Blue Rose Cafe & Catering is a family-run cafe and boutique catering business on Sandringham Road, Auckland, owned by Lenny and Robbie and part of the neighbourhood since 2015. Rooted in their Cook Islands and Māori heritage, they cook Pacific & Māori fusion food from scratch — savoury dishes, salads, meats, pastries, sweets and desserts, all made with premium ingredients and genuine care.
In store, the cafe serves all the classics: fluffy waffles, rich Eggs Benedict and a hearty Big Breakfast, alongside their famous island-flavoured pies — the Palusami Pie with taro leaves, coconut milk and corned beef, and the Lu Sipi Pie with tender lamb. Weekday trade runs 7am to 3pm, with weekends from 8am to 4pm.
Catering is at the heart of what they do: oka and ika mata, chop suey, Fijian curry, Mayonis potato salad, taro in coconut cream, banana poke and Koko Samoa cake, with vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options across the menu. Service is grounded in manaakitanga — warmth, respect and attention to detail — whether you're in for breakfast or planning a function. New catering clients can contact Lenny directly.
On busy Sandringham Road, one of Auckland's most loved food streets, Blue Rose Cafe & Catering has been quietly building a following since 2015. Owned by Lenny and Robbie, the business began as a boutique catering company based in the heart of suburban Sandringham and grew into a cafe-and-catering operation where the same kitchen feeds both the neighbourhood and events across the city. Their cooking is Pacific & Māori fusion: homemade dishes that blend authentic island flavours with the ingredients and techniques of Aotearoa.
What sets Blue Rose apart goes beyond the food. The team describes its service as grounded in manaakitanga — the Māori tradition of hospitality and care — with every event infused with warmth, respect and attention to detail. Cultural integrity is a stated point of pride too, from ingredient selection to the preparation of each dish. Rooted in the owners' Cook Islands and Māori heritage, the menu is a celebration of a unique cuisine rather than a nod to it.
Ask around Sandringham and you'll soon hear about Blue Rose's famous pies. The Palusami Pie wraps taro leaves and coconut milk around corned beef, while the Lu Sipi Pie is filled with tender lamb — a taste of the Pacific in every bite, as the team puts it. They're available as full-size pies or mini pies with a choice of filling, alongside bakery staples like sausage rolls and salmon quiche.
In store, the cafe serves all the classics people love: fluffy waffles, rich Eggs Benedict and a hearty Big Breakfast. Whether you're starting your day or stopping in for a midday bite, there's something waiting — doors open from 7am Monday to Friday and 8am on weekends, closing at 3pm on weekdays and 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Catering remains the heart of the business, and the full menu reads like a tour of the Pacific. There's oka and ika mata — traditional raw fish — along with island-style chop suey, Fijian curry, Mayonis (the Cook Islands' creamy potato salad), taro and green banana in coconut cream, and banana poke for something sweet. The Koko Samoa cake and cupcakes bring island cocoa to the dessert table.
For grazing tables and morning teas there are salmon blini, mussel fritters and corn fritters, sushi, sliders, mini croissants, bagels and sandwiches on pide bread. Set packages make ordering simple: the Recommended Morning Tea, the Recommended Lunch with croissant and salad, and the Island Plate, which comes as a combo with a side and pie filling. Cutlery, napkins and plates can be added so everything arrives ready to serve.
Dietary needs are built into the menu rather than treated as an afterthought. Blue Rose maintains dedicated vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options — the Fijian curry is both gluten- and dairy-free, the chop suey and oka are dairy-free, and the taro in coconut cream is vegan. Catering orders carry a minimum of ten per item, with the Koko Samoa cake the one exception, and new clients are encouraged to reach out directly to Lenny to plan their menu.
Blue Rose describes itself as more than a catering business — it's a celebration of Cook Islands and Māori cuisine, and of community. From savoury dishes and salads to meats, pastries, sweets and desserts, everything is made with a commitment to quality that has kept locals coming back for a decade. Whether you're lining up for a pie on a weekday morning or planning a function with a full island spread, the promise is the same: good service, great food and a love for community.
Blue Rose Cafe & Catering is at 414 Sandringham Road, Sandringham, Auckland 1025 — open Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm, and Saturday to Sunday, 8am to 4pm. For catering quotes and new enquiries, contact Lenny on 021 1434464 or at [email protected].