Nor' Wester Cafe - Amberley

The Nor'Wester cafe has been a regular for the past few years. There is a noticeable difference with the change of ownership, and pleased to report in a very positive way! While the separate GF menu has been discontinued, there are GF options and they are very accommodating to adjust to your requirements. The food was a very high level. Very fond of Coffee Supreme, so there was apprehension with the change of coffee supplier. However, the coffee was impressive. Most notable is it feels welcoming, and the service is with a smile.

We often eat here on the way home from the hot pools at Hanmer Springs. Kids usually have the pizza, its so nice to note tho that there is not the usual run of the mill nuggets and chips! They offer sausages etc as well. Well its just hard to say whats the best, because I love it all, the salmon, venison, steak…It comes out 'hot ' that including the great coffee. Great friendly service, allways busy I recommend that you book. Its just about to have a change of ownership, I wish the old owners the very best and for the new team…pls carry on the great work!

One of the coolest and coziest cafe I have ever been too. A must stop over when driving pass Amberley. I have been here for lunch and dinner in the past. This time 2 of us stopped over for lunch and had the fresh Clevedon oyster, soft-shell crab and the Caesar salad. The oyster was very fresh and the rest of the food was delicious.<br/ <br/ They have a lovely outdoor area, a great place to be on a sunny day. The staffs were great and we felt very comfortable. I will definitely visit again when I drive pass Amberely next time.

A little late in writing this as it was 18 months ago when I first came to New Zealand! Now I live here, so...<br/ <br/ Recommended to us by the place we were staying the night. The Nor 'Wester didn 't look that busy from the outside but looked inviting with it 's pretty lights and verendah enticing you in. Basic interior (lots of wood) as restaurant cafe 's go, but very pleasant ambiance. <br/ For me the main part of a review has got to be the food, and I have to say I can not fault the food in any way. Being from England I had never tried Beef Cheek before. The waitress explained that the chef, realising that times were a little hard for some people, was trying to use the 'cheaper ' parts of meat to keep costs low. I asked if they could put my beef cheek in a seperate bowl as I had absolutely no idea what to expect, which they did very happily. <br/ I needn 't have been worried. The beef cheek had been slow braised for (I 'm sure she said 24 hours) and it was just so tender it literally fell apart. The flavours were so intense and very strong, I had not eaten a piece of beef like it before, extremely flavoursome and moreish. The remainder of the meal was just as pleasant and perfectly cooked. Next time I 'm travelling on the South Island I would have no hesitation in going back to the Nor 'Wester.

Great cozy place. Excellent service and food. Love it.