Forage Hill Cafe is a friendly neighbourhood cafe on Mclaughlins Road in Wiri, Auckland, opening its doors at 6am every weekday — early enough for the first flat whites of the day to land on the counter before most of the suburb is awake. It is built around routine: a quick short black on the commute, a proper breakfast with the team, or a burger and chips at lunch, all served in a bright, easygoing space with a well-stocked food cabinet up front.
The kitchen runs an all-day menu, so breakfast doesn't switch off at eleven and lunch doesn't wait until noon. Morning plates centre on free range eggs — the loaded Forage Hill Brekkie with bacon, chorizo and herbed potato rosti, a classic Bene with hollandaise, omelettes two ways, or creamy mushrooms on ciabatta. Lunch leans burger-forward, from a straightforward cheese burger to the Kiwi Classic with egg and beetroot, alongside battered fish and chips, a loaded bowl of wedges and a gluten-free-friendly BLAT.
The drinks list is long: espresso classics with almond, coconut, oat and soy milk options, six teas, iced coffees and teas, blended treats, fruit smoothies and thick milkshakes in five flavours. Add a cabinet of flaky croissants and fresh bagels, plus a catering operation turning out mini burger platters, sushi, wraps and fruit skewers for local offices and events, and Forage Hill covers most of the weekday food map.
Tucked along Mclaughlins Road in Wiri, Auckland, Forage Hill Cafe opens its doors at 6am sharp every weekday — early enough for the first flat whites of the day to hit the counter before most of the suburb is awake. It is the kind of neighbourhood cafe built around routine: a quick short black on the way to work, a proper brekkie with the team, a burger and chips at lunchtime, all served in a bright, easygoing space with a well-stocked food cabinet up front.
What sets it apart is the all-day menu. Breakfast doesn't switch off at eleven, and lunch doesn't wait until noon — you can order eggs benedict at ten past two or a Kiwi Classic Burger at nine in the morning if that's how your day runs.
The kitchen's centrepiece is the Forage Hill Brekkie — a big plate of free range eggs, tomato, bacon, chorizo, herbed potato rosti and sautéed mushrooms, served with ciabatta. For the classic brunch crowd, the Bene on Ciabatta layers poached free range eggs, spinach and hollandaise over your choice of bacon, smoked salmon or mushroom.
Lighter eaters are well covered. There's an omelette with ciabatta in two combinations — ham, cheese and tomato, or mushroom, feta, pesto and baby spinach — plus creamy mushrooms with basil, garlic, onion and parmesan, and simple free range eggs your way on ciabatta. A full sides list runs from grilled halloumi and avocado to smoked salmon and extra rosti, so you can build the plate you actually want.
Gluten-free options are marked across the menu, and the team asks diners to flag any dietary requirements so the kitchen can help.
Come midday the burger list takes over. Alongside a chicken burger and a crispy chicken-and-bacon number with BBQ sauce, there's a straightforward cheese burger and the Kiwi Classic — beef patty, egg, beetroot, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, mustard and aioli on a brioche bun. Vegetarians get their own in the Potato Rosti Burger, which stacks a golden rosti with grilled halloumi, lettuce, tomato and chilli mayo.
Every burger arrives with chips. Beyond the buns, there's battered fish and chips with mixed cabbage slaw and tartare, a bowl of wedges loaded with crispy bacon, cheese, sour cream and sweet chilli, and the BLAT — bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, BBQ sauce and aioli — which can be done gluten free.
Coffee is treated seriously: long black, flat white, latte, cappuccino, mocha and chai latte in small or large, plus short blacks for purists. Almond, coconut, oat and soy milk are on hand, and a decaf, caramel, vanilla or hazelnut shot can be added to any cup.
Beyond espresso there are six teas, from Earl Grey and English Breakfast to ginger and lemon, and an iced drinks lineup that spans Americano, peach and lemon iced teas, blended iced coffee, chocolate and mocha, and iced latte. Smoothies come in tropical fruit, mixed berries, mango and a very Kiwi apple and feijoa, while milkshake fans choose from chocolate, banana, strawberry, salted caramel and cookies & cream.
The front cabinet is worth a look before you order. Flaky croissants and fresh bagels appear in the display alongside pies and other grab-and-go baking — an easy add-on to any coffee run.
Forage Hill also caters. The photos tell the story: mini burger platters, sushi selections, fresh wraps and fruit skewers, all turned out of the same kitchen. If you're feeding an office or an event around Wiri, it's a phone call or email away.
Forage Hill Cafe sits at 87a Mclaughlins Road, Wiri, Auckland, and keeps firmly weekday hours: Monday to Friday from 6am to 3:30pm, closed Saturdays and Sundays. Plan your visit around the working week.
Questions about the menu, dietary needs or catering go straight to the team by phone on 09 217 2768 or via [email protected]. Whether you're after an early coffee, a slow all-day breakfast or a tray of mini burgers for the office, the formula is simple: generous plates, a long drinks list and doors that open before the sun is fully up.