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

Nova Cafe

0 Reviews

365 Comments

Restaurant

European restaurant

29 The Octagon, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand

Description

Information of Nova Cafe, Restaurant in Dunedin (Otago)

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Reviews of Nova Cafe

R.

Nice place. Good food. Not because my son is one of the chef there. When me and my wife ate there, my son was off duty. So, this is an independent review. The food arrangement is artistic. Tasty, good mix of flavours. Very relaxing place. Staff are friendly. And, they have a new Head Chef who came from one of the prominent restaurants in UK .

T.

Always my go to cafe. Beautiful kai😊😊 Update: 1st back to Nova Cafe in a long time and still up there in my top 5 in Dunedin. Food and coffee still 💣💥, i had the Nova Bagel special breakfast with beetroot jam, greens, bacon, half an avocado, egg on a bagel bun. Sooooo goood!! ❤️ ❤️

E.

It was a cozy place and great food for brunch time. Excellent services and good price. I'll be back to try other menus.

R.

My family and I went here after a trip to the art gallery and it was lovely. We got the small fries (pictured below) and pear and Berry slice if I remember correctly. In terms of gluten free options in the cabinet they had brownies and one other slice, plus the fries were gluten free. Fries were perfectly crunchy and my dad enjoyed the slice. Always a pleasure to go here

B.

Always the same experience. Delicious food, e.g bourbon pecan tart and the Vietnamese salad. Staff are always very friendly and welcoming. This is the nicest place to go in Dunedin and is most definitely money well spent. Highly recommended. Thank you!

S.

Set menu graduation night dinner, plenty of options in each of the 3 courses, food tasted great and well presented. Excellent friendly service. Great night enjoyed by all

J.

Very warm and friendly service by a gentleman. The food is delicately designed and delivered as I can taste the harmony

F.

Excellent entrees and desserts here. Desserts are the best, containing both classics and creative dishes. I can't justify paying the full price for the mains, as they are underwhelming and somewhat boring. Food and drinks came out very quickly, even though the restaurant was full before a show at the Regent Theatre. Water refills were somewhat slow though. Ideal location in the Octagon

M.

Well our visit started well with a friendly greeting and smile. Nova has a great location in the center of Dunedin as part of the Art Gallery. Tuesday night is one of the foodie nights (Thursday to Sunday are more about socializing than food mostly) so we were out to try some great food. Ordered the duck pate to begin with, by its self it wasn't much but once I added the accompaniments it was excellent. For mains I ordered the Pork Belly which was great, the crisp apple with the pork was lovely. The others ordered the Beef Fillet and the Lamb Rump. All the meats were beautiful but the veggies left a lot to be desired. The mash potato on the Beef was over salted and looked a bit gluey, we couldn't cut the broccoli that was beside it but the mushroom duxelle was a lovely flavour. My partner who had the lamb didn't eat any of his vegetables after tasting them said they were bland and not worth it. Luckily I had ordered a side of twice cooked potatoes which saved 2 of us going hungry. They were everything you would have hoped for and the aioli with them was good. The initial service went downhill as well. I don't mind staff having a chat but please face the restaurant so you can keep an eye on things. There was a young waiter who everytime I caught his eye, he ducked under the counter and started doing something. It happened 3 times as he was standing next to our waitress, he could have at least let her know to check on us. When the meal was cleared we let the manager know that we were a bit unhappy with the vegetables. He went took the plates away then returned to tell us that he agreed about the mashed potatoes. Then he told us why he thought they were over salted. We weren't really interested about that. There was nothing offered as remediation, not that that was what we were after but to acknowledge that thing weren't to their usual standards. The general feeling was of too bad, too sad. Not in a hurry to go back but some of the food was great.

J.

Amazing, went there twice, once for dinner and again for lunch. I had really good burger called a Nova burger, was delicious! Emerson's beer selection is fantastic. Went back the day after and had an injected donut. Was really good! A really novelty and delicious to boot! Very recommended. Just make you book first!

C.

Super friendly staff. Great location. Excellent coffee. Yummy cake selection.

J.

I went here for a quick coffee and had a great experience with a friend The coffee itself was delicious and was definitely abwell roasted blend 😁☕ Staff and patron's were very friendly and professional. Thanks!

J.

Good place to have a good breakfast to start the day. Very friendly staffs and they are helpful. In the afternoon, there are variety choices of cakes for tea time. Good Earl Grey tea served here.

Y.

Went for branch this morning with my friends. got really nice Salad called Buddha Bowl with very fresh veg, nice latte, just strong enough for me as I ordered single shot. very friendly waitress too.

Y.

Great service, delicious food and coffee, and I love the way they keep serving never ending sparkling water 😀

L.

Love, love this place. Always reliable for breakfast. Great service and nice atmosphere for a brekkie. Perfect start to your day. 😊

V.

One of my favorites for a daytime coffee and cake, brunch, lunch or evening wine & dessert. Always friendly, cosy and reliable

C.

Went for dinner after the movies. Highly recommended going just to experience the donuts that you get to inject with any flavour you like. Service was very attentive and friendly. Great place.

M.

Excellent service and menu great gluten free Budda bowl

S.

This was by far the best donut I've ever had! They have many flavors but I tried the salted caramel which was amazing. It was also fun to inject the filing into the donut myself. The staff was really nice and helpful. I would definitely go back here when I'm in the area!

