Monique Rana
My Soy-Friendly Places
Listed below are a few of the venues I frequent for a steamy cup of my favourite hot soymilk drink. Some venues also make great soy frappes and smoothies - perfectly healthy for a post-workout boost. These are places I enjoy and recommend... For other soy-friendly places visit Soy Central and find a great soy-frienly restaurant or café close to you!
Hardware Café
Address: 404 Titirangi Rd, Titirangi, Auckland
Owners: Brent and Teresa
License: Licensed, BYO
Cuisine: Café
My husband and I always spend Saturday mornings together. We exercise before eating breakfast either at the Hardware Café or another favourite (without our girls). Tom is the Barista there and he makes a wicked Vitasoy cappuccino for me with marshmallows. He is also a great singer, and often sings while making coffee. The café ambience is buzzing; great music, beautiful art, good food and the staff know everyone by first name! Not only do they make excellent coffee, but also I love their crepes for breakfast and prawn over curry dish for dinner. The town of Titirangi attracts all types of people from artists, actors and business people to families. Anything goes! No judgments. And I love it that way.
Piha Café
Address: 20 Seaview Rd, Piha, New Zealand, 0772
Phone: (09) 812 8808
Opening hours: Wed - Fri: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Sat - Sun: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
License: Licensed, No BYO
Cuisine: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dessert
This is a relatively new café out west on the famous Piha Beach (great for surfing!). My hubby and I frequent here at least once a month on a Saturday morning after an hour jog/walk on the beach. We usually have brunch alone or with friends. We either have the homemade muesli, eggs benedict or one of their delicious Panini’s. I love the fact that they cater to all dietary needs giving us vegetarians something to choose from. They also make an awesome Vitasoy Cappuccino. Metro magazine describes the café like this, “When you sit on the deck with that Piha view, kids playing on the grass, contented dogs tied up nearby, the cafe appeals as the symbol of something very different – the relaxed and pleasing heart of our version of civilisation – Piha has been enriched. I recommend this as a must for all who visit NZ.”
Frasers Café
Address: 434 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden, Auckland
Owners: Paul and Sandra Fraser
Phone: (09) 630 6825
Licence: Unknown
Cuisine: Café & Espresso Bar
BodyTech is only 5 min drive to Frasers and I love coming here for their fresh orange and date scones, coffee, smoked salmon salad and smoked fish pie. The Vitasoy cappuccinos are a sure winner. The food and the service is very good, this is my favourite Mt Eden café. Frasers is a very popular café with great ambience, buzzing - just like my local Hardware Café. Also I hate to admit this, but they make a fantastic crème brulee and the crepes are to die for!
