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Reviews for Plum Cafe

by Kara I.
25th April 2010

This business is a MenuMania SponsorOne of the Business' Favourite Reviews

Plum is one of my favourite places to go for brunch in Wellington.

The service is friendly but still efficient and every time I go people are always happy with what they get. They also have no problem with people paying separately which is handy when you’re with a big crowd.

I highly recommend the steak sandwich!

Update May 2011: My husband and I and some friends returned for brunch a couple of weeks ago. The menu has changed, but the food as delicious and the service as friendly and efficient as always. Definitely one of the best places in Wellington for brunch.

by Des S.
7th May 2013

We stopped in for dinner in passing and it turned out to be a great decision. We both ordered steak and it came perfectly cooked. We both thought it was the best we’d had.

The meal was simple, well cooked and just exceptional.

This is a cosy cafe/bar on Cuba Mall that is well worth a visit.

by Sue L.
3rd March 2013

We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience of Sunday lunch, sitting at the open tables at Plum Cafe, in the heart of Cuba Street, Wellington City.
The vibes are really good. It’s obviously a very popular place to eat. The friendly staff were attentive and efficient,making sure we were served promptly.
The menu offers an appetising range of choices.We chose the signature dishes
Plumster- Eggs, Breakfast Sausage, Wairarapa Bacon, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, House Made Hash Browns, Hollandaise & Toast 22.00 half portion 15.00
Vege Plumster- Eggs, Mushrooms, Spinach, Tomatoes, Avocado, House Made Hash Browns, Hollandaise & Toast same prices. The half portion was more than enough for me.
I really appreciated the avocado and hollandaise being served on separate small dishes on the larger plate, so that the quantity added to the meal was my choice at the table.
Really healthy and helpful in my first week of a gym membership!

by Rachel P.
16th February 2013

I went with a friend who’s a regular Plum-goer. We ate there on Thursday night.

I had the (apparently famous) pork belly. Beautiful flavours, perfectly cooked and the right portion size.

Vegetables and Potatoes are each extra , and at $8 each I skipped them, but if you have a large appetite you’d probably want them.

That left me room for the dessert – chocolate mousse served in a tulip cup, with pickled raspberries. Again it was spot on. Rich, delicious, a good serving but not too much.

We paid $100 for 2, with a cocktail each, main and dessert, one coffee, no sides. So it isn’t a cheap eat, but I felt like some good quality food and it hit the mark. (I should note that there were lighter salad mains under $20 available.)

The service was knowledgeable, and hit the right note.

One thing I suspect the servers will have picked up on already – a few people had apparently thought that they could use their entertainment book on Valentine’s Day – a wee note as you come in by the till would be helpful

by Gabriel V.
16th January 2013

I went here today for lunch. They were really busy when I came in so I thought they would take quite some time to take my order. However, the service was pretty efficient and fast. The moment I decided my meal, the waitress was already taking my order.

I had a sticky pork belly with mashed potatoes on a green apple sauce (or something like that). It was awesome. I love pork belly and it was perfect. The skin was crispy and sticky, a pleasure to chew on! And the meat itself was great: tender and cooked to its best point. The mashed potatoes were the ideal combination, amazing taste as well.

I work in hospitality and try to give my best customer service. So I think it would´ve been appropriate if the staff at Plum Café had checked on my meal as I was eating it and not after I finished it. Working in the industry I find that a lot of customers don’t ask for more drinks or speak their minds regarding their dishes unless asked for by their waiter. Personally, I think that would make a big difference to improve customer service. Overall, I found it alright.

After finishing my meal I got a coffee and it was so nice that it actually made my day. I usually drink coffee in a sip or two, but this one I really wanted to savour it. Totally recommended!

Might go back next time to try their brunch menu. I was very tempted by many of their options. Though I was more in a lunch mood today. And the food was better than I expected.

by Jonno H.
17th December 2012

Plum has a good selection of cabinet food and a somewhat limited menu. It is in my opinion overpriced, ingredients are not of the highest quality but is always well cooked so if price is not an issue then not really a problem. Sitting outdoors is nice, but it is pretty much like passive chain smoking so unfortunately is a bit of a turn off. Good cafe in Cuba Mall, unfortunately not exceptional.

by Gatekepa
4th September 2012

My wife and I ate brunch here during our trip on the weekend. I had the eggs benedict with smoked salmon (Montreal). Not the best I’ve had, but definitely not the worst. My wife loved her traditional eggs benedict.

