Reviews of Ilex Café. (Coffee Shop) in Christchurch (Canterbury).

Ilex Café

1399 Reviews

316 Comments

Coffee shop

Cafe

Restaurant

Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand

Description

Information of Ilex Café, Coffee shop in Christchurch (Canterbury)

Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.

This place has good reviews, this means that they treat their customers well and you’ll feel great with their services, recommended 100%!

Map

Open hours of Ilex Café

Popular times

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Reviews of Ilex Café

Y. W.

First time here, visiting from Wellington. Lovely place in the botanical gardens. It looks very busy. White and green theme, interior is spacious and clean. They have outdoor seating as well. You order from the counter. Wanted some waffle so I ordered the black forest waffle. The waffle took a while to arrive. But when it did it was a sight to behold. Took some photos and then ate it. Very lovely crispy and nice pairing with the ice cream, boysenberry and milk caramel. The thing is I ordered the Black Forest one and I didn’t realise it wasn’t that until my friend pointed it out that it wasn’t what I ordered. It was a waffle from the kids menu. Not sure what went wrong there but I really enjoyed my waffle from the kid’s menu.

E. &. R. D.

I cannot speak highly enough of the events team at Ilex. Eloise and Marzena are absolutely amazing! Throughout our planning process Eloise was wonderful to deal with, she made sure every box was checked and double checked off. Marzena was in charge of the food and beverage service on the day and everything ran perfectly. The service team was amazing as well, right down to Debrane (name probably spelt wrong) helping find a guest that went to the wrong gate to leave at the end of the night and helping us we a trolley to get the last of the decor out to cars. The Food, Jonny the Chef, curated a menu just for us that fit what we were looking for and then he exceeded expectations at delivery. Everything was perfect, people have raved about it for weeks. The Venue space it’s self is stunningly beautiful and with the team they have anyone getting married should strongly consider Ilex as a venue option,

K. B.

Good food and place! It’s definitely a hidden gem, you should promote it more :)

K. C.

A beautiful spot on a sunny day with lots of outdoor seating and sun shades. We came for lunch and found excellent vegetarian options and the all important fries are delish! Has an excellent salad selection too. Friendly and helpful staff and great service.

H. M.

Not a bad food selection and good service. The sea gulls are a huge pain if you are sitting outside - they even stole our salmon bagel! The Cafe did not offer any discount because this happened either.

I. K.

Came with our dance students and some parents for breakfast and we're pleasantly surprised. The food was absolutely delicious AND beautifully presented. Well priced for the great quality. Also a plus that the outdoor area has its own till. Everyone loved everything.

M. L.

Pulled Lamb shoulder is awesome. Ilex breakfast is average. We were there at busy time therefore waited for the dishes quite a while.

M. A.

Lovely wee spot in the middle of a greenhouse, completely glass with really cool ceiling and giant pot plants. Great coffee and the grill sandwiches are great value!

M. B.

Beautiful decor, there is so much glass that you feel like you're sitting outside. Very impressed with how quiet it was as well. Coffee was delicious and the counter food fantastic. I didn't get to try any menu food but it sounded great. Great for the kids, right near the park. Highly recommended!

L. T.

Great place for a coffee with waffles, and something more! Enough tables are outside, to enjoy stunning garden views while dining.

F. J.

So loved their food. What's more it's garlic free!

M.

Best in summer when you can sit in the outdoor area or even on the lawn. Indoors is too noisy for me (they need rubber feet on the chairs to stop the screaching!) 😊

N. A.

Popped in for a coffee but then decided to stay for brunch. Great decision!!!! Food was lovely and staff were great!! I couldn't believe how busy they were and how well organized everything was. Was a great touch when one of the chefs popped out to say hi! We'll definitely be going back!

A. G.

Good place, perfect spot. It's great to have a cup of coffee after a walk, especially in winter. But the cafe is busy, so allow extra time for waiting. Good to have coffee inside, but for takeaway it's too long to wait. Carrot cake is delicious 💚

K. K.

Stopped in yesterday for a coffee and a bowl of chips. The coffew was fantastic as were the chips. The only thing that i felt let this cafe down was the staff not wearing masks correctly.

D. K.

Great location, decent cafe food

T. K.

Great brunch and coffee but they’re very busy.

D. S.

Beautiful cafe in the middle of the park. There are seats inside and outside. Our coffees and dessert were very good. Lovely staff; quite a bit of choice for sweets or savoury snacks.

A. L.

My family and I popped into the café for some coffee and muffin. My grandson was very happy with his fluffy. We had cappuccino, flat white, an apple muffin and savoury muffin. Totally enjoyed our coffees and both muffins were delicious. Lovely environment. We look forward to visiting again.

