Mary’s

Yummy food, happy attentive staff, beautiful ambience in historic Ponsonby Fire Station

Set in an old brick fire station, just off Ponsonby’s main shopping strip. Beautiful arched windows in the front. Lots of seating options, Allpress coffee, cabinet food and a brunch/​lunch menu. We were a large group, so ordered a variety of things. Some were good value and pretty much what you expected, but I was disappointed with mine. First rule of ordering, stick with your first choice. I had originally wanted the French toast, but opted instead for the Croque Monsieur. There was a twice baked cheese soufflé and steak frites on the menu so I had visions of an authentic grilled cheese and ham sandwich just like I’d tucked into in France. It was more like a triple decker cheese and ham toastie using sliced brioche. My fellow diners declared the soufflé delicious, along with the schnitzel sandwich, the tofu and haloumi sandwich with its ‘swirl’ of avocado, and the mushrooms and eggs looked pretty good too.

Mary’s was a full-​house again today — all tables filled with brunchers, walkers, locals & foodies. Previously, I’ve had a few take-​out Allpress triple shot coffees along with (counter food) scrummy bacon-​and-​egg baps to go. Today we decided to sit-​in & sample the ‘much reviewed & raved about’ Mary’s! Service was exceptional with attentive staff taking coffee orders quickly followed by menu requests. I decided on the healthy option: old-​school porridge with coconut, banana, brown sugar & cream and it was stunning. My friend had traditional scrambled eggs, along with mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes and thoroughly enjoyed. As the place was extremely busy, there was a slight wait on the coffee. There is an outdoor area at the front & back of the café, which is gorgeous to sit, when the sun is beaming down, whatever the season. Mary’s is open 7 days and is located opposite Leys Institute (Ponsonby Library).

Kerry was very keen to try this one. He’s a massive fan of the owners, the people behind Benediction, Jafa and Remuera’s Shore Road Café and as usual, this new venture didn’t disappoint.
Anticipating that it would be busy on a Sunday I popped in the day before to see if we could book a table. We couldn’t for brunch — they take bookings during the week only.
Undaunted we rocked up mid-​morning today and while full, we were seated within five minutes. Tea and coffee orders were taken and we were warned of a wait of around half an hour for mains due to them being very busy.
The menu was extensive and has breakfast/​brunch and lunch options. There were some familiar items, staples at previous locations such as sticky black rice and potato and feta cakes. Kerry recognised the chef from Jafa and was happy.
The food took as long as we were warned but it was all worth it. Ryan opted for French Toast with Bacon which looked and I’m sure tasted spectacular. Kris on a pre Japan budget went for a couple of sides, a potato cake with smoked salmon which was presented nicely. Luke as he usually does headed straight for the lunch menu and had some sort of chorizo stew I didn’t catch the name of. Kerry and I opted for the same thing — the Red Flannel Hash. I assume the name refers to all the red ingredients and the dish itself was perfect; fried baby red potatoes, red onions, chorizo and poached eggs. It all worked and the sautéed red onions added a delightful sweetness to the dish.
As we paid the bill Kerry struck up an almost fanboy discussion with the owner reminiscing about previous brunches at previous locations. Kerry was home at last. It was cute to watch.

This is a cheats review as I have only tried the coffee and baking. Once I hit the full menu it could change
But I’ll just go with what has caught me so far.
I have always loved the building this is located in (was a huge Soto fan) so was super happy there was a new work local for a coffee in such a great setup
The coffee is strong and good and served with a bit of spunk
The time between ordering and it being placed in your hand it so fast I thought they had stuffed my order — perfect for a work coffee dash
There is a loyalty card — huge pull for locals. I’m already on to my freebie haha
The cabinet food looks good — nice salads and heaps of homely baking — the ginger oat slice is WOW! I can’t stop buying it
I love the idea of the courtyard for a catch up with friends as it is leafy, pretty and sheltered. Something I do struggle to find in central at times
All in all — as a coffee tap n gapper — it’s great

I’ve long been a fan of the black sticky rice at Shore Rd café and I was really happy to see it on the menu here, now I don’t need to go to Remuera to get my fix. It seems that the menu is a copy cat of the Shore Rd one, but that’s not a bad thing. We tried steak frites (the thin fries were amazing, however the meat was a bit chewy), the black sticky rice, french toast and toast with salmon, capers and cream cheese. All in all, the food was good value for money and very tasty Don’t go here if you expect any new exciting combinations, it’s just typical café food cooked really well. We got there at 9 and the place was jam packed; there was a 30 minutes wait for the food, but that didn’t bother us, as we wanted to catch up with friends and not feel rushed.

Great food, friendly service and good coffee. What more do you need for a Sunday morning? Two thumbs up for the red flannel hash and the avo bruschetta. Nice work on the refurb of the building too, it’s a lovely space

Mary’s gets major points for décor and style. It’s housed in the old fire station just off College Hill, which is a super cool building with these big semi-​circle windows. There’s also a beautiful courtyard out back lined with trees that look like maples.
As for the menu, it’s extensive. It took about 3 trips from the waitress until we had managed to have a good look and decide. I went for the power salad of avocado, ‘shrooms, tomato, rocket, haloumi & a poached egg. Not surprisingly, it was pretty boring. Each element was served separately on the plate — deconstructed, if you will. I felt like a kid who had been served up breakfast on one of those partitioned plates. It was definitely super fresh but at the same time was something I could’ve whipped up at home in 10mins. I did leave feeling ready to power through an afternoon of work though, so there’s that.
I’d happily head back to Mary’s to try some of their more exciting sounding dishes. It’s a cool space and the staff are lovely!

Mary’s a traditional kind of girl, but she likes to spice things up every now and then. Just try her tasty Shakshuka and you’ll find out! From the proprietors of Grey Lynn’s Jafa café, Newtown’s Benediction café and Remuera’s Shore Road café comes the new kid on the Ponsonby block. She is mostly dressed in the standard uniform of brunch-​time fare such as french toast with bacon, poached and scrambled eggs. Although she brings some of her well known old school values (such as black sticky rice with fruit and coconut) with her, she also has a few new tricks up her sleeve including the red flannel hash with gourmet potatoes, chorizo, onion and poached egg. There’s an array of slices and muffins from the cabinet and a selection of freshly squeezed juices or Allpress coffee with which to wash it all down. All in all, it’s a reasonably predictable set of offerings and there’s something for everyone on her menu. Mary’s greater for those who prefer familiarity than those in search of something different. The quality of her product cannot be faulted. More than a one night stand, I predict that Mary’s likely to have you coming back for more.