Good service (not amazing), and really liked the decor.

by Kirsten G.
23rd August 2012

Had the Wellington on a Plate two course menu – I chose the smoked salmon entrée which was delicious. The pork belly main was also fantastic with crispy crackling. The meal was well balanced (unlike some other places that have rich food but can be a struggle at the end – this wasn’t the case here). I’ve been twice before and always find their food really high quality and tasty. The wine that came with meal was generous. We had a small dessert of a cake from the cabinet – it was quite tasty too, but the highlights would be the savoury food for me. The service was mostly good – except when we first came in, it was unclear whether we find a seat first or report to the counter first – no one was at the counter, and not wanting to miss out on a spot in such a popular place, I got a seat first – no one came to us, but they did look fairly busy. After a few minutes I went to the counter and from then on the service was good, fairly quick and efficient with some nice touches – the waiter was walking away from the door when we rose to leave but he walked back to hold the door open for us.

by Maggie P.
27th July 2012

I had read reviews which made me go out of my way to ensure we went here for breakfast. I was so disappointed with the service and also the manner that the food was presented not to mention the price was over the top for what we received. The scrambled eggs looked like they had been burnt and i didnt even touch my bacon eh in turkish bread it didnt cut it at all. We will not be going back i knew we should have stuck to our usual and reliable at Dixon Street Cafe!
I have now changed my rating as the owner did come back and advised why the service was not so great he also sent a voucher which was very unexpected but pleasing also. Thank you to the management for taking on board the view so based on this I have changed my rating.
Ok guys i gifted the voucher to my mother in law who used who had brunch on 22.12.12 and she said the meal was absolutely fantastic they had the plum breakfast excellent atmosphere service and food. Thank you very much have a great new year

by Cheryl D.
14th June 2012

Went to the Sileni winemaker’s degustation at Plum and the food was amazing! 6 courses, food all fantastic and well matched to the wines. The salmon was melt-in-your-mouth with a terrific celeriac puree and the beef eye fillet perfectly cooked. Very friendly and efficient service. Highly recommended.

by Woo 1.
27th May 2012

I remember the food and service being really good when it opened, but I think Plum has gone down hill. Our waitress was friendly but completely flustered even though there was only one other table of people when we arrived. Brunch was just not very nice – not cooked by a chef that’s for sure. On the plus side the music, coffee and decor were all good

by Nyl C.
21st April 2012

I had the Egg Montreal which is nothing special. My friend had the Plumster which she enjoyed a lot. It may be a matter of ordering the right dish because another friend of mine also recommends the Plumster.

Service is average. The place is reasonably tightly packed. Waitresses keep on bumping against our table, spilling our coffee in their dishes.

I’ll probably try another cafe for brunch next time.

by Woody
15th January 2012

Love heading down to plum with the fellas for breakfast! Always good food and vibe but if its really busy it can be hit and miss service wise.

by HRM
15th January 2012

We love Plum, the service is relaxed but helpful, very accommodating when we brought our young son with us for dinner. The food was fantastic, have been back a couple of times but the only disappointment is they menu doesn’t change often enough which stops us returning more often.

by Karen R.
13th January 2012

Expertly barista-ed coffee, in a cosy cafe, just near the bucket sculpture on Cuba St.

A nice spot to catch up on the morning paper (I like that they have plenty of copies available for patrons).

And I love that they play that quintessential Wellington sound when they play Trinity Roots on the sound system.

Very groovy. Very comfy. Rather a favourite.

by S M.
25th October 2011

While in Wellington for some RnR from CHCH, my husband and I happened upon Plum Cafe. It was very busy, being Labour Day, but we were shown a seat by a very friendly waitress, who explained the menu to us and took our drink order straight away. The food was great, the atmosphere buzzing and the staff were awesome. We deffinately will be back! It was so nice to be able to eat out somewhere worth while, as we have lost most of ours in CHCH! Well done the Plum team!

by Martha
3rd October 2011

Terrible experience – do not go there.

