Reviews of Best Cafe. (Restaurant) in Dunedin (Otago).

Name: Best Cafe
Address: 30 Stuart Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand, Dunedin, Otago
Telephone: +6434778059
Price range: €€
Rating: 4.4

Best Cafe

382 Reviews

255 Comments

Restaurant

Seafood restaurant

30 Stuart Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand

View all the reviews

Description Map Open Hours Reviews Contact Photos

Description

Information of Best Cafe, Restaurant in Dunedin (Otago)

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 Best Cafe

Sunday

Closed

Monday

11:30am–2pm, 5–8pm

Tuesday

11:30am–2pm, 5–8pm

Wednesday

11:30am–2pm, 5–8pm

Thursday

11:30am–2pm, 5–8pm

Friday

11:30am–2pm, 5–8pm

Saturday

11:30am–2pm, 5–8pm

Popular times

Sunday

11
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Monday

11
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18
19

Tuesday

11
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Wednesday

11
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Thursday

11
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Friday

11
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Reviews of Best Cafe

All the staff was so sweet and kind, and the food was amazing too! I chose Blue cod&Gurnard fishes and battered oyster, crumbed scallop. Good point is they dont sprinkle salt on them not like common F&C T/A shops. Their tartar sauce was good too!

This place has the best chips! Cooked in beef fat, so nice! Had the blue cod which was beautifully cooked in light fluffy batter (GF option available too). Kids has really decent sized and reasonably priced kids meals. Everyone very happy and satisfied with their meals :)

An absolute classic. A must go. The perfect blend of tradition with a hint of adaptation. Good selection of wines and beers. Fish awesome as you would expect. Staff super friendly. I could say more but just go. You won’t regret it. A Kiwiana classic.

You ask for fresh fish and they give you fresh fish. We go here regularly and have never had a bad piece of fish. Tasty chips and sausage to go with it also. Cheers

Delicious fish and chips. We have a ‘rule’ to only have fish and chips when we are visiting somewhere by the ocean so that you are (hopefully) getting fresh fish and this place did not disappoint. Chips were very tasty, and fish was lightly battered, and tasted very fresh. Homemade style tartare sauce was also the perfect accompaniment. Would highly recommend.

Living up to its reputation of the best Fish and Chip shop in Dunedin great food , well priced and friendly staff.

Gluten free batter, holla. We loved our time here! The fish was a wee bit expensive, compared to other fish n chip shops, but we’d definitely go back next time we’re in Dunedin. Love your stuff.

A very proper fish and chips shop. I ordered blue cod and it was really good! Loved malted vinegar a little bit more pricey compare to the other fish and chips (chinese takways) but totally worth it!

Fantastic fish best I have ever had melt in your mouth. Great ambience definately a destination.

My meal was delicious😋 the Bluff oysters were so good and the flounder was the "Best" very much enjoyed 😊😊

Best cafe offer old school best fish and chips, blue cod fish and chip was so fresh and crispy. Best cafe had been located and operate more than 80 years. Standard remain the same😋

If you love fresh seafood perfectly cooked go here. Been around forever for a good reason. Loved the flounder.

Food is simple and well done. Everything is hand made, a perfect fit with the old atmosphere. Felt I was back in 80’s. Great experience, price is fair and the amount of food is very well served if you’re hungry. Will definitely stop by again when in Dunedin

Fantastic having family down from Auckland ticking another one off the bucket list along with Larnach's Castle & the Albatross Colony We all loved the Blue Cod, the surroundings & service😃

The blue cod is fresh. What to my surprise is they serve bluff oyster within affordable price. If they provide vinegar sauce with onion, that would be perfect.

Great local fish and chip shop. Fish were very fresh and batter was great.

Supposedly “Best cafe” ordered blue cod fish and chips, not cheap, and when we finally went to a spot to eat them, the chips were sadly disgusting, soggy and burnt. Luckily the blue cod was great, and fresh, but didn’t quite make up for the chips

Fantastic food good fast service. Glad to see it still original. Going back before we leave for our feed of oysters.