T.

VERY difficult trying to get to the mobility toilet. Access thru the door system was hard as the door button was hard to reach and the exit door did want to come toward me and NOT outwards. Real bad if there was a fire as my chair blocked the door from opening. Also very tight fit coming out of the toilet. Had to hit the wall as there wasn't enough room to get around in one shot.

I. S.

Picked a sunny but cold afternoon so it wasn't too busy. Treated ourselves to a lovely cake and coffee. The service was friendly and efficient. Coffee superb and cake divine. I don't usually photograph my food but this was well worthy.

G. P.

This cafe is situated in the attractive Botanic Gardens and has quality food. However, the staff are not very organized. My husband had a sandwich and I had a piece of quiche that was not to be heated to save time. I had to wait 20 minutes after my husband's order had arrived and in that time other people had received chips etc.

M. “. A.

This Cafe if beautifully located inside the Christchurch botanic Gardens. It has the option to seat inside or outdoors. Toilets are handy and sufficient for the crowd. The same building houses a nice craft and souvenirs shop with gifts for all ages. The service is slow especially serving the coffees and the food very average. A chicken and coconut sandwich is that... A dry piece of chicken between two dry pieces of crusty bread and coconut (should I say... dry?). The chia pudding as GF option was nothing to write home about.

S.

A nice place for lunch. The food was excellent. Overall the experience was spoiled slightly by the inexplicably slow service.

R.

Fantastic service and loved the coffee which I rarely say,

B. I.

Average food, staff were friendly. Hot chocolate luke warm. Nice location with garden views. Outdoor area a bit untidy.

M.

Booking my 'Living Wake' there in late November.... Lovely peaceful setting for a celebration of life. Very happy with everything 😊

J. L. C.

Again a cafe that brinhs a black coffee before the main selection was brought. When are cafes etc going to stop this thinking. I had finished a coffee and a date scone beforey friends wholemeal style of sandwhich had arrived . Why could they not arrive together .

D.

Unable to offer more stars than 4 because all we ordered was coffee. Coffee rating 5/5. No idea about food

P.

Where is it ? It's in the ❤️ of our lovely botanical garden,,, well worth the visit,,,,Good coffee,,good service,,well priced food ,,cakes,,rolls,,etc,, lovely herb garden and tropical gardens right next door,,,relaxed family atmosphere.

P.

Love the food, love the location/atmosphere. Dislike the speed of service, seems they need some better order taking systems in place…

S. W.

Super busy, but friendly staff and seats readily available for us. Had to bus our own table before sitting down. Husbands meal came over 20 minutes before mine which wasn't ideal, but burger and salmon bagel were both delicious. Coffee was average. We didn't get a bowl of fries but seeing them at other tables, they looked really good.

S. T.

I hardly write the restaurant reviews, but we met a waiter there who had to be recognized publicly. Asif was his name and he was phenomenal. He catered to our four naughty children in the group with care, enjoying and laughing with them. And he just had this friendly demeanor about him that made us all happy. By the end of our lunch, two of us said, "He's the best waiter till date". By the way, the food was pretty good and the menu is diverse. The cafe is located in a very good place, overall I had a pretty good experience. Thank you Asif for the wonderful service!

y. h.

The place was cozy and well decorated. The food was good. The quarter roasted chicken was too much for me lol. Overall, i really enjoyed it

S.

Very very busy food and coffee ☕ 😋 great service friendly too

H. C.

Lovely place. We had the avocado sandwich and it was really nice. Best chai latte I have had as well. We were seated quickly and our food was out within 15 minutes. Considering how busy they were that did surprise us. Friendly staff as well

j. p.

Great food at very cheap prices. The portion of chips are very big for 7.50 and the carrot cake was incredible. One of the best I've had.

C.

Had a lovely afternoon at this cafe this avo.wonderful staff and food.really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. Thanks to the kitchen for delicious carrot cake.cant recommend this cafe enough,will be back.

C.

Lovely staff, helpful and friendly! Delicious iced tea and tasty lunch!

C. F.

Had a lovely lunch at ilex today. Ham sandwich and cauliflower salad were very tasty. Staff were great , responsive and friendly. The coffee was really hot well done. Such a great environment in the botanic gardens.

s. s.

Great location, great atmosphere, nice selection of cabin food. Great place for a afternoon tea after a stroll.