E.

Classy coffee shop with table service. Sadly they don't have almond milk for a hot chocolate base (my favourite) but otherwise a great place.

P.

I had the full cooked breakfast which was decidedly average. The "gourmet" potatoes promised on the menu appeared to be nothing more than chunky boiled potatoes. They were void of flavour, as were the small portion of mushrooms and tomato. My fault that I didn't check the menu,as the ciabatta was bread, not toasted. So combined with the potatoes it contributed further to the starchy tasteless meal The rest of the meal eggs, bacon and blood sausage, and service were good. My partner had the the Salmon eggs Benedict which she rated 3.5 as she said the salmon was "definitely not fresh"

L.

Nice cafe in Dunedin. The donuts are good. You can choose several flavours. $8.9 coffee is also nice i like it.

K.

I always love eating here, reasonable priced and staff are nice and helpful

C.

Tried to go here for lunch, however is was very busy. Instead went for breakfast the next morning. Food is superb, although maybe on the slightly expensive side. They serve a range of food in the day from french toast through to ramen. Coffee is good, and they provide you with sparkling water when you sit down. This can be changed to still by simply asking

S.

Has really delicious dounuts (though I wouldn't recommend the custard filling as it's a bit watery). They also have complimentary sparkling water.

J.

The dessert was amazing and I had really good service from lovely staff.

S.

Nova is always good. Highly recommend. Great coffee, and delicious food. Friendly staff. The donuts are highly recommended. 😍

y.

My family and I thank you very much for Nova cafe shop managers and employees, I am from Christchurch to Dunedin tourism of Chinese students, with his wife and children, because failure to put all the keys in the gallery next to the store, just come back to the art museum has been off work, rented house is very far, because does not know the people here, So very anxious to try to ask a beauty Nova staff, It's out of my expectation she and her colleagues and manager are very keen to help our to contact a gallery handsome officer, and let us wait in the store, after 15 minutes, a handsome Officer get back from home due to already dayoff to help me open the door to find the key, is really lucky to meet them, Let me feel the warmth of this city, because of the time limit there is no chance to thank you face to face, can only express here, God bless you all! Thanks again!

c.

Lovely staff, good environment, and a great menu. Have been there many times and only recently had a couple slip ups, but overall a really great place to eat. The waiter kept walking away while we were ordering, and asked one of us if we wanted a drink, then walked away again. I ended up having to go up to him to order a drink, because he never came back. Our desserts were also served about 15 minutes apart, which was unusual. But generally a really nice place.

L.

Amazing. Next level everything. Be prepared to pay slightly more than your average restaurant.

P.

Lovely considered food, a venerable establishment. Still holding its own as a culinary becon.

A.

Great place , I went here for a coffee and dessert and i liked the donuts with white chocolate it was very delicious i recomend that

J.

Free sparkling water for the table is a point of difference, the coffee and location is also good.

C.

Nice place for dessert and hang out. The Nova Cone is a must if you visit this place.

G.

Great experience from the moment you walk in. Staff are very friendly and efficient. Pricing is fair and quality of food, coffee etc is good. Background music takes it home.

R.

Make nice oat lattes in bowls! Good place to go to talk or do business as tables well spaced out

J.

Nice salad (humus, chicken, avocado) and the cocktail (supernova) wasn't too bad either

L.

Love the sparkling water they serve.... great food and great service.

K.

This place is amazing for a special night out. And I mean look at this dessert! Bloody fabulous all round.

K.

The staff are very friendly and helpful. The food is always delicious

K.

Dunedin has many coffee shops, but if you are going to go to one this place won't disappoint. Fantastic service, really good coffee, central location, cosy, food yummy.... Go!

O.

Full breakfast decent, a bit cold. Cauliflower underwhelming. Tea delicious!

N.

Lovely place, great staff, great coffee 💞

t.

Perfect! 5 star service and food. Highly recommended.

S.

Very friendly staff , delicious food and drinks,. SPOTLESS

S.

Great food and spot in town. Lovely customer service and the food was divine. Meals were fast and delicious. Very accommodating. Thanks Nova!

C.

We went in for brunch on a Sunday and left thoroughly satisfied. The coffee was awesome, the food was outstanding and the service was second to none. To anyone with a healthy appetite you can’t look past the full breakfast, it’s a big meal. The sausage is by far and away the best I’ve had in years and the hash brown was amazing SBS unlike any other I’ve ever had. We’ll definitely be coming back 👍 🥓 🍳

B.

Excellent cafe in central Dunedin. The Snickers Smoothie was very tasty and filling; the Eggs Benedict was cooked perfectly with runny yolks and very tasty baked salmon. Would recommend.

A.

I can see why people would like this place, it's kinda upmarket-ish... but to be honest the menu is a bit average. One of those places where you order a main and you have to order a side and everything is kinda pricy. It's just not my jam. I personally would never choose to go here myself but if I was with someone who wanted to go I wouldn't say no.

M.

Lovely meals, great service and excellent coffee!

J.

Great food and coffee. The injected doughnuts are the best.

J.

Perfect food! Fillet steak was cooked to perfection and a beautiful nova cone for dessert. I was with a group and everyone loved their meals. Good service too.

