punters coming in for takeaways as well as a sit in. A great healthy way to start your day guilt free. We were a party of four ordering different items off their menu. I must say I was surprised by just 6 main items on their breakfast/brunch menu, it totally made sense for their outfit. They have other different items on and off menu like smoothies, beverages, kid friendly menu and some yummy looking baked goodies on display. Another mention for dog parents like me on the look out for dog friendly cafes, there is a table out front and comes with a nearby water bowl for our pawed companions. Another Brownie point in my books. The menu at first sight comes across as simple with the question, will they be able to justify the price for this plate! My answer at the end is a resounding Yes. The creativity and flavour combinations in itself lend to a nicely crafted brunch plate. I have uploaded pics of what we had. Overall we all came out satisfied with both portions and taste. Especially their home brewed flat white coffee with a double shot espresso was just the galvanising kick you need in the morning we all were raving about. So my ratings are as follows. Creativity 9; Presentation 8; Taste 8.5; Price 7; Ambience 9; Parking 3.
Victoria C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Melbourne, Australia
Kokako not only looks great but delivers excellent & interesting food & delicious coffee. I have to admit that the fit out had my heart the moment I walked in, all high ceilings, white tiles & clean lines. Fortunately the breakfast didn’t let me down. I had the hash which was really delicious(although my egg was a tad overdone) & my breakfast bud had the chili eggs — also very tasty. The menu is interesting — mostly classic breakfast bits but all with a twist meaning it’s not your usual avo on toast. There is also a cabinet which had takeaway lunchy type things which looked great. The coffee was really great & the whole place had a lovely feel to it which really made my Sunday morning.
May H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland, New Zealand
Our 2nd time to this vegetarian café and It’s a sunny day the day we came, so we decided to sit outside. it’s almost 2pm, most cabinet food is gone, but they are happy to made a toastie for me with any ingredients they have! Very nice of them! I was too hungry and forgot to take a photo! Lol… we also order a menu breakfast and a smoothie and of course a coffee, all tasty great! Our vegetarian meal was awesome and we are happy customer! I really like the vibe and deco here, it’s on my return list!
Alex D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland, New Zealand
Kokako is a dream for a newly minted vegetarian like myself. Largely because the whole menu is vegetarian so there’s no shortage of options, which is something you really appreciate as a pseudo vegetarian, but also bc it’s interesting and fresh. Sure, they have your typical scrambled eggs but there’s also OG dishes like broccoli, feta and quinoa fritters or rhubarb crepes served with honeyed yoghurt, almonds and lime. I recently tried their potato hash, which came complete w avo, a poached egg, relish and silky smooth hollandaise. It’s was a complete dish that almost make me forget I was vegetarian but it definitely needed seasoning. Nevertheless if be in with a grin for round two. Thank you Kokako for making my foray into vegetarianism that much easier!
Zachary N.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Albuquerque, NM
Great vibe here – ambience conducive to reading, thinking(appreciate the wood highlights, music, etc.) – and the menu fills a needed vegetarian niche, even if options are limited. Mexican beans are my favorite, and the lentils are good, too. The fritters are on the insipid side of the spectrum but inventive and healthy(hot sauce helps). If they had free WiFi, I’d opt to tote my laptop in for writing, but maybe the limited seating capacity makes the owner wary of laptop campers(and so no Wi-Fi). The whole grain bread is a bit uninspired; that’s easily fixable, from the looks of all the other stellar looking baked goods. Cold brew isn’t very strong but full of subtle flavor that gains prominence with every sip. Last but not least: wait staff is at ease and accommodating.
Hiran T.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland, New Zealand
With its white tiled and light wooden interior, and its focus on great quality coffee and vegetarian fare, Kokako is probably the best café in Grey Lynn. The kitchen serves a great vegetarian hash, mushrooms on polenta and colorful sandwiches. If you are in a hurry, there’s an enticing selection of salads, savoury treats and cakes from the cabinet to meet your needs. My pick for sweet toothed: The feather-light pancakes with poached pears, chocolate, cream and nuts.