B. H.

Seven of us visited Ilex Cafe for brunch at 11:30am on a Sunday. It was totally packed. Thankfully we had made a booking. I've never seen it so busy. There was a 20 min wait just on coffee. But considering how busy it was that seemed pretty reasonable. We placed a coffee order quickly and it wasn't an issue. Side note: Ilex doesn't charge extra for decaf or alternative milk. Winning. We ordered food quickly after that and it was ready again within a very reasonable amount of time considering how busy they were. The burger I had was okay. When I'm back next I would probably try something else. But I will be back. Lovely service, great coffee, nice food, great setting.

E.

Great location and tasty food and good service , thanks guys

I.

Very nice place to relax after visiting the gardens. The strawberry plum tea was delicious.

J.

Certainly not a destination cafe that you would make a special trip to. But it is the only place for a meal in the Botanical gardens and as such, it gets the job done.

M. A.

Great location and space. Modern and open. Staff mostly young and often flustered. Food ok. Cabinet and breakfast menu. Toilets modern. Gardens and playground near by.

H.

We went there on Saturday which was reasonably busy. The Ilex Breakfast tasted good. Mushrooms on a Rye was too fatty and the rye bread was too dry to chew. The poached eggs were not done rightly, which were like someone practed cooking for the first time. Service was prompt But the information provided was inaccurate about dishes. My husband enjoyed his brunch But not me.

S. D.

This cafe made me a fresh sandwich as I am dairy free, which was really great, not many places have done this for me. Inside outside eating. Great place for mum's and babies can meet, and large groups. Good location for a walk in the gardens.

K. K.

Lovely sitting outside in the sunshine. Friendly staff and very delicious food. We had a hot drink and cheese, sage and onion muffin and a pear and golden syrup muffin. We'll be back.

M. B.

Amazing cafe in hagley. Outdoor and indoor seating. Great vibe. Good food.

H.

Beautiful building set in the depths of the Botanical gardens. Great food

T. P.

We gathered for a family birthday early afternoon. We managed to get a table for eight with only a short wait. The service was good and the sun was lovely with no wind. A very pleasant experience for all of us. The wee ducklings entertained most of the customers.

R. M.

Excellent selection of bulk cooking and baking supplies. Plenty of organic options and fill your own range of product. The owner is very friendly and most helpful. A great local Rangioa business..

J.

Location makes this place. Surrounded by botanic gardens...beautiful outdoor seated area. Food & coffee - ok. Notoriously slow service. On the upside...while you're waiting for your coffee you have the beautiful gardens to look at!

C. G. C.

Really good fries and cheesburger, the sauces taste a little bit weird though. Really nice to have lunch in this gorgeous place. You can visit the botanic garden afterwards

Z. L.

Easily a favourite. Great coffee and tasty food. I would climb mountains and swim across oceans to eat their banana waffles with peanut butter and banana ice cream. I don't know if there is a better dish anywhere in the world. I have had a few other things too and they are all tasty. The location is pretty good too, greenhouse feel, very sunny. Just beautiful.

S. S.

Amazing coffee! Great vegan options too

C. A.

Such a beautiful area to have lunch in. The food was really good and there is also a shop and an educational area inside about Christchurch too.

C.

Enjoyed this place alot, loved the view of all the stunning plants. Chai latte was delicious 😋

E. F.

Good food and ambience located within the botanical gardens

M.

Great place for a coffee on a sunny day! Exclnt coffee and service!☕👍😋

J. B.

Beautiful place to have a drink and bite to eat. Looks out to botanic gardens and into massive glass houses full of exotic plants. There is also outside seating and a lovely little shop attached to buy NZ themed gifts. Service was quick and staff were friendly. Nice range of cabinet food including vegan and vegetarian. Well worth a visit :)

K.

Very friendly staff and great food

B. B.

Outdoor spacious/plentiful seating with lots of shade: exactly what is needed! A couple of beers on tap, a small but still complete set of menu items, friendly staff, and fast service. The beef brisket burger was quite tasty, and the fries (almost shoestring) were perfectly cooked.

C.

A bit on the pricey side but the food was good. Coffee was slow to come out, arrived after we'd finished eating

J. R.

Service outside for takeaway was great. Food was delicious. Shame that the lady indoors who was taking details lacks good customer service. When I made an innocent mistake and went out the wrong door her facials and rude tone were unnecessary, won't be visiting again anytime soon as left a nasty taste in my mouth.

E. R.

The Cafe location is excellent and interior is excellent too. Seating is squished in a little and place is generally packed. In warm weather the outside seating gives great relief to this. The Coffee is great but the food is just OK. Very little Gluten Free to chose from and no friendly for Gluten free & Dairy free or Vegan diners. Only thing I get is the unhealthy bowl of fries. My partner got a slice on the last visit but it was so sweet it couldn't be eaten. Will generally get a takeaway coffee and walk the botanical gardens.