M.

Beautiful cafe, good old school dessert and coffee

F.

Excellent service, love the sparkling water. The fish and chips were value for money and wonderful presentation. Wine list is excellent and the coffee is always good. So pleased that they have maintained such high expectations.Dinner menu was great and so is the breakfast selection . Absolutely enjoyed the cake and dessert menu accompanied by great coffee.

K.

5 star service and quality food at a very reasonable price! Thoroughly enjoyed dining here and will recommend to all. Thank you for not charging a surcharge on Boxing Day (reserved).

J.

The chefs special was cheeseburger using hand ground beef and cheddar cheese on a brioche bun, absolutely wonderful (tho I think using aoli instead of mayo would have lifted it to that next level) and the injectible donuts are absolutely phenomenal. I look forward to trying all the flavours!

D.

We can recommend the iced chocolate and fish and chips. Chips with the skin on are always a winner!

R.

Love the injection donut! Service always pleasant!

J.

Lovely staff. Coffee was great (could of been larger), food was delicious and they were great with adapting the kids meals.

m.

Very cool lovely place yummy breakfast and delish lemongrass, kawakawa and ginger tea

V.

Just by the door of the the art gallery, oolong is nice and staffs are very friendly.

W.

Very nice staff and delish food

C.

I had the most delicious Japanese pancake , went with family and was treated to excellent hospitality and great well thought out menu items. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dishes.

j.

Lovely meal, special of day, salmon with side of veg of day (green beans w chilli and ginger glaze) followed by dessert - nova cone, delicimo 👌😋👌 staff very attentive, friendly and professional 👍☺👍

G.

Great café. We had breakfast there this morning. Fantastic food and service. So good in fact we went back for lunch. We were not disappointed. Lunch was just as good. Thoroughly recommend this café.

M.

Nice food, but too fancy and unfortunately wouldn't call it value for money, limited choices especially for a family.

R.

What a find this place was for a business breakfast in Dunedin. Had been recommended. Welcomed with a smile, sparkling water with lemon and a newspaper while waiting for my colleagues. The staff knew their menu well. Accommodated my ‘food sensitivities’ with absolutely no hassle. Located next to the Art Gallery and free parking outside until 9am. Got the sense this place has regular breakfast guests which is always a positive, as heard on 2 separate occasions the waiting staff asking guests if they would like ‘their usual’. Thank you.

S.

Lovely Breakfast this morning, great slices for afternoon tea yesterday. Great situation in The Octagon by the Dunedin Art Gallery. Very friendly staff

S.

I had the salt and pepper squid as an entree and it was delicious. The waiting staff were very good and topped up our water glasses regularly with Nova's signature sparkling water. A great place to meet up with friends.

S.

Great food choice. Friendly helpful staff, offering support to cater for daughter with baby and my grandson toddler.

J.

Nice cafe, the staff were really nice. I had the banana bread French toast which was really good. I also had a passionfruit and mango smoothie which was cold, sweet and refreshing. Couldn't really fault this place they seem to have everything sorted altho I wasn't a fan of the soda water. I was kind of caught off guard cause I thought it was just normal water till I drank it. So just be aware of that👌

謝.

The steak and the salmon were very very good.

M.

Pretty good but not as much selection as previous visits, most of what we had was still very yummy but the cheese scone was a little doughy and we had to ask for more butter.

J.

Deaf friendly!!! Start of may I went here for my surprise party lunch and the food was so yummy. I love Nova especially for hot chocolate and yummy donuts. Nova is really classy and the environment makes me feel really classy. It's great if you have date night and then go to movies next door!! What more could you want!

K.

Good food, handy location, great service. I had to go to the art gallery for 10min and they keept my table by the window for me, they even put a reserved sign on my table. I like how they went the extra mile to help me out.

P.

This is a long time favourite. The attention to detail in customer care is wonderful. I always love coming here and I think they must have great owners or managers cause the service is always A+.

D.

Great location, awesome service, amazing coffee, and superb food! My burger was the perfect size and tasted great, chips were perfect, and the savoury scroll was the best I've ever tasted.

S.

Breakfast this morning. Excellent coffee. Nice food. Fantastic service.

D.

Lovely food, lovely coffee, & we struck an amazingly helpful server who warned us she was going to tear off the newsprint specials list soon (so we wouldn't get a fright), politely checked on us a couple of times ("just checking if you wanted to order that coffee now"), and explained how the Nova Cone dessert worked so our experience of it would be the best. Perfect, perfect!

C.

Love it here, the food is tasty and great value for money. There is a good selection of drinks and the desserts are scrummy, they do their own range of herbal teas. Really worth a visit. They the Nova burger....

J.

Eggs Benedict to die for... Amazing service too by the way.

J.

Food: 5/5 Price: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Service: 2/5 Dessert three times Great desserts to chose from. I'm not a fan of sparkling water but every time I ask for normal water it takes multiple waiters and me having to ask 2-3 times before I can get a glass of water. Overall: Great place to go and I would love to go back for a full meal.

J.

Had a cauliflower main - while it was nicely cooked, it was a very small helping and I did not feel it was worth the money.

J.

Great food and service, nice atmosphere

C.

Great drinks and desserts - always a visit when in Dunedin!

K.