Taimania T.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Auckland, New Zealand
This place has livened up the Grey Lynn township quite a bit but what I love is the amazing baked goods such as the cinnamon muffin roll thingees(can’t remember the name sorry!) and I’m not normally into carrot cake but this has made me a carrot cake convert. Well, a kokako carrot cake convert The hot chocolate is to die for AND it comes with a tiny square of chocolate brownie. LOVE when cafes go that extra mile even even if it means doing something small
Sam L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland, New Zealand
If you’re constantly disappointed by insipid vegetarian café food, then look no further — Kokako is a fantastic café that just happens to serve vegetarian food. They have a really inventive menu which changes frequently. As well as an excellent menu, they have a great range of cabinet food. It’s in the long gone Grey Lynn post office building and the fit out is really cool. There’s no outdoor area but it’s pretty quiet and chilled out. To top it off, they serve their own coffee which is great!
Lex L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand
Kokako, ahhh Kokako. Have been coming here since it opened and it certainly has marked a rejuvenation of the Grey Lynn shops. No better endorsement can be given then the fact that I have become a regular at a café that has no bacon. In a world world Eco this or diet that often means sacrifice in terms of flavour, enjoyment or other things Kokako remains as a true bastion of all things good and good things made possible. Come here to impress anyone you know who is slightly more earth friendly than yourself or even just to impress on yourself a better way of living — sustainable yet still sweet. Insider tip — go the banana loaf. Trust me. Last, and certainly never least, the staff are friendly. Always.
Joseph H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Bozeman, MT
Outstanding! The service was prompt and genuine. We ordered 2 long blacks to start and the waitress came back and asked us if we wanted to try the batch brew instead as she felt it was outstanding. Great recommendation! We had the mushroom ragout and the quinoa kumara fritters. Both were nice and warm. Most of all both were delicious! I wanted to stay and order another dish, guess I’ll need to go back soon… tomorrow maybe?
Kelly C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland, New Zealand
Had another awesome breakfast at Kokako this weekend — seems we always go after a walk around Western Springs which makes it even better! This time around I had the cold brew, which was perfect cool caffeination for a steamy Saturday morning. I chose the hash, which was so, so good: potatoes, egg, hollandaise and avocado — some of my favourite things! The beetroot relish was tangy and a little sweet — it was an excellent counterpart to the richness of the egg and hollandaise. After a big walk I was looking for something savoury and delicious — this totally hit the spot! Having said that, my friend had the pancakes with berry compote, pistachios and lemon curd which was totally heavenly and decadent. The smoothies on the menu are the best in town — I couldn’t fit one in on this visit but had one last time around and they are to die for! Kokako is all kinds of awesome and I’m already looking forward to my next visit — everything on the menu has my name on it!
Rebecca S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Auckland, New Zealand
I went to Kokako for a brunch date as I was keen to try their interesting sounding menu. Without serving meat they have complied a unique and(relatively) healthy brunch menu. I ordered the Kokako Hash cake with avocado, Tomato and beetroot relish, poached egg and hollandaise. It was delicous, I would definitely order it again. The beetroot relish was fantastic and they poached my eggs perfectly(I now order a ‘medium’ poached egg as I have found that is easier to explain than saying in between runny and hard…). The coffee was equally satisfying and they have many options; filter, chemex, V60, cold drip and cold brew with nearly as many bean options. Don’t worry if you’re having trouble knowing what to order, their staff were very knowledgeable and are great at making recommendations. They even brought out a card with all the coffee bean info on it. Nice! The café itself is light and airy and reminds you of an old butchery or deli(in a good way, you know what I mean!). I look forward to going back and trying more of their menu and coffee options.