M. W.

A really nice, light and open space with a cool tropical garden through big ceiling to floor windows (love looking at the coffee plants). The coffee was great, and food very nice too - I had the waffles which were superb! Highly recommend.

l.

Best cafe to enjoy a winter sunny afternoon. Staff is really nice, coffee is good and the cabinet food is so tasty!one of my favorite places to go after a visit to the botanic gardens. A must do in Christchurch!

A. N.

Staff not happy to take orders, as too busy, they prefer to take orders from large groups, and ignore others. Hard to order, hard to cancel if you tired to wait,3 people outside not coping with all orders. 30min waiting time to bring sandwich from cabinet and coffee???

A.

Lovely space. Staff did take some time before taking orders. Outdoor area is non smoking but has no signage saying as such.

n. m.

Great cafe lovely service. Good selection of counter snacks and cakes. Shame about the toilets here not sure of that's visitor centre responsibility? Very tight squeeze to get in the toilet and I'm slim especially with my 3 year old...but really nice place to sit and enjoy a cuppa.

J.

Great if you're vegan..

K. S.

We were asked to sit and the lady would take our order. Fine found a table, waited for a good 5 mins. No water on table, gave order and paid. I saw our order put on the bench, saw 4 orders taken out while our toasted sandwiches sat going cold. I went and asked if I could take them but young lady couldnt find the ticket and so would let me. Sat down and saw two more orders delivered. My friend then went and asked and was told the docket couldnt be found and she couldnt let food go out willy nilly! So although the Peter timms ham, cheese sandwich was nice it was cold. The coffee was excellent, the day beautiful and the gardens great as usual.

R. S.

Beautiful space, friendly staff and the broccoli salad was nice. It was a shame my chai latte was cold and overly sweetened and we had to ask for table water a couple of times.

C.

Great food. Love the shop😊

G. B.

Plenty of pleasant outdoor seating, in a beautiful location. Fine customer service. $8 for a drink sounds a bit lofty for my tastes, and the drinks served were either small, bland or unimpressive. Did I mention it is a nice setting.

S.

Very nice we went as a group good service alot of customers there the service was good great food didn't seem to be many returns of food on plates which is a good sign the food is great The men waiting on the tables did a great service It is a place I would Goto again and tell my friends about it also 🌹🌹

D.

Great food , coffee and service. Easy access in Hagley Gardens. Friendly staff.

A. L.

It starts with the architecture of the Cafe, which is gorgeous - modern and interesting, and also light and bright. Then the food, which is great. I just had a cheese scone and a pot of tea - both were delicious, and I know that doesn't sound amazing in terms of a pot of tea but TRUST me, I've had plenty of nasty teas! Anyway , slightly pricey but top notch and then you can go to the lovely gardens. ☺

z.

Pretty standard cafe, but in the middle of the gardens so gets bonus points. Often very busy.

A. P.

Unique, between the plants, cosy and welcoming. Love it, what a happy place!

c.

Nice gluten free option except for the olives 😄

J.

Delicious morning coffee with a friend on a sunny day

B.

Fantastic. Great coffee. Amazing cheese scones. Will definitely go again.

A.

As a Barista myself, I'm so glad to find a place that is not my own to enjoy the perfect cup of coffee, and other than my grandma's baking, the best scones in town, definitely a stop by before or after a walk around the botanical gardens.

A. J.

Had breakfast and lunch there. Beautiful setting. Service is good. Staff are very friendly. We had salmon salad, risotto, poached eggs and a beef pie. Food is overall good except the beef pie was a bit dry. We definitely will go back again.

J.

Great location...middle of beautiful botanic gardens. Slow service. Nice outdoor seating area

A. C.

Nice coffee, great location. Quite busy so service was slow. Lots of mothers with screaming kids - to be expected on a sunny day.

M. E.

We have just had our work Mid-Winter Dinner at the Ilex, and I would like to pass on how perfect an evening it was! Kate was just fantastic to work with and did an amazing job at helping us organise our event. On the evening her and her team did an exceptional job of taking care of us and delivering a wonderful evening. The service was excellent and really added to how special the night was. The food was also exceptional, from canapés to dessert, everything looked and tasted amazing - all our guests have been singing about how delicious it was! Compliments to Jonny and his team for the beautiful food we were served!

M. T.

It’s a nice cafe with a good open space. In both interior and exterior, aesthetically perfect. Friendly staff as well. I just can’t remember the actual food or drink was any good. But it’s a nice place to stop over after an hour of walk around the garden. Good to see these kind of new places in christchurch.

G.

We thought it was one of the nicest places to go to especially as it was 31deg air con made it Excellent food Ross and Frances Edwards Brown Great atmosphere

H.