Great service from the staff. Main meal was nice but I felt over priced for what was on my plate. Also having to order salad or seasonal veges as an extra made an expensive meal. Loved my dessert though and thought it was excellent value for size of it.

A.

Had the Japanese pancakes and a coffee... oh em gee! Was best decision to drop in for a quick lunch! The food was gorgeous and the coffee is always superb.

B.

Classy ambience, good service. Stays open when most of the other coffee bars in the city have already closed at 4 or even 3 pm. Great coffee, delicious cakes. Pricey but worth it. Have been twice in a week (so far)

L.

Nova is a timeless classy cafe/restaurant/bar with excellent table service and a great selection of cabinet and menu food.

K.

Always a pleasure. Fantastic coffee and menu items, plus a great range in the cabinet. The injected donuts are a huge hit with my children. Family friendly and right next door to the Art Gallery - which makes a great trip.

C.

Came here for breakfast and they had a vegan dish on the menu, which was awesome! The sauerkraut was the nicest I've ever had. Good service (not great, but good) and a nice atmosphere.

p.

Good food, good service and good price

P.

Just had THE BEST Savoury Swirl and Coffee at Nova. Great Service sitting outside in the Octagon Dunedin. My old home town.

G.

Awesome dessert despite the doughnuts not being available

H.

Elegant. Small but varied menu. Good wines. Friendly relaxed staff.

M.

Amazing meals, fantastic coffee, the BEST service in town. There's not many places with a fantastic section of drinks which compliment meals and staff who are knowledgeable about their menu and drinks list. It's also rare to have the entire service be amazing. Couldn't fit dessert with the generous portions but such a great restaurant. (Disappointing feedback below, it looks like your experience was only made bad by the entertainment card, I've got one, and the rules are clearly stated, you can't take more than one meal off a table!! No need to be so harsh, even when you've had further correspondence with the restaraunt!

H.

The best coffee taste in the town so far for me, it is just strong enough, not too much. Plus that they have a delicious ice mocha with chocolate and cream on top. Friendly service.

P.

Today was my first visit to Nova. We were escorted to a table and immediately each given a glass of soda water with a citrus flavour. Very refreshing. Our orders were taken and very promptly delivered. No complaints at all. I'll be back

H.

So delicious! Lovely staff. Get the donuts and the Nova Cone

C.

Southern hospitality. You feel looked after at this cafe. The tea selection is great too

F.

The service here has shot up to first world standards after being off the mark for a long time. Mostly, the food is quite tasty and there is a reasonable selection of wines. The fries are great.

B.

Brilliant food for a reasonable price. It gets busy at lunchtime, so I would definitely recommend making a booking! Received a glass of sparkling water after being promptly seated, hence you may want to ask for still if that is not your thing.

C.

Best Bowl Latte's made by the best Barista in Dunedin. Perfect Everytime.

D.

One of Dunedin’s finer restaurants, dinner menu is limited, but covers all areas a menu should. The quality of the food is exceptional and throughly enjoyable. The drinks menu, again covers all areas and some very good local wines. The service is that of a top quality restaurant and the maître’d is very professional with an eye on every table. I would like to give 5 stars, as it is worth it, but find a restaurant such as this is should have proper napkins and not what others have. This is a special place and should stand apart. I’m sure they have looked at proper napkins and the cost is prohibited. Maybe a job for a young and enterprising local ! Go and have a great meal with great service.

A.

Great food, nice presentation and cosy place. Not cheap but you'll got what you paid.

R.

I eat out alot, this was by far the best meal in a long time. Very expensive, but well worth it. Staff the are working hard, clearing, filling water, being prompt for the next part of service. Will be back in the morning to try the coffee. Two happy customers tonight

M.

Nova is usually pretty busy in the evenings. Their deserts are held in high regard and the place was packed when we got there. Worth the wait to be seated, though. As well as the four or so set deserts they have a display case of cakes and pastries of the day, up at the counter. The carrot cake was fantastic and if you want a coffee or a civilised liquor to top it off, their barista is on duty.

B.

Always a pleasure to dine there. Their customer service and food is excellent

J.

Good service and cosy. Service is great one on one. I was impressed with this. We ordered a muffin and coffee. Muffin was bought to us at our table. Both the large muffin and coffee were well presented and very tasty. I will definitely be back.

C.

Conveniently located right at the octagon beside the cinema and the art gallery. Delicious food and their ever so popular injectable donuts. Pretty comfortable place. Staff very pleasant too.

S.

Excellent service and wonderful food. Steak and Venison cooked perfectly. Friendly and attentive staff who worked in a relaxed and effective way. The doughnuts are to die for.

M.

Always a good feed here. Staff are fantastic. Roti was delicious. Lemon bar slice was to die for. Great lunch.

F.

Good food, great service, relaxed atmosphere. Loved the seating arrangement along the front window which is brilliant for a two or three-person breakfast meeting whilst enjoying the view of the Octagon.

B.

Lovely food, pleasant surrounds

i.

Love the injectable donuts. Great food and some of it is halal.

N.

This place is quite good to take a coffee and maybe have a treat, but I just lunched there for the first time and it was really not great and clearly overpriced for what it is. I took the Nova-burger which was dry and not really refined (not as much you should expect from a $22 burger). Fries were greasy and undercooked. I should have tried something a bit more original, asian-style but my friend took the pork ramen and was really disappointed either. So to sum up I would say: really good for desserts, but not for meals.