Loved going back to where my parents and grandparents dined. Bread and butter , true kiwis iconic. Bluff oyster meal was superb best I've had in years just the right amount of the best batter, 5 Strar 4 Sure .

Nice local fish shop been in business since 1932 and it's licensed don't worry about the price just do it

Had the specialty of Bluff oysters - when booking, were asked if we wanted oysters....they held back 4 dozen for us as they were running short. Just like the old fashioned roadside cafes - even supplied fresh sliced bread & butter with the meal.

The best cafe is the best ... The lightest batter on delicious blue cod.

Really good food indeed! Ask for grilled fish!

Not a fancy place. Just great service and excellent food. Recommend the oysters and blue cod

I ordered oysters and blue cod as a takeaway meal which was ok. In the future I would pay the extra to have it at the cafe, as they were a bit soggy due to them being put in hot box.They were ready sooner than I was told. I have been there before and would definitely go back.

Always fresh fish cooked perfectly and at a great price

I order cheese omelette (NZD$16). It's quite simple. And i don't think that it deserves this prize. However, other dishes seem so good! I should order other dishes instead of ordering cheese omelette!

Oh. My. THE best blue cod and chips EVERZ

Great meals with an awesome atmosphere. Hope it never changes👍

Love eating there. Had old world feel and food so yummy. Staff helpful and friendly. Fresh fish and oysters to die for.

Absolutely delicious gluten free batter. Best blue cod, oysters and chips I've had🙂

Had the blue cod, it had the lightestand best batter EVER. Generous servings. Very good service and price. A real retro vibe. Highly recommend

Was very busy but luckily we managed to get a table friendly welcoming staff,hubby had oysters and I had whitebait meal was very nice.We both enjoyed our meals and will be going back

We stopped in on the recommendation of our bus tour driver. What a great place! Friendly, generous, complimentary bread and butter. Fish and chips were great. This was last December, I hope you guys are doing during the shutdown.

This cafe is an Icon in Dunedin.Beautifully cooked Blue Cod and Bluff Oyster meals.Part of the experience is the venue and location.

Honestly a trip back into the past, I've never had quiet a dining experience like it. Beautifully battered fresh fish fillets and super fresh seafood, you can't go past the hand cut chips either. The best place to go for the classic old school chippy experience!

Needed a quick dinner and despite being with a group and the place very busy on a Friday evening, Best obliged. I had the blue cod burger (didn't try the chips) and it was great! Crispy batter, not too salty and good veggies in with it. A place I will try to return to, next time I'm in town.

Hi, I was born and bred in Dunedin and my Dad and Mum always took us to the Best Cafe regularly as kids for dinner or tea. It was a treat. Dad always had the Bluff oysters and we had the yummy sausages. Now as a 63 year old who lives in Australia whenever I come back to Dunedin to visit family I always make a point of having a meal at the Best Cafe. I have taken my children and grandchildren there and still love the food. I love the bread with the butter swirls and the fact that the menu is the same as when I was a child.A visit there always brings back memories of my childhood. Never change it as it is nice to see something stay the same in this rushy world we live in. It is like a time warp when I go there and I always feel comfortable and at home again. Must get the T/Shirt!! See you in December on my next visit.

The Best Cafe is a true treasure, I would highly recommend. The decor makes you feel as though you’re stepping back in time. The food is SO GOOD!! Very fresh fish and service was friendly.

Best Bluff oysters I have ever had cooked. Friendly staff. Top cafe

Very nice prices. $15-20 for a platter which will fill you up. Fish was probably the best fish n chips I've ever had in my entire life! Awesome place would always revisit

If you want the best fish and chips then this is the place to come ... Blue cod .. Oysters .. Paua ... absolutely the best ever

Lived in Dunedin for a few yrs, found Best Cafe on TripAdvisor, and read the reviews; not a fish lover, but the battered onion sausages are Amazing, this will definitely be our go - to place from now own. Great food, Friendly staff. thank you 😊😊

We went as a family of 14 to celebrate my Mum's 85th birthday. Great food and excellent service. Thank you

One of the best fish in chip experience's in NZ! Great selection of fish at a great price in a nostalgic kiwi environment. Highly recommended!