Enjoyed our food. Good service and food and setting.

G.

A terrific cafe ,options to sit outside or inside ,its very good with the grandkids as they can run around outside .the coffee, chips for kids and sandwiches are great it's a beautiful setting

r.

Very nice plenty of seating outside easy access.

Z.

Dont normally put 5 stars but we had the most amazing burger and coffee. This burger was on another level lol, definitely a place I'd regularly consider eating at.

D.

Great gift shop. Nice food warm on a cool day. A little noisy when full

r.

Amazing food and great service

S. M.

Service was slow and when questioned we were given excuses of being busy. It was school holidays but half an hour just to get cold drinks is a little bit ott surely. When we got our food mine was cold so dissapointing.

A. M.

Food looks good but haven't had any, sea gulls outside are a pain in the arse, got an iced coffee and asked if it's blended which they said yes, when I got it it was just ice in a coffee. Probably should train there staff on what they actually serve. Pretty disappointed in the iced coffee.

K.

The food was ok and cafe was beautiful however it was far too noisy. This was not because other customers were being especially noisy, just the design of the cafe.

P.

Came to a few events here that have had the most delicious and incredible catering, I can only imagine what the food is like daily 🤤 I also had some food at a community movie screening and it was awesome to see local businesses supporting community initiatives. Well done!

B. L.

Ilex used to be terrible and it mustve changed hands becauce it transformed into an amazing cafe. The selection is great and the meals are delicious. The staff are friendly and it's great when you hey someone who goes out of their wat. I wouldve rated it 5 stars except I have noticed that the food varies quite a lot week to week (sometimes the crumpets are just supermarket crumpets, sometimes the mushrooms don't have everything on the menu). It's a great place to take kids and their indoor and outdoor areas are welcome set out. Love looking into the glass houses.

S.

Lovely food, and a great setting. Smooth service. Good vegan options.

J.

Great location, nice food

P.

Food good. Service only just fair. No napkins at tables no pepper in the grinders and not very friendly

G.

This cafe in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens is really good, with a broad menu that enables choices for small and larger meals and for each time if day. The outlook is very restful as you look to the park, and the service is pleasant, respectful and prompt. Highly recommended.

L. C.

Fantastic food, okay coffee, service is a bit all over the show. They try do do both table service and counter service and it's quite confusing. There are weird arbitrary barriers forcing you to enter/exit from certain doors, and despite it having heavy traffic from mums and babies during the day it's not very well set up for accommodating kids. All the issues with this place are management level, the staff are lovely and make great food.

C.

Very nice cafe in a beautiful setting in the botanical gardens, Christchurch. There is a hot house adjacent to the cafe with lovely plants, and an information center. Relaxing place to go to. Plenty of outdoor seating in the gardens.

C.

Only had tea for 2 but looked at their food fare which looked great. Staff very helpful

s.

Great surroundings and service but coffee is average and scones are dried out.

R. S.

Went to ilex for brunch on Saturday when it was quiet and it was A+ great food and coffee and didn't wait long at all. Went there today (Sunday) and it was super duper busy so we expected a bit of a wait. Ordered the poached eggs for the second time because they were so great the day before and convinced my wife to get the same but today the bacon was overcooked, the eggs a bit under and no hollandaise sauce on either plate but it was on the menu. We also ordered extra bacon which was forgotten but brought out promptly when reminded. On the menu extra bacon said $5.00 but we got charged $6.00, should definitely change that. Over all a bit of a let down but would still definitely eat here again...just when it's not so busy. Oh and we also want to say, the waitress from America (chicago) was super polite, friendly and professional, she deserves a huge thanks! her employers are lucky to have her.

K.

Loved the layout not the best chai but then I am very chai fussy. Was busy.

C.

Nice atmosphere in the hearth of the botanic gardens. With a deck, it's a lovely place enjoy the sun and the quietness of the gardens. The chai I had was delicious and the staff was nice and smily. Good place to relax ! I highly recommend.

S. C.

Yummy food, good coffee. Nice atmosphere

A. K.

Not special but a pleasant place to take a break. Plenty of outside & inside seating, friendly staff. Prompt service. Reasonable coffee, big range of counter food, mostly very large serves & very sweet.

C.

Lovely spot to stop in for a coffee, beautiful and warm , and a great little gift shop for those looking for something unique. The restrooms are the cleanest I've seen for the amount of foot traffic that goes through the place. 🖐⭐

G. D.

Lovely setting for a delicious lunch. Had the grilled cauliflower salad and although the serving was a little small for the price, they were the tastiest salads I think I've ever had and beautifully presented.