G.

On a very cold Dunedin morning my colleagues and I stumbled across Nova whilst looking for an early morning breakfast venue (the only place open at 7am) - along with a lot of other people looking for the same thing! Warm and friendly atmosphere in Nova's busy cafe situated in Dunedin's Octagon. Its location makes it easy to have an early evening meal prior to attending events in the Town Hall or Regent Theatre.

J.

Great café, an integral part of the art gallery in Dunedin. Very pleasant staff, helpful and attentive. It seemed a very popular spot with the locals. The brownie and coffee were delish! ! A good place for a traveller to rest awhile.

S.

A favourite with the locals for many years, the dinner and drinks are great but you should seriously consider coming here just for the dessert: the brownie in particular is absolutely to die for! Great location by the art gallery in the octagon too.

D.

Incredible desserts! We loved the Nova Cone

F.

Buddha bowl has no rice or any other grain (e.g. quinoa or couscous) and no protein (e.g. tofu, chickpeas or tempeh) and so it's just a salad. Bit of a cheek to call it a buddha bowl and charge $24. Otherwise great place - desserts and service especially excellent.

P.

Delicious desserts, friendly staff, and warm, welcoming atmosphere made for a great Sunday evening catch up. Expect to pay a bit but the pavlova was well worth it.

G.

Returned here while back in Dunedin, to find delightful touches, sparkling water as standard service, stunning savoury scrolls and very good coffee.

T.

Needed to find some where fir breakfast good food very polite and helpful staff highly recommend

L.

Great desserts, friendly staff

R.

Extra special evening dinner time with Grand.daughter. But I love Nova Cafe any time of the day. Previously been for breakfasts: Magic. Often go here for lunch / coffee: Pleasant ambience.

B.

Lovely morning Brunch for the better half’ birthday, great friendly service n awesome food, 100% recommendations for the Nova’s food n friendly staff.

R.

Good coffee and lovely individual gluten free carrot cakes 😋

D.

Great food at reasonable prices. Everything tastes fresh and creative dishes. Don’t forget the great selection of baked goods on offer for those with a sweet tooth.

C.

This is an amazing place to go after a movie for tea or coffee or just some dessert. Do yourself a favor and get the injectable donut 😋

I.

Went there for dessert. Customer service was excellent, the food was delicious and the tea was amazing as well. Highly recommend.

A.

When friends suggested we go here I had a look at the menu online and was unimpressed. How wrong could I have been. We had one of the best restaurant meals we've had in years. Truely excellent.

B.

Amazing service, great food and drink options for all dietary requirements

F.

Good service, menu and wine list offers plenty of variation at reasonable prices - would definitely visit again. Was able to take my time, catching up with a friend, without feeling hurried.

M.

Great cafe in the middle of town. Great staff who are onto making sure you are comfortable and your needs are met. Fab coffee good menu and good value for money.

C.

Usually loud, but the coffee and food has always been extremely delicious with great service and no waits! They do some pretty memorable desserts too!

S.

Staff bit grumpy since we only turned up for coffee and deserts. Even though we spent $40 we felt we were taking up the table for a better priced paying customer. Food was fine.....it's the only thing we will go back for.....certainly not for the smiles.

S.

Best service, great food, some really good vegan options.

K.

Very yummy breakfast and lovely friendly service 😋 thx.

S.

Great coffee and the best savoury scrolls. Injectable donuts live up to their hype too. Free sparkling water is offered too which is nice.

K.

Excellent cafe in central Dunedin. Food coffee and service top notch!! Serving either a quick coffee and cake or injectable donuts to die for, to the best French toast I’ve ever had!

J.

We went for breakfast and it was Amazing service and beautiful food!! I would highly recomend nova , we really enjoyed it!!!

K.

Amazing hot chocolates but a bit pricey $15 for fried egg on toast..

J.

Nice restaurant located next to the art gallery. Great menu, good service and good value for money too. Nice atmosphere. Have eaten here a few times and always had great meals.

A.

Absolutely worth a trip to Dunedin just to experience the amazing food and great service! Can't wait to go back! A huge congrats on a top run place and top chefs!!! Fantastic!!! A*****

A.

Very nice food, and good service. A great place to have a meal with friends before a show in town.

D.

Good place to meet in the central city, very friendly staff, good coffee made the way you want. Next door to the Art Gallery. As good as it gets.

P.

Good service, fantastic food. Mixed up order hense the 1 off but how they dealt with was fantastic. Recommend the food, sevice and atmosphere.

E.

Nova Cafe is a joy to visit.The staff are friendly efficient and welcoming. The food wine coffee or tea is always delicious.The atmosphere is very suitable for socialising. Well worth the visit.

J.

Service was super warm and delightful. We shared two desserts and a pot of tea which left us very full and so very happy.

B.

My favourite cafe in Dunedin

T.

Delicious dessert after King's High School Prize Giving. Superb waiter. .

R.

Best coffee in dunedin go there every day

C.

I love this place so much. The food is great The atmosphere also feels trendy and The staff are so inviting and it is also even better it's cheap! I love this place so much. The food is great The atmosphere also feels trendy and The staff are so inviting and it is also even better it's cheap!