I went there for brunch this weekend and while my scone and tea arrived promptly, half an hour later we were still waiting for the Steak sandwich ordered by my friend. We asked a waitress whether there was a problem and she disappeared, eventually returning to say the food would be 3 minutes.

10 minutes later nothing had happened so we asked a different waiter what the story was. He said he would go and find out. Another 10 minutes later (after the 2nd waiter had not reappeared) we asked if the manager could come and speak to us.

The acting manager turned up at the table another 5 minutes later (almost a full hour after we had sat down) and explained that the usual manager had suffered a bereavement, and so was unable to speak with us (no complaints there – I have no problem with people having time off for bereavement, and this explained why the order had perhaps fallen between the cracks).

We explained that we were on the verge of leaving and asked whether we might have the meals for free, which the acting manager agreed to. However, as he was leaving the table, he petulantly threw the blame back on us, reprimanding us for not bringing the issue to his attention earlier. This is so ridiculous. We had asked THREE different people what the story was with the food, and you shouldn’t have to follow your order up when you’re in a cafe.

I have no problem with cafe staff making mistakes (I’ve worked in hospitality, I know what it’s like) but I don’t go to a cafe for someone to be rude to me, and the sheer rudeness of this man means I will never be eating there again, I will recommend my friends don’t go there again, and I have signed up to MenuMania specifically so I could post this review.

by Darren
10th August 2011

Fantastic Wellington on a Plate Burger!

This was a great experience as the Burger (accompanied by Chunky fries, Aioli & Tomato Sauce) was delivered quickly, conducive with my schedule for the day.

With Blue Cheese, Crispy Pancetta, Beetroot Relish & a Wholesome but light bun, the Burger rocked!

Excellent

by Lucy
11th March 2011

Just had Dinner there with large group (12) of friends. Nothings worse than incorrectly placed orders when your with a large group…Not this time! Everything from the swapped accompaniments to the degrees on the meat to the extra sides was perfect! Terrific location right in the heart of things. Great staff and service. We will definitely be back

by DeathRiderDoom
20th September 2010

Lame Cuba street cafe. This place is popular for young hipsters in Wellington who like to be seen drinking their coffee on Cuba Street for god knows what reason. Anyway, i’ve been here a couple of times just trying to have a quick coffee, but each time has been a disaster. The staff seemed pretty incompetent, with one bumping into me (though i was sitting completely still) and dropping someone’s food all over the floor, and looking at me as if it were my fault, which it wasn’t. The coffee is awful, with improperly steamed mmilk, and tasted as if someone hadn’t cleaned the machine in a while. Always less than satisfactory here, seems like people just go to be seen hanging out on Cuba street.

by foodie007
20th July 2010

Fantastic Brunch with friends. Table of 5 who all had orders that slightly varied from what was on offer (as one does after a good night out the evening prior;-).
The cafe was extremely busy for 10am on a Sunday, but the waiter was attentive to detail & full of humour. Eggs were Free range & all perfectly cooked. The meals were fantastic and the coffee was superb. Also, the only place where my besty who regularly orders a “decaf soy bowl” was not sneered at. Well done Plum

by Therese F.
17th May 2010

Terrible brunch and lunch. We tried the breakfast with eggs,kranskys + eggs benedict + pumpkin salad and steak sandwich. Fries for the table. None of the food was good and the coffees, though yummy in flavour, were cool. Very disappointing!!!

by Elaine Y.
19th April 2010

Came here on a Thursday night and the atmosphere was buzzing, lots of chatter and loud music playing. We ordered two cokes, two mains and a side dish.

The Cokes ended up being this organic Cola, which would have been nice if we were notified but it was still good in the end.

The mains came out a while later and they were delicious, we ordered a side of Fries and they came out with 3 sauces, Tomato Sauce, Aioli and Gravy! why haven’t we ever thought about serving fries with Gravy it was yum!.

All in all, great dishes and a nice place to eat if your not after a quiet dining experience.

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