D.

Very busy on Easter Saturday. Helpful staff with great food. Worth a visit or two.

A.

Because it is stuck a light, beautiful, airy atmosphere to enjoy a nice lunch/coffee. The staff are very attentive and caring and it just makes the day complete after walking around the gardens.

R.

Nice service loverly dumplings and berry smoothie good outside seating absolutely absolutely

Y.

Brilliant location and bright setup in a fantastic garden. Not sure why the reviews are so low here. Cake was great and coffee decent. We had no troubles with the staff and service.

T.

Very nice food , they were busy but very slow bringing our coffee, the manager was very apologetic, we will try again

D.

Food tastes great. Had an issue which was resolved professionally, staff were easy to communicate with. Will be back soon!

C.

An overall good experience! Friendly staff and the coolest location! Only fault I could find was the quality of coffee wasn't quite impeccable but 4 thumbs ups for the experience

M.

Very good coffee and chips. It's the only café in the botanic gardens and on a nice day it's always full. So you'd better make a reservation beforehand if you want to make sure to have a place.

E.

Consistently good coffee and food, great to pick up a coffee and carry on to playground. Also great for brunch outside on a nice day!

J.

Good food at good prices in a lovely setting. In or out. Busy at times so there can be a queue to order and a bit of a wait for delivery

K.

Wonderful place. Huge ice creams. Lots of happy families.

J.

A great baby friendly cafe. Very busy but the coffee is worth the wait. Would recommend booking a table during the week if you have a large group.

M.

Great food as always

S.

Lovely cafe. Be careful to find a table first then use the table number to order with. The poor staff seemed to have to repeat them selves constantly in regards to this.

E.

Coffee is quite average, tastes a wee bit sour and not warmed up. The view is amazing. Enjoy the sunshine here.

R.

Nice and cool on a hot day! Good cup of tea and plenty of it and blueberry and chocolate muffin

T.

Had a coffee and a cinnamon cake with my friend Evelyn was most enjoyable company and surroundings

F.

Great location, very good service, coffee and scone very nice

S.

Nice central Cafe surrounded by pure nature 🌿🌸 great hot chocolate 🍫

A.

This might become my new summertime place! Nice food, great coffee.

f.

Great wee cafe with an extensive variety of food items. The line up at the counter needs re jigging however the staff are so friendly, accommodating and pleasant that the wait is worth while.

C.

Beautiful cafe at Botanical Gardens

J.

Nice atmosphere but food can be more variety

C.

Very yummy pulled chicken toastie. Constantly busy while I was there but efficient staff. Joys of visiting The Botanic Gardens on a fine Saturday.

R.

Limited inside seating, though nice coffee and crunchy chips. Wonderful view too. Will definitely be back.

B. B.

Great place for a casual meal while enjoying the delights of the Botanic gardens and Hagely Park in Christchurch. The menu is always exciting and the coffee excellent.

B.

Ilex is the new (post earthquake) gardens café. It's pretty fancy and always busy. You'll often find young families and groups of mums sitting at the outside tables, while the inside tables are often fully occupied. At the ilex you can order from the counter or from your seat (if inside). There are some relatively cheap options (around $10) but also some more expensive ones. A nice place (if sometimes noisy) to unwind after your walk.

K.

Nice cafe

E.

Excellent cafe, great service. enjoyed my coffee (I'm hard to please)

n.

Great food and service. Family friendly. Easy to get to, a lovely spot for a break while exploring the beautiful gardens.

T.

Nice dairy free salads,: pity such long queue: toilets need more attention & often no t/paper: twice e have asked for some

D.

Nice food and coffee only thing that spoils it is the chairs scraping on the floor as they are moved ,,,,very loud .

j.

Slow service and expensive but the food was good and the setting is ideal for a sunny afternoon

k.

it's a lovely spot however the cabinet food is a bit average and not particularly cheap. I would go again for the coffee and the beautiful setting.

L.

Food delicious but rather expensive, however, great to have a cafe at the museum

J.

Good coffee, peanut butter slice 'moreish' & bounty bar slice. Nice atmosphere amongst 'botanical setting'.

R.

Disappointed again today, coffee cold and scone only just warm. They could do Alot better.

S.

Great food and coffee nice atmosphere

N.

Worth a visit if you're near the botantical gardens. Bright and light open atmosphere only let down by the unhappiness of staff working here. Having said that I was pleasantly suprised by the coffee and french fries.

S.

Fantastic breakfast and coffee. Perfect spot to let the kids ride their bikes and explore while you sit and eat.

M.

Such a good location in the heart of the gardens. Friendly staff and great food. Highly recommend the seafood pie.