R.

Very good flat white. Pretty good service even if they're a bit busy. Food was pretty good for the price as well. Had the eggs benedict, burger and nova breakfast and all 3 were well worth it.

F.

OK so the Donuts you fill with your own flavours/ fillings are to die for...definitely going back for more. Too many goodies on the menu and in the cabinet to pick from in one go.

j.

Awesome food and service. Recommend the Eggs Bene.

S.

Nice cafe and coffee. Would reccomend however service was a little slow

k.

Thank you for a beautiful lunch. Would have to say service from all staff was superb.

M.

I took my daughter in for a hot chocolate after her ballet lesson, the staff were nice but didn't seem over enthralled about my daughter being there, which is a shame as she adores the injectable doughnuts.

L.

Warm ambience, music subdued, pleasant outlook into the Octagon; accommodating, friendly and skilled staff; delicious orange, almond and olive oil cake with affragattos specially served.

C.

the cake was a great size but it was dry and not good tasting, my guess it was a few days old. Coffee was good though.

J.

Great lunch at Nova on Wednesday. Always feel welcome and the service and food is excellent.

N.

What a great breakfast I had . I am Coeliac i had the Halumi with baked beans and hash brown absolutely delicious and what a great change as options for breakfast dining out for someone with Coeliacs is pretty limited . Great service too .

J.

Good food, nice atmosphere. Busy ... suggest booking

E.

Not too busy even on a busy night. Food was good, prices were reasonable if a bit on the high side but nice upscale atmosphere

L.

Undisputabley the best doughnuts in town. Also have great meal options. The term cafe is probably a bit misleading although the coffee is nice too

Z.

Very well prepared food with excellent presentation. Friendly and helpful service. Highly recommend.

J.

Went for desert Rum Baba Flavors to the max my friend had the terimsu and that was just as good. nice with the sparkling water made my night will come for tea have high expectations ☺

K.

Pretty decent, nice place and friendly staff but had a Vienna coffee which was not a Vienna coffee.

J.

One of the better cafe's in this town , coming from a big city I tend to prefer the ambiguousnus of a busier place ,good food & menu ,efficient & friendly service keep the good work up !!

I.

Good place for a coffee and cake. Nice meals. Friendly and very well dressed staff. Nice for hanging out with friends and enjoying a good convo over coffee or food.

G.

Beautiful food. Well presented and with lot of thought. Lovely lemon cocktail.

M.

Great chai lattes and respectable prices. Do recommend

L.

Great service. Nice wine list. Did not eat here, just sat outside and watched the world go by.

P.

Pitted on four coffee and dessert. Had a piece of pear, raspberry and sour cream cake. Delicious. Served by friendly staff.

F.

Great coffee in a relaxed atmosphere with awesome staff.

P.

Always excellent service! Great coffee...

M.

Enjoyed my time. Waiter was energetic and helped us decide what to order. When I return to New Zealand will definitely return.

D.

This cafe is simply the BEST! Great service, absolutely divine food, and the best pots of tea ever! ⭐🌟⭐

N.

Food and service were amazing.

J.

Everything in there in one single word: AMAZING!

G.

I really enjoyed my lunch here. Right in the heart of town this cafe serves delicious food and has a great atmosphere.

K.

Good coffee and very good service. Barely a second after I sat down, I had a glass of water on my table. That, for me, was a very nice touch.

P.

100% just amazing food and quality service. Very good dining experience

J.

Probably one of the fancier places in Dunedin. The drinks are great and the staff are cheerful and helpful. Don't forget to try their donuts!

B.

Good service and food, centrally located. Would recommend a reservation even though we were lucky and seated straight away without one.

M.

Food was good, but the tap beer had some issues with freshness.

B.

I got the Eggs Benedict, which was very good along with a flat white for the start of a day. Quick service, nice and helpful staff.

E.

What a fantastic spot. Tea served the proper English way and great vegan options. Stunning. My fav cafe in Dunnies.

C.

Fabulous food, great service, great ambience. Highly recommend.

S.

Coffee was good.

S.

Very clean, nice food, great customer service

m.

Great Service Had nice breakfast there.

D.

Very nice coffee. Service is great

J.

The best place yo go for supper, including a drink after the movies etc. Try the stuffed donuts, they fantastic and you choose what to inject them with.

C.

Consistently great coffee. Food is fantastic but service is outstanding.

R.

Nice relaxed breakfast on a dreary winter morning. Well made hot chocolates and excellent food.

C.

Great coffee. Awesome donuts. Family loved it. Staff a bit stuffy. Really great overall.

J.

Once voted the best cafe in New Zealand. Still pretty good. I wish the still had The Guardian there though.

R.

Awesome meals, the donuts for dessert are incredible!

M.

Continues to offer good food and excellent service. Wonderful location.

P.

Excellent food, great service. Highly recommended

T.

Quick service, very friendly. Food was delicious and the portion size was perfect.

S.

I enjoyed everything about the service and food. It was let down by it's very weak deconstructed tea!

S.

Not as great as previous owner. More expensive and less vegeterian options

M.

Great food and service

M.

I've always had a very good experience in this restaurant when my girlfriends and I go dining out. We make reservations, turn up, order our favorites and go away happy 👍👍👍

J.