Beautiful oyster and sole fillet meal fast service they brought the bread out first great atmosphere

Excellent food. Fresh and crispy. The takeaway shop is much cheaper than dine in.

Absolutely the best meals in town. Bluff Oysters cooked perfectly. Thank you for thd amazing hospitality also.

Blue cod is simply the best. $9.50. Probably best in Dunedin but their sides and chips were very average. Nothing special. I would skip that. Just go for their fish.

Generous portion of chips really nice elephant fish and blue cod. Homemade battered onion sausage. Both takeaway and sit in option. Only downfall..... took ages to cook a small order

Quaint cafe with an oldies feel. Enjoyed the ambience and company always.

I couldn’t rate more than 5 starts but I would if I could . Best steak egg and chips ever eaten in this decade. The place was filled with customers and has an old school feel, love it .

Still the Best Fish & Chips in town by far and since 1932.

Now, I was in Dunedin for a week and I ate 4 times there. The fish is quite good, especially the Elephant fish as kids would love it because the texture is like Chicken! Last time I ate I felt I was ripped off, they served me fish that was obviously had a strange taste (bad fish) &they insisted this is the way it should taste!!! Amazing for someone who ate 4 times there in a week and always same order and above all still argue with a customer! ! Although the staff are somehow friendly but the senior ones appear disengaged and the young waitresses (assuming local & international students) lake some of the service basics in this business. The new owner passed by sometimes and she looked passionate and I wished I could set and share her with my feedback but I didn't get the chance. There's a place for enhancements starting from staff, menu to website.

A nice cafe, feels a bit like an RSA in decor but that’s part of the novelty. Food was fresh but a little too oily for my liking and tartare sauce is homemade so it was a little different from the store bought stuff I’m used too. It has high ratings on TripAdvisor but it is a bit of a fancy fish and chip shop. Not my thing but great service and a cute place. Loved the calamari rings just wish they had thousand island sauce 💕

Wonderful friendly staff, and amazingly delicious and fresh seafood. The best fish n chips around!!!!

Excellent food. Excellent service. Jonty, our server, has a fantastic personality. Very knowledgeable and efficient. So glad we came back here for the blue cod. Just delish and generous portions.

Beautiful old clean place to eat more especially the Bluff scallops! Wonderful!

Greeted with smiles, seated immediately, got bread and butter and menus, very welcoming staff, delicious food with nice plate presentation. Overall perfect experience. This is our second time back to eat lunch in a week! Highly recommended.

A blast from the past, and a good one at that. Fish and hand cut fish for lunch..... Delicious. Everything from the brown plastic table cloth to the malt vinegar and big red tomato sauce bottle, this is all original. And not in an ironic way. It's just good. Highly recommended.

Beautiful meal and great service

Service is great. Food is slightly on the expensive side unless you get the fish bites or takeaway which is the way to go. Dine-in gets butter and bread. Tea and coffee are bottomless. You know you are at the local spot when 60~80years young folks are hanging out chatting up.

Very classy fish and chips, great Bluff oysters when in season. Friendly staff and it's a historic place, been there forever. Well worth a visit.

Going down hill. Prices are equal to Australia bloody. expensive. We thought we would try here again asit is oysters season. Took the whole family sat down went to order our treats NONE LEFT.

The best. Loved green floor staff great but the oysters over the top.

Food was good with a very traditional fish and chips shop style.

Great fish. Two places in Dunedin that do good fish and chips Fish and Hook and Best Cafe. Best Cafe simply does them better (and slightly cheaper). Blue Cod sold at Best Cafe is superb.

Had family gathering for dinner and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal. The oysters were to die for, the paua patties , squid, blue cod and muscles were absolutely delicious. Perfectly cooked along with chips all perfect. Colesaw was lovely. Liked the fact bread and butter came out before the meals either as a nibble or to have with meal. Tartare sauce was divine... Service was unfaultable... extremely friendly and warming. Very helpful. Nothing was a problem. Totally recommend. Thank you for a very pleasant evening.

Had a great Bluff Oyster meal tonight. Everytime we are visiting Dunedin, we make sure we have at least one meal here whether it's lunch or dinner and if Bluff Oysters are in season then you have to have a dozen.

