Journal Cafe

About Journal Cafe

Journal Cafe sits at the entrance to the mall on 240 Ormiston Road, in Auckland's newly built Ormiston village. It is a seasonal cafe serving deliciously cooked breakfast and lunch built on locally sourced produce, with an all-day kitchen that keeps brunch on the table right up until close.

The menu leans generously towards brunch: eggs your way on toasted ciabatta, wild wheat bagels in four builds, mince on toast, eggs benedict with a long list of add-ons, truffle mushroom french toast, waffles both sweet and savoury, and bigger plates like the loaded Journal breakfast, beef ragu pappardelle and smoked salmon and prawn pasta. Snacks such as kumara fries and salt and pepper squid cover the in-between hours.

The drinks list is a destination in itself. Journal pours rich Atomic Coffee alongside its own in-house cold brew, plus latte specials from matcha and kumara to tiramisu and pistachio, nutrient dense smoothies, freshly squeezed juices and a full tea and iced drinks line-up. In a hurry, the in-house bakery and deli provides a delicious takeaway menu.

Tables can be reserved online, regulars can join the Loyalty at Journal programme, and the team can be reached on 09 212 3638 or at [email protected].

Journal Cafe: Seasonal All-Day Brunch, Bakery Treats and House Cold Brew in Ormiston Village, Auckland

Journal Cafe sits at the entrance to the mall on 240 Ormiston Road, in Auckland's newly built Ormiston village. It is a neighbourhood cafe with a clear brief: seasonal, deliciously cooked breakfast and lunch, made with locally sourced produce. Whether you are settling in for a long weekend brunch or dashing through for a takeaway coffee and something from the deli, the kitchen and bar are set up for both.

An all-day brunch menu

Food is served all day until the kitchen closes, and the menu rewards both the light breakfast and the full-table order. At the simple end there are eggs your way — poached, fried or scrambled on toasted ciabatta — with add-ons like herbed mushroom, streaky bacon, grilled halloumi and cold smoked salmon. Wild wheat bagels come in four builds, from whipped cream cheese and jam to bacon, lettuce and tomato with aioli and chutney.

The bigger plates are what people plan a visit around. The Journal breakfast loads the table with streaky bacon, breakfast sausage, tomato chutney, hash browns, eggs your way, herbed mushroom and hollandaise on toasted ciabatta. Classic eggs benedict arrives on an english muffin with baby spinach and can be topped with anything from mushrooms to buffalo fried chicken with sriracha hollandaise, while truffle mushroom french toast pairs caramelised onion, parmesan and sunflower seed pesto with sourdough. The mexican omelette brings jalapeno, charred corn, black beans and cheddar, with an optional add of spanish chorizo or smoked chicken.

Sweet cravings are covered by the apple crumble waffle — house made waffles, spiced apple compote and vanilla mascarpone — and the fried chicken waffle with herb slaw and chipotle aioli. For lunch appetites there is pappardelle in slow-cooked beef ragu, smoked salmon and prawn pasta in herb cream, spanish eggs with crushed tomato, and a colourful brunch bowl of quinoa, crispy kumara and toasted seeds. Snacks run from herb and cajun dusted fries and kumara fries to crispy salt and pepper squid and buffalo fried chicken.

The drinks list is a destination in itself

Coffee is taken seriously: Journal pours the rich Atomic Coffee range, from espresso and long black through flat whites and cappuccinos, alongside its own in-house cold brew. The latte board goes well beyond the usual — matcha latte, kumara latte, tiramisu latte and pistachio latte all feature, hot or iced.

The smoothie line-up is billed as nutrient dense, with options like forever young (spinach, pineapple, lemon, apple, coconut cream and maple), mango world, pick me up with a double shot of coffee, and a purple kumara smoothie. Freshly squeezed juices include an immune juice of orange, carrot, ginger and turmeric, and tea drinkers get Harney + Sons blends, an in-house brewed lemon, honey and ginger, and an iced list stretching to strawberry matcha and coconut pistachio.

Bakery, deli and takeaway

In a hurry? The in-house bakery and deli provides a delicious takeaway menu, and the fridge is stocked with bottled options — organic juices, sparkling and still water and soft drinks — for grabbing and going.

Plan your visit

Journal opens at 8am every day, closing at 3pm Monday to Friday and 4pm on weekends. The kitchen winds up earlier — 2pm on weekdays and 2.30pm on weekends — so arrive with time to spare if you are after a full meal. Tables can be reserved through the cafe's website, regulars can join the Loyalty at Journal programme, and the team can be reached on 09 212 3638 or at [email protected].