A great place to stop for delicious food, coffee, wine next door to the art gallery. Highly recommend.

A.

Service was great, but cocktails were disappointing

J.

Good food good service, vego options. Incredible dessert

J.

Very good food and service - perfect for a lunch meeting

L.

Thanks for our New Years breakfast staff were so nice

S.

Great coffee, atmosphere and habe some vegan options too

a.

great breakfast. service was very good considering how busy it was.

T.

Full cooked breakfast is definitely the one if you're hungry. Friendly staff and great customer service!

S.

Ordered burger. Not nice. Fish ok, but not sure if it was a day old. Only in Dunedin today. Would not go again.

M.

Consistently great coffee, give the injectable donuts a try!

C.

Perfect for dessert! (5-15$) You can even get donuts that you can fill with your favorite flavour.

A.

Nice greeting when walked in..service was good, I had the cauliflower cakes with a poached egg they were a bit bland, my man got the porridge it was really nice.

B.

Only went for dessert but the best I have had in Dunedin. Welcoming atmosphere and staff.

A.

Loved our special pasta meal. Beautiful flavours

P.

Delicious food, but make sure to let them know if you don't want sparkling water.

M.

Excellent food and nice if you can get a table outside overlooking the octagon plaza

M.

Very nice place for dessert. Exspensive, tiny creme brulee for $14.

G.

Decent. Even on Xmas Eve. If I was feeling bold I'd ask for the sparkling water fresh from the tap minus the taste of the citrus slices

R.

Nova is always a great place for a late coffee and dessert.

M.

good service and a very good fish and chips

S.

The food is realkt good but at 9:30 they wouldn't serve me a second glass of wine because they plan to shut the place at 10pm

A.

Great coffee, delicious food, lovely staff, and a central, scenic setting - what more could you want?

M.

Friendly staff who know and understand the menu

K.

There was good service and good food in a warm, relaxing atmosphere.

T.

A relaxing experience- fabulous service ✔ very nice mocha coffee..... handy to everything around the Octagon in Dunedin 🌞Highly recommend

G.

Amazing food and great atmosphere. Awesome burgers. My compliments to the chef.

C.

Lovely food, fresh new and interesting menu. Love the location and atmosphere here day or night

S.

Very busy, a bit noisy for me, not alot of room. Chairs alright, tables not large but just big enough.

P.

Fabulous cafe attached to the art gallery with divine scenes & coffee. Bit of a secret on the north side of the Octagon.

B.

Beautifully presented tasty food, very happy

A.

Great donuts. The flavoring comes in a syringe so you can add as much as you want (or squirt it into your mouth 😁)

T.

Nice food. Love hot chocolate there. But quite $$

C.

Very good service metal small but nice.

B.

Lovely counter food and excellent staff

J.

The meal was delicious. Waitress was excellent and very attentive.

D.

The coffee's always good but the service is a bit hit and miss - they're either too cool for you or really nice.

J.

Great food and coffee. Great service with a smile from all staff.

G.

Fantastic meal as always. Fillet steak was perfect!

M.

Good service. Had the chicken burger with shoestring fries. The burger was good, i would have like condiments for the fries.

C.

Delicious food and excellent service. Best cafe in Dunedin.

S.

Great service, really good dessert - not sickly sweet which is great!

m.

Loved the service. Food is awesome. Nice feel of the place.

p.

If you ain't been here and tried their donuts, you just ain't in the know!! The tea is good as well

Z.

Bought a really nice vanilla doughnut that was delicious. The staff were friendly and helpful. Would reccomend

P.

Nice cafe. They know how to poach eggs perfectly

S.

Try the tea and find it different from other cafes. Good menu at reasonable prices

P.

Actually quite delighful ... coffee excellent, staff pleasant, centrally located.

I.

Lovely sharing platter, delicious donuts and large selection of tasty teas along with friendly service 😊

J.

Very nice food,, prompt service, good location, good pricing, great coffee

J.

One of only 2 places in Dunedin we know of to do a real dirty chai. No syrup! Actual spice mix in espresso.

K.

Very busy place, but was good coffee, really liked the tea set up.

M.

Great atmosphere, the coffee is regularly excellent, staff are friendly and professional.

R.

My son loved the injected donuts, it was something else

S.

Great coffee with exemplary service

R.

I really love this cafe. Never disappoints!

D.

Never fails to please. A calm grown up place with space, good food and lovely service.

Y.

It has nice staff, great coffee, and good food

A.

Good coffee, injectable donuts are a favourite.

A.

Great service and delicious food.

J.

A great place to stop in for dessert and coffee.

A.

A nice place to spend the evening with a small group of friends and coffee.

R.

Beef fillet was really good, fish n chips wasnt the best quite dry and tasteless, customer service was friendly, good atmosphere

M.

Usually great food and coffee.

S.

One of few cafes reliably open in evenings. Great selection of teas and nice atmosphere.

C.

Very good service; good coffee and yummy lemon/ricotta cake.

J.

Super helpful customer service! Buddah bowl was under whelming

L.

Great Octagon location and fab food. Pays to book well ahead at meal times. Art gallery next door

K.

Service was good and it had a nice atmosphere, however the burger I ordered was rather bland

S.

Amazing deserts and teas selection. I would definitely recommend the injectable donut.