I am wheat & GF so it is akways gard earing fish & chips but now we hv s great place 2 go. Best Cafe makes GF batter & it is wonderful. I highly recommend this cafe plus u hv a lot of chouces in which fish u wld like to eat as well as try if u don't know our pacific fish. Go & b surprised.

Fantastic customer service and great fish and chips. Good value for $$$ and even organised our cab for us. Love the retro style, highly recommend.

We were really looking forward to fish and chips from The Best Cafe, we are only in Dunedin for 1 night. On the internet app it says open until 9pm, we arrived at 8.03 pm they were closed, very disappointing.

Best Fish and chips in town👍👍 Update; visited again today 22/12/20 and still the best sit down restaurant for seafood selections.

Best fish and chips I have ever had with Best cafe living up to its name...battered oysters a must!

For a change I had the Whitebait fritters and Paua fritters. Best of both I have ever had. The Whitebait fritter was so full of whitebait and flavoursome. As for the Paua fritters, so light and so full of flavour. Fantastic meal.

The Bluff Oysters were fantastic with everything else we ordered top shelf. Highly recommended.

Really lovely and friendly servers, delicious food and reasonable prices!

Nice fish and chips, the coleslaw could have been a little more interesting. Definitely a bit pricey for what you get when you eat in

Great fish and chips. Authentic 1970s NZ theme. But a bit overpriced.

Fish bites and chips . Yum

awesome, fresh battered fish! Tiffany helped us out at closing time, and was such a gem of a human. Thanks for the friendly and amazing service!

Got recommended this place from a friend. Made the trip here from Queenstown. Blue cod was best we had, well worth the 8hr round trip to get here.

Hasnt changed in over 40 years except for the owners.Food is cooked beautifully and tastes good.Very very expensive.Oysters best in Dunedin if you can afford them.

Delightful evening, sole cooked to perfection, wine well chilled, existing customers not disturbed by the unexpected late arrival of a party of 14 and all staff determined to provide excellent service in support of new owner arrived only 2,weeks previously.

Read reviews saying this is nz best fish'n'chips. They are good, a little over cooked possibly! Definately be returning

Probably the best fish and chips since I’d last been back to Scotland, very good.

I found the food a little bland and tasteless, but this might just be my opinion and you might enjoy it.

Amazingly for a place that serves fish and chips this places has some of the best service in town! Easy eats, solid extras, great service.

Nice fresh fish . Cooked well good service . Best feed for a long time 😋

Hidden gem. Great food and during oyster season it is something you can't miss.

Best fish and chip shop in NZ.

I read about cafe in old north and south in the morning and headed there for lunch. Was not disappointed! Great service, great food and great music. Can't wait to go back.

Good meal the oysters were not very good. The batter could have been better. But still good.

Wonderful Bluff Oysters, and I was able to enjoy Orange Roughy fish for the first time in thirty years.

Nothing beats going to Best Cafe for a feed of Oysters and Chips. Bread and Butter. Great everytime.

Old school cafe but food cooked well and delicious. The oysters were superb with crispy light batter

Established in 1932 its the only cafe for a great selection of sea food. The oysters were amazing.

Surpurb service, and some of the most delicious fresh fish I have had in NZ. Highly recommend the gurnard.

Must-visit seafood restaurant in Dunedin. Large range of fresh fish, friendly staff, and a step back in time atmosphere.

Great service and beautiful fish meals. Loved my pan fried sole.

Like back in the seventies, very special interior. Great place for Fish n chips and other seafood. Also as Take away.

Kind of a weird vibe. The fish is good. I'm just not used to the tartar sauce in NZ.

Great fish and chips and selection of other seafood

Fast friendly service, perfectly cooked steak and Awesome fresh and battered Bluff Oysters Yummyyy❤

Nice food and the staff are great host, family bussiness

+ Best fish and chips in NZ that I have tried. Go for the Blue Cod. Decent prices.

The blue cod was fantastic, and heaps of it. The only letdown was their espresso machine wasn't working

Awesome Fish & Chip shop of yesteryear. Great food and outstanding service.