Signature items

• Journal breakfast
• classic eggs benedict
• truffle mushroom french toast
• buffalo fried chicken burger
• apple crumble waffle
• house cold brew coffee

Menu

Brunch

• eggs your way — Poached, fried or scrambled on toasted ciabatta; add herbed mushroom, streaky bacon, grilled halloumi or cold smoked salmon
• whipped cream cheese bagel — Wild wheat bagel with whipped cream cheese and jam
• herb mushroom bagel — Wild wheat bagel with herb mushrooms, feta, sunflower seed pesto and red pepper puree
• BLT bagel — Wild wheat bagel with bacon, lettuce, tomato, aioli and chutney
• smoked salmon bagel — Wild wheat bagel with cold smoked salmon, cream cheese and pickled red onion
• mince on toast — Toasted sourdough with savoury beef mince, poached egg and fresh herbs
• apple crumble waffle — House made waffles with spiced apple compote and vanilla mascarpone
• mexican omelette — Jalapeno, charred corn, black beans, cheddar, red pepper puree, pickled red onion, sour cream; add chorizo, smoked chicken or salmon
• brunch bowl — Mixed quinoa, crispy kumara, pickled red onion, toasted seeds, fresh salad, red pepper puree, scrambled egg and slaw; add halloumi or salmon
• classic eggs benedict — English muffin, baby spinach, poached eggs and hollandaise; add mushrooms, streaky bacon, cold smoked salmon or buffalo fried chicken with sriracha hollandaise
• truffle mushroom french toast — Caramelised onion, parmesan and sunflower seed pesto on sourdough
• Journal breakfast — Streaky bacon, breakfast sausage, tomato chutney, hash browns, eggs your way, herbed mushroom, hollandaise, toasted ciabatta
• beef ragu pasta — Pappardelle with slow cooked beef in red wine tomato sauce, parmesan and fresh herbs
• spanish eggs — Two eggs with spanish chorizo, crushed tomato, fresh herbs, red pepper puree and toasted sourdough
• fried chicken waffle — Herb slaw, jalapeno, chipotle aioli and pickled red onion
• buffalo fried chicken burger — Herb slaw, bread butter pickle, brioche bun, chipotle mayo, fries and aioli
• smoked salmon and prawn pasta — Herb cream, white wine, spinach and parmesan

Coffee

• espresso, long black, piccolo or americano — Classic black coffee serves
• flat white, cappuccino or latte — Milk coffees in regular or large
• mocha — Regular or large
• chai or hot chocolate — Regular or large
• matcha latte or kumara latte — Green tea or purple kumara latte
• tiramisu latte or pistachio latte — Dessert-inspired lattes
• kids hot chocolate — Little ones' hot chocolate
• house cold brew coffee — Brewed in house, in 250ml or 350ml serves

Juices

• freshly squeezed orange or apple juice — Pressed to order in 350ml, with a kids' size available
• immune juice — Orange, carrot, ginger and turmeric

Snacks

• herb dusted fries — Served with mustard aioli
• cajun dusted fries — Served with mustard aioli
• kumara fries — With mustard aioli and sweet chilli
• crispy salt n pepper squid — Sweet chilli, aioli, lemon and fresh herbs
• buffalo fried chicken — Slaw, bread butter pickles, chipotle aioli and buffalo glaze

Bottled

• most organic juice — Mango, orange, apple or apple and peach
• sparkling or still water — Chilled bottled water
• coca cola range — Coca cola series soft drinks
• schweppes lemon lime bitters — Bottled soft drink
• peach iced tea — Bottled iced tea

Smoothies

• forever young — Spinach, pineapple, lemon, apple, coconut cream and maple
• mango world — Mango and passion fruit
• kumara smoothie — Purple kumara puree with milk of choice
• pick me up — Banana, double shot coffee, coconut cream, almond milk, cacao and maple
• classic banana — Banana, date, coconut milk and cinnamon

Tea & Iced Drinks

• Harney + Sons tea — Loose leaf tea range
• in-house brewed lemon, honey and ginger — Brewed on site, served in two sizes
• peach iced tea — Served over ice
• iced latte — Chilled milk coffee
• iced mocha or iced chocolate — Chilled chocolate coffee or chocolate milk
• iced matcha latte — Green tea latte over ice
• iced tiramisu latte or iced strawberry matcha — Dessert-inspired iced lattes
• iced pistachio latte or iced coconut pistachio — Nutty iced latte options

Frequently asked questions

Where is Journal Cafe located?

At the entrance to the mall on 240 Ormiston Road, in the newly built Ormiston village, Auckland.

What are Journal Cafe's opening hours?

8am to 3pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

When does the kitchen close?

The kitchen closes at 2pm on weekdays and 2.30pm on weekends, while the cafe stays open a little longer.

Can I make a reservation?

Yes, reservations can be made through the Make a Reservation page on Journal's website.

Does Journal offer takeaway?

Yes, the in-house bakery and deli provides a delicious takeaway menu for those in a hurry.

Is there a loyalty programme?

Yes, Journal runs a loyalty programme — details are on the Loyalty at Journal page of the website.

Are there options for kids?

Yes, the drinks menu includes a kids hot chocolate and a kids' size freshly squeezed juice.

Tips

• {"body":"The kitchen closes at 2pm on weekdays and 2.30pm on weekends even though the cafe stays open longer, so arrive earlier if you want a full meal.","title":"Watch the kitchen clock"}
• {"body":"Tables can be booked through the website's Make a Reservation page — handy for weekend brunch, when the cafe runs through to 4pm.","title":"Reserve ahead"}
• {"body":"Short on time? The in-house bakery and deli offers a takeaway menu, with bottled drinks stocked for the road.","title":"Grab and go"}
• {"body":"The drinks list includes an in-house cold brew plus matcha, kumara, tiramisu and pistachio lattes — worth exploring past the usual order.","title":"Go beyond the flat white"}
• {"body":"Regulars can sign up for the Loyalty at Journal programme; details are on the cafe's website.","title":"Loyalty pays off"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Kids' hot chocolate and kids'-size freshly squeezed juices on the menu"}