G.

The food was exactly as described and the staff were polite and friendly

m.

Very nice atmosphere only equaled by the front of house staff and of course the food

R.

Warm, cosy cafe with good food and pleasant staff

T.

Good food & great service, always has a table, consistent for years

M.

Great staff and atmosphere on a warm night sitting outside it can't be beaten 👍

M.

Excellent coffee and beans, wide range of good wines and beers, excellent services and a fantastic atmosphere.

P.

Great place to visit amazing staff and the best coffee I've had

D.

Coffee is great and the atmosphere is lovely, also the waiting staff are great.

A.

We were there earlier this morning and the staff were so amazing and dealt with my daughter's tantrum by giving her colouring in which me and my family were so impressed by!

J.

Fantastic customer service and the food was fabulous. Highly recommend.

J.

Fantastic food and a glorious desert

J.

4 of us dined after a movie on Sunday night & the service was very prompt, staff very friendly and the food was lovely.

S.

Good coffee, food was good too. Can be a bit expensive but nice occasionally.

J.

Great food and coffee!

S.

Good food but $16 for a bowl of soup is a bit pricey

S.

Was our go to while in Dunedin. Lovely food that is guaranteed consistency.

T.

Highly recommend for breakfast and lunch, right in the city centre! Try their oatmeal porridge with salted caramel and banana☕️

D.

A lovely place to visit.Very good coffee or tea and food is great

N.

Delicious coffee, amazing donuts ♡

C.

A busy popular cafe with the best coffee in New Zealand

P.

Great breakfast with some tasty menu variations from the norm.

S.

Donuts where you inject your own filing are the reason to turn up. Lots of other nice stuff as well.

S.

Good Coffee and nice Snacks. Went there to warm up again in a rainy afternoon

A.

Always a great place.. Food and service, friendly and efficient

T.

Decor and ambiance lacks a bit. Good service and the food has good standards

P.

Beautiful food and reasonably priced

D.

Delicious food good service calm atmospheres

B.

Always great coffee, food and service.

E.

Always good food, go there often.

a.

Great coffee and yumi donut 🍩 Really good service

J.

Excellent customer service. Great food with nice environment

M.

The food quality at Nova is outstanding.

S.

Waitresses are attentive, complementary sparkling/citrus water is a nice touch.

S.

Their buddha bowl is delicious!

L.

Lovely staff and welcome atmosphere.

B.

Lovely staff, great coffee, yummy food!

m.

Love this café. Always reliable and great location and architecture

A.

Change of management has seen some menu changes I am not a massive fan of. The food has diminished in quality.

D.

Great food, service and atmosphere

C.

Always a great spot to visit! Fantastic service great food

K.

You can't go past the salted caramel doughnuts and the service is always great.

R.

Always good great coffee

G.

Food was very nice, coffee had bitter/ burnt undertones.

K.

Coffee was good service average no customer service sort it out

J.

Good food and service. Right in the heart of Dunedin so handy to everything in the Octagon.

v.

Nice cafe. Handy location. Great cakes

S.

Great service as always & amazing salted caramel chocolate cone!

A.

Whilst the atmosphere, coffee and food were great the service let them down

M.

Good food and service, decor is getting a bit dated

A.

Great brunch, good coffee, well actually good everything. Solid option.

J.

Excellent service lovely food recommend anyone to go there a hundred percent

R.

Great place to meet, helpful staff and great coffee :)

J.

One of the best restaurants in the world

S.

Nice food, no Vegetarian main options though.

R.

Friendly staff nice cocktails

H.

Awesome service great food and drinks A+

C.

Great service- lovely food - friendly helpful staff

O.

High standard cafe. Definitely worth a visit

E.

Really nice tea and coffee. Will definitely come back

M.

Great service, great coffee, great brownie!!!

N.

One of my favourite restaurant

J.

The service and hot chocolate were very good.

R.

Great coffee, muffin and a good magazine to browse when on your own.

C.

Nice hotel. Rooms are well appointed and spotless. Handy location.

T.

Awesome staff...Awesome food and the water was great

S.

Been twice today, good service with a smile and good coffee

A.

went here for desert and was not disappointed. meal menu equally appealling

D.

Great, doughnuts were amazing. Service was a little rushed

P.

Great service, good food and really nice vibe

B.

Amazing carrot cake and fudge brownie n coffee

L.

Great Steak! Coffee is pretty dam good too.

S.

Only place in Dunedin that gives you sparkling water like its still cool.

M.

Great service, nice food, pleasant surroundings

E.

The injectable donuts are amazing. Food is also very good.

V.

Great place for a yummy dessert and drink

R.

Always guaranteed for good coffee and a bit to eat

H.

Good

T.

Great service with a varied menu.

A.

Good place for coffee, if you are in Octagon area.

r.

Normally rate this 5 stars, last visit had awful service - food still excellent.

C.

Good place for a coffee with friends or a meal out for two

M.

Customer service is amazing and the food is great

R.

Excellent shoestring fries with aioli and a brilliant cup of tea!

S.

Excellent service. Great food and atmosphere

S.

Excellent dinner, great, attentive service thanks Gabby

D.

Strong coffee. Professional and warm customer service

m.

Good coffee and injectable doughnuts are amazing

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