B.

Beautiful yummy Date scones and a lot of dates in them, also with butter and jam. A very nice Hot Chocolate too 😋

N.

Great coffee and cakes and the service was fabulous.

B.

good food, on s lovely sunny day

c.

This place is gently evolving amidst sweeping Palms refreshingly green.Try the Peter Tim's toasted Chiabbata so good Yum !

D.

Such a beautiful place the christchurch gardens especially the rose garden with all the beautiful roses out in flower and there perfume thankyou christchurch love it

A.

Enjoyed a very impressive breakfast. Great setting in the gardens.

t.

I really enjoyed my lunch and the service was great 👍

T.

Great food service and good coffee

C.

Lunch was well presented and very tasty,didn't have to wait long.Staff were very polite and helpful .Well worth a visit.

y.

Nice place to take a break after taking a stroll in the park.

B.

Fantastic food and such a courteous staff. They hosted a wonderful event for us.

A.

Lovely space. Lovely banana and pineapple cake. Very long delay for coffee which wasn't hot enough.

F.

Lovely setting, excellent service on a very busy day, lucky we had booked!

R.

Great food and service. Either dine in the semi hot house or the outside garden.

P.

Great location. Great coffee and food.

d.

It is a loud space. And all the good food is gone very early on. Beautiful terrace seating in the summer.

H.

Fantastic food and great ambience

S.

Very good quality food and fresh ingredients. Clean toilets and beautiful location.

G.

Cafe at the botanical gardens.lovely coffee.average prices great food but a bit pricey.can sit inside or out under the umbrellas and view the gardens.very relaxing.

O.

Great coffee not very pram friendly and no changing tables in the bathroom for babies

M.

One really rude server but decently price considering the location

V.

Good service yummy GF toasted beef Sami. Good management for social distancing.

J.

Lovely to be outside with good friends. GF Brownie was to die for

M.

Very friendly staff and great food and coffee. Would recommend it to everyone. ☺

G.

Very nice place. Great setting, good food and hot drinks, reasonably priced.

J.

Friendly and helpful staff. There are seats both inside and out. We come here for a beverage after running in the park.

T.

Love that there is a cafe in the gardens. Really like thier bounty slice. Coffee us generally good

R.

It was good good friendly staff nice food

B.

An excellent place to dine in a beautiful location

M.

Really great spot, nice views, good menu and not too expensive compared with anywhere else.

D.

A gem of a place to find inside the gardens.

A.

The croissant was hard, the cappuccino was ok, the service a bit sloppy, the location nice.

R.

Fab environment the Botanical Garden's on ChCh THE BEST EVER. Food amazing, staff as awesome. THANK YOU 😎 🌹

P.

Really nice place in the Gardens. Great prices and super fast service

E.

Nice ambience, ery interesting and creative food choices - some treated great but some of them not so much.

S.

Quite busy. So it made for a very long wait. Food was yummy.

S.

Love the place, pleasant staff, good service and great food.

S.

Totally recommend the Aaron salmon for lunch! Perfect!

C.

Using back room for memorial service great food

S.

Beautiful customer service

D.

Great cafe with excellent atmosphere amongst the gardens. Coffee and food prices are on the higher end

J.

Was busy but lost my meal ,had to tell them

T.

Order a gluten free toasted sandwich and it was pretty good. Very pleasant atmosphere.

R.

Nice gift shop, but pricy tho.

B.

Great coffee thankyou for a relaxing location

A.

Good food with a very relaxing ambience. My favorite cafe in the city.

E.

Great spot for having an afternoon tea sitting in the garden. Nice brunch and beautiful settings.

J.

What a lovely place for a lunch and a chat with a friend. Loved the gift shop too

R.

Great food, lovely staff and a nice location

M.

Nice,simple meal. Great location.

J.

Good coffee, peanut butter slice 'moreish' & bounty bar slice. Nice atmosphere amongst 'botanical setting'.

F.

Friendly with good food. A pleasant spot to stop at

G.

Cafe at the botanical gardens.lovely coffee.average prices great food but a bit pricey.can sit inside or out under the umbrellas and view the gardens.very relaxing.

M.

1st time here, Food great an friendly staff, xoxoxo

G.

Very nice place. Great setting, good food and hot drinks, reasonably priced.

A.

Pleasant enough. Service fine. Pricey though I think.

J.

Good d food and coffee. Service good.

L.

Coffee was nice, staff friendly and courteous, metal chairs being rattled around by kids on the concrete was annoying.

T.

Mmm! Nice food and today we had really quick service, though it was early morning xD

P.

It's pricey for a cafe but that's NZ as a whole really. Nice coffee nice food.

