No beating around the bush. The best cafe in Wanganui is Big Orange.
They have the right formula for taste of coffee, value for money, location, customer service and menu options. This cafe is practically a tourist destination in the Wanganui-Manawatu region and perhaps deserves more mentions online.
I consider these top 3 aspects as the main reasons why I would recommend any cafe.
1. Customer Service. Yes it matters. Cafe lovers like myself consider cafes as our little escape on a challenging work day. A cafe is where some of the best creative juices come out. It's a place where I can be most productive at work. I personally feel refreshed after seeing people who are happy and friendly. Most cafe lovers though want to feel they are welcome and they are part of the town's little coffee lover's club. I'd join that club if there was such a thing in
Wanganui ;-)
The entire experience starts with customer service.
2. Menu Options and Pricing
- Perfect combination of taste, presentation, ingredients, serving size and price
- Value for money is the key here.
- $15-18 for eggs benedict and $4 for a coffee only sound ridiculous if do not get that unique flavour. Often, I pay $18 for eggs benedict... some are ultra-cheesy disappointments. However, Big Orange's Mushroom on Sourdough Toast is a breath of fresh air. It's just the right size and it's just the right price at $16.50. It has, I believe, the little details which make me appreciate it more: a bit of pesto, parmesan, loads of mushroom, my favourite bread type and I think a bit of balsamic. So there, that's something I can't really make at home.
- I might sound like a broken record but for the others who just read about my posts on
Big Orange, they have the
best coffee (mochaccino, cappuccino and plain long black).
3. Ambience
- Music (Jazz, Classical, Guitar, some beat)
- Location (sun, sun and more sun) People want to go out and embrace that good vibe. If you don't have an outside area or not much of sunroom in your cafe, I suggest having brighter coloured rooms / furniture and interiors. Plants and fresh flowers help, too.
- Did I forget to say
Big Orange has free wifi on top of being close to a Telecom Wifi zone?
Big Orange transforms into Ceramic Lounge at night and jazz bands play gigs there occasionally. They have wider range of menu offerings now and I get the sense that the management and staff are quite keen to improve their game year after year! I like Big Orange because I like it's one of the cafes where I can see people proud of their work and make extra effort to make their food creations a bit more special... at an affordable price.
No I don't get any favors or fees to endorse this establishment. I just love coffee and I'm a foodie.
And when I get a unique and worthwhile experience, I make sure I write a positive review.
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