Fantastic fish and chips. The blue cod bites and chips is awesome value.

Old School Cool. A great place to come for a feed of that southern icon, blue cod and chips. Not even trying to be retro, this place is an original Dunedin institution.

Fabulous fresh food, great place, great staff

Delicious fish and chips and 3.5$ for unlimited filter coffee. Blast from the past. Best thing about Dunedin.

Friendly staff and the food was excellent, at very reasonable prices. Highly recommend it to everyone.

Great service, brilliant food

"Best fish and chips I ever had" said a member of our household

Great fresh fish and a tasty milkshake. And I normally don't eat fish

Brilliant old school eats! Best Blue Cod ever, great service. Don't change a thing leave it as it is!

Great food in the best old school kiwi tradition. Only growl is the tartare sauce is too sweet

Great place. The best fish and chip and fresh oyster ever

best fish and chips in town I reckon

Found this place and would recommend it to everyone. Clean tidy and great food.

Love the original decor! Best oysters in town yum. I will definately be back!!

Wonderful sole fillets chips and eggs. Friendly efficient service. A true Dunedin institution

Friendly staff & Delicious food

You got to buy the blue cod bites and chips. Fresh blue cod and chips for $7. Great value

Cannot fault this place absolutely brilliant

Love this place. Nice service, good food, genuine 1960s environment. Fab place for a meal.

Yummy fresh fish very tasty

Good fish and chips but a bit expensive for what they are.

Delish meal, great service and Coeliacs well catered for.!

Best fish and chips in the country, blue cod and bluff oysters

Really cool place, like going back to the 1970's

The best fish and chip I’ve ever had😋

Lovely meal & cooked to perfection thanks.

Best fresh blue cod ever. Must go cafe

Everything about this place is awesome. Retro styles and fantastic substantial food

It was like going back in time...wonderful and friendly service..It was 40 years since I've been back here Great simple food

Good clean place to eat gluten free fish and chips

Very Nice Atmosphere Delicious Meals Friendly Staff But Expensive $7 Dollars for Milkshake ?

Fish and chips were tasty but portions were small and there was a lot of confusion amongst 3 staff members when we asked for the special from their board outside

Lovely old school fish and chip place

Traditional Fish and chips. A Dunedin institution

Hadn't been to this place before but have heard people rave about it.. it was ok but don't think I'm in any hurry to go back

Good food. Quick n fresh. Excellent service.

Nice and conveniently located cafe, just opposite the train station. Must try the blue cod fillet.

Magic bluff oysters and shrimp cocktail, thanks.

Best fish and chips I ever had.

Nice, simple fish and chips.

Best cafe turned out to be best at everything, from the waitress to the food, excellent service, excellent food.

Best Bluff Oysters cooked nice and hot

Brilliant service brilliant meal good old fashion kiwi service keep up the good work

Love this place. Primo fish and chips

Very popular, great food at a great price

The takeaways are awesome with good portions and really quite well priced.

Lovely fish n chips...

Yummy food, great service. Thank u. 👍👌

Friendly service, excellent choice of white fried fishes.

Best blue cod and oysters

Another great lunch of Bluff Oysters and chips, and a wine of course.

Truly fabulous

Worlds best oysters served in an amazing establishment

Very lovely place, good food and price is alright.

Love it old retro style cafe. Don't change it's so unique

Good fish and chips.

Great well established restaurant with excellent Seafood.

We had fish of the day and it was great. Thanks

Fantastic food and service, highly recommend

Best fish n chips and great service

Always a great meal. Good choice of good and beverages

Great old fashioned fish cafe. Friendly staff.

Lovely place, great food and friendly staff

Best fish n chips n town

Overdue for another visit. Will he soon oyster season started.

Great service and delicious oysters

Sounds like a lame name - but it really is a 'best café'

Old fashion food shop with the same good service

Very nice and fresh fish and chips

高.

the best fish & chips !!

Good staff .. Xtra good meals .

Great food

Average sold out of the things we wanted even though we booked

Great feel, very unassuming, favour filled fish.