K.

Good food, is quite small though and rely on being outside so not so great on a bad day

E.

Great coffee, absolutely delicious! Almond flatwhite

S.

Good value real fruit ice creams

M.

1st time here, Food great an friendly staff, xoxoxo

H.

Yummy food and great service😊 Very friendly staff.

W.

One of the best locations amidst our beautiful Botanical Gardens. Light and airy.

S.

Good brekkie and coffee

S.

Nice and warm inside when cold out .good place for coffee

R.

Great decor, perfect coffee. Friendly staff.

A.

It's popular here (with the corresponding wait times) for good reason.

L.

Lovely food, great staff. Will be back.

Y.

This seems built without disturbing the surroundings, so a nice place to have a coffee after a stroll in the gardens.

D.

A great place for sitting in the sun or shade and drinkin coffee.

S.

Great coffee, delicious gluten free choices.

P.

Nice cafe location in the gardens but slow service

A.

Beautiful spot for a coffee didn't eat had ducklings waddle past

A.

Beautiful gardens. Quite busy. food was ok, but not great.

T.

Lovely airy atmosphere, yummy food, will definitely be back

F.

Friendly with good food. A pleasant spot to stop at

P.

Excellent coffee and great range of food

L.

Lovely lunch. Good service.

V.

A lovely cafe . Great coffee.

R.

Definitely go back. Fantastic good.Sit outside of you can . Best views in the city

P.

Wraps were soggy and too spice hot. Coffee was great.

B.

Luke warm coffee.

S.

Great atmosphere slow service

S.

Such a lovely setting. Always enjoy it here. Bit pricey.

D.

Good service and great coffee

M.

Great food although quite pricy

M.

Nice,simple meal. Great location.

M.

Options of indoor and outdoor seating in a panoramic setting

W.

Very enjoyed and fun

J.

Excellent food and facilities. Reasonable prices.

B.

Nice area, good vibes and seating inside and out

C.

Great coffee and amazing sandwiches!

K.

Lovely bright and relaxed cafe in the middle of a wonderful garden.

B.

Nice place to meet friends. Food very good too.

J.

Good d food and coffee. Service good.

C.

Great service. They did a wonderful job with my friends wedding

K.

Nice outside dining. Inside very noisey

A.

Pleasant enough. Service fine. Pricey though I think.

P.

Excellent experience

A.

Queuing system not efficient cashier rushed us seemed stressed PR training would help

F.

Good food, service courteous and prompt

D.

Lovely creative breakfast. Highly recommend.

V.

Lovely food and surroundings.

K.

Great cafe food inside the Christchurch Botanical Garden

D.

A beautiful place. I really enjoyed the chia bowl.

B.

Very tasty

M.

Great food beautiful location and great service.

G.

Great tasty salads. Excellent coffee

B.

Fantastic food, great staff

H.

Wonderful friendly staff and great food.

A.

Great location in the Botanic Gardens. Great Coffee and Cake ! Thanks !

T.

Very busy but nice tea

윤.

nice to relax with a sun

J.

Nice place to hide in the warm on a chilly winter day.....

J.

Oh my god! Oh my god!! Oh my god!!! It's all I could say at each bit on my meal that I was eating!!!

D.

Great food and service.

S.

Cool building, great food, good service.

S.

Very nice scones and tea etc

T.

Very tasty food, wonderful surroundings, very reasonable

E.

Superb service with delicious food and coffee

R.

Beautiful setting, nice food

J.

Great location to eat inside or out

B.

Great setting, great selection of food.

J.

Good food and coffee in a beautiful setting

V.

Yum

M.

Great dining outside on a beautiful day!

V.

Excellent！

T.

Unfortunately empty, but great food.

M.

Bit pricey tbh.

C.

Excellent nice out door setting

J.

Great food , good value....

D.

Best coffee eva

A.

Delicious but very pricey

W.

Great food & friendly service

K.

Awesome place any time

L.

It took ages to get a coffee here

M.

Love the Gardens any time of year

A.

Excellent setting and great food

S.

Nice place to have coffee and relax

P.

Great coffee.

W.

A good place to have a relax afternoon

D.

Good relax place to have lunch

V.

Busy but nice in open air

s.

Food very pricey

R.

Great place friendly staff

B.

Service not great

A.

Bright, great scones, family friendly

j.

Cozy atmosphere surrounding by beautiful garden

P.

Great food...great location

R.

Beautiful setting, good food

D.

Place to have a bite. Service slow to rude expensive

W.

Loved the apricot croissants

D.

Great ham sandwhich

G.

Ok, a little slow but it was a busy day

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