Melissa F.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland, New Zealand
BIG fan — not sure why I have not been here before as its in my neighbourhood! Located on the corner of Great North Rd & Williamson Ave, it’s central Grey Lynn. The space is modern, bright and inviting. As I approached the counter, the barista was beaming as she asked«how are you?» Fantastic: personable, engaging and gives’ a sh*t. Some cafes are just too busy to care — «Kokako» does care. The cabinet food looked fresh, appetising and healthy with all the usual options available: berry muffins, scummy sandwiches & other mouth-watering treats. Reasonably priced from $ 4.50. I was looking forward to the coffee, of course. It didn’t disappoint — my triple shot flat white. The café was extremely busy for a morning weekday; that explains a lot. Very impressed with this flagship café: «Kokako»! Unilocal
Rachel H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland, New Zealand
Kokako does it again. We had the vegan hash this time and as always, it was perfection. Our waitress was gorgeous and chatty too. The whole experience was just wonderful, as we have come to expect. Thanks Kokako!
Emily O.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland CBD, Auckland, New Zealand
I was just cruising around Auckland trying to find somewhere to eat and then I remembered reading a good review somewhere about Kokako! Coming here for lunch was the best decision I have made in a while. I’m not a big fan of eggs, but today I tasted the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever had, ever. So delicious! Paired with beautifully fresh avocado, beetroot relish, rocket, multigrain toast and olive oil — I was in heaven. I also had the iced coffee which was soo good and just topped off my great meal. The interior is very well done and it’s an incredibly enjoyable environment to sit and eat your breakfast/brunch/lunch. This could potentially be my new favourite café in Auckland and I will most defintely be returning soon!
Sarah H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland, New Zealand
I really, really, truly love this café. The space is light and airy with a variety of seating options(high top, large tables, small tables, outdoor seating) making it suitable for small to medium groups, solo or couples. They serve organic, fair trade coffee(Kokako beans roasted on site, of course!). Needless to say, it’s fantastic. The menu items(all veggie) look delectable — from Japanese curry with edamame to Mexican bean scrambled eggs with coriander. I was a bit pressed for time, however, so chose a couple cabinet items to satiate my hunger… an egg and avocado sandwich($ 8.50) and a freshly baked tamarillo and apple muffin($ 5). So soooo good. The sandwich was served with a small side salad and the muffin warmed up and accompanied by a slice of butter. Literally heaven. I also tried their blended iced coffee — espresso and milk blended into a smooth, rich consistency. It was sprinkled with dark cocoa and was surprisingly filling. You can either order at the counter or a server will come by to take your order. The staff was lovely(and efficient), too. My only complaint? The lack of Wifi. Maybe it’s a good thing, though… otherwise I may never, ever leave ;)
Neera J.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Auckland, New Zealand
Updating this because I went back and had the most heavenly creamy mushrooms over polenta. SOOOO good!!! I put a poached egg on top, and I’d highly recommend. It’s hard to improve upon what they’ve done with the mushrooms, but what isn’t thrown way over the top for a total touchdown win with a poached egg? Just try it. You’ll thank me. If you’re a mushroom kind of person. And if you’re not, I’m not sure I want to know you anyways.
Rachael A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Melbourne, Australia
I was staying in the Grey Lynn area, and came to Kokako for a lazy late lunch one chilly afternoon. It was very relaxing and peaceful sitting on the large, round communal table, eating a delicious vegan muffin and a coffee. The staff were lovely, very accommodating, and didnt mind me sitting there doing some work. Thanks Kokako for a lovely afternoon.
James A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Albany, Auckland, New Zealand
Probably one of my top 5 coffee houses/cafés. They are specialists and roast their own beans, they also supply many others around Auckland so they know their stuff. I’ve even seen their beans as far south as Taupo. Apparently the food is great, I’ve only ever ordered once, a hash stack and it was bloody awesome! Can’t wait to try the rest of the menu! I recommend dropping by if you get the chance, they’re always busy but it’s worth the wait.