Exvellent food traditional cafe setting. Good service

The best fish and chips

fish and chips good, but not good coffee

Bloody good fish and chips!

Awesome 👌

Best fish n chips in Dunners

Great service great food lovely staff

Plenty of authentic fish planks to choose from.

I.enjoyed.the.fish.meal.it.was.the.best.that.really.filled.me.Nice.place.i.would.come.back.

Excellent Blue Cod and Oysters!

Best fish and chips in years

Blue cod was good. Service excellent.

Still The best Cafe

Top notch fish restaurant.

Fantastic, love it.

Awsome value for money

Everything is fried. So bad, not healthy.

It is the best in town.

Wonderful fresh seafood.

Great fish and chips

Excellent Food and service

Good fresh food at a good price

Good menu and service

Good value for money

Great seafood meal

Good food

Glad to say I am a regular when in Dunedin.

Nice

Ummmmm great place to dine

Best thing about visiting Dunedin.

Best oysters

It is....

Delicious and satisfying.

Great!

Great food

Great oysters

Definately the BEST 😁

Excellent

A real 1950s experience

Great lunch

EXCELLENT

Great Food

Delicious

Expensive

Excellent!

Fish and Chips! 😍😍😍

Great food

Great food and friendly waitresses!

Good coffee

Incredible!

The Best!!!

Best is Best

Everything we got was 100% delicious 😋

Amazing

임.

(Translated) Staff have friendly, fresh and tasty food. On the right side of the entrance door, the food sold in the restaurant is taken out, which is more than half cheaper than eating in the restaurant. (Original) 스탭은 친절하고 신선하고 맛잇는 음식이 있습니다. 들어가는 문 오른쪽에서는 레스토랑에서 판매하는 음식들을 테이크아웃으로 판매하는데, 식당내부에서 식사하는거보다 반이상저렴한가격으로 판매하였습니다.

(Translated) A cafe that seems set in another era and where one feels at home. The dishes are very good and the attention is excellent. While it doesn't close too late this is normal in New Zealand. It is very good to go eat fish. Highly recommended. (Original) Un café que parece ambientado en otra época y donde uno se siente como en casa. Los platos son muy buenos y la atención es excelente. Si bien no cierra muy tarde esto es normal en Nueva Zelanda. Es muy bueno para ir a comer pescados. Altamente recomendable.

(Translated) There is no high-end decoration in the store, only fresh seafood and friendly service! (Original) 店內沒有高級的裝潢，只有新鮮的海鮮與親切的服務！

(Translated) If you want New Zealand cuisine of the traditional kind, this is the place for you. This restaurant has been around since the 1930s and it also gives the impression that nothing has changed since the 1950s and 1960s. They specialize in various fish dishes, which are typically fried with French fries, but are typical of the British-influenced countries. Too bad, because the fish are good for more. The staff is very friendly, but extremely inefficient. It may be that the waitress passes 5 times before you take the order. 😂 The location is right in the vicinity of the beautiful train station that is no longer used. The wines are well selected and reasonably priced; at least for the conditions in this country. (Original) Wer neuseeländische Küche der bodenständigen Art haben will, ist hier richtig. Seit den 30er Jahren letzten Jahrhunderts gibt es dieses Restaurant und es vermittelt auch den Eindruck, dass seit den 50er/60er Jahren sich nichts verändert hat. Man ist auf verschiedene Fischspeisen spezialisiert, die aber typisch für die britisch-beeinflussten Länder frittiert mit Pommes angeboten werden. Schade, Da die Fische zu mehr taugen. Das Personal ist sehr freundlich, aber extrem ineffizient. Da kann es sein, dass die Bedienung 5 mal an einem vorbeiläuft, ehe Sie die Bestellung aufnimmt. 😂 Die Lage ist direkt im Umfeld des nicht mehr genutzten Wunderschönen Bahnhofs. Die Weine sind gut ausgewählt und preislich akzeptabel; zumindest für die Verhältnisse hierzulande.

(Translated) Great Fish & Chip's. The room seems to be from the 60's. Good prices. (Original) Buenisimo Fish & Chip´s. El salon parece de la decada del 60. Buenos Precios.