ROAM

cafe — Napier South · Napier

About ROAM

ROAM is a licensed cafe in the iconic Six Sisters Buildings on Marine Parade, Napier, serving Hawke's Bay food, coffee, wine and beer with what the team calls the best view of the bay on the strip. It is run by chef-owner Brad Simpson and his wife Rochelle, who between them bring 40 years of hospitality experience, including 16 years working in high-profile Melbourne restaurants before the family relocated to Hawke's Bay in 2020.

The kitchen champions local producers and artisans. The all-day menu moves from toasted sourdough and free range eggs through to cured Akaroa salmon, folded eggs with ROAM's own chilli crisp, sweetcorn fritters with whipped feta, and French toast with dark chocolate dulce de leche — plus toasties, burgers and a daily counter of cakes, slices, cookies and the cafe's famous cheese and herb scones with Lewis Road Creamery butter. Coffee is by Supreme, tea by Noble & Sunday, and the licensed drinks list spans local wine, craft beer, low-alcohol options, cold-pressed juices and smoothies.

Beyond the cafe, ROAM caters for meetings and corporate events, builds grazing boxes and grazing tables, runs private chef experiences led by Brad in homes, holiday homes and lodges, and can be booked out entirely for weddings, birthdays and corporate gatherings of up to 100 people with bespoke menus. Once a month the cafe also hands over to Jett's Burger Shop, a pop-up created by Brad's young son, serving burgers, chicken nuggets, onion rings and sundaes.

Visitors consistently highlight the warm, friendly service, great coffee, the sunny front deck made for people watching, and a dog-friendly welcome.

ROAM Napier: Marine Parade Cafe Serving Hawke's Bay Food, Coffee & Wine

ROAM sits in the iconic Six Sisters Buildings on Marine Parade in Napier, and the team makes a bold but fair claim: the best view of the bay on the whole strip. It's a licensed cafe built around the things Hawke's Bay does best — food, coffee, wine and beer — served with what owners Brad and Rochelle Simpson call professional, well-considered, humble hospitality.

The couple have hospitality in their blood, with a combined 40 years in the industry. Brad trained under some of the best chefs in New Zealand and Australia, spent 16 years cooking in high-profile Melbourne restaurants, and has cooked for high-end clientele, celebrities and royalty alike. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the family moved to Hawke's Bay, and ROAM is their take on their new home: locally sourced, ethical, high-quality food and drink served in a welcoming, friendly room.

What's on the plate

Breakfast and brunch lead the menu. Bowls and plates range from simple toasted sourdough with Lewis Road Creamery butter through to overnight oats with berry and chia compote, free range eggs any style, a breakfast bun stacked with bacon, hash brown and fried egg, and a plate of cured Akaroa salmon with dill yoghurt, capers and a soft-boiled egg. House signatures include folded eggs with ROAM's own chilli crisp, crispy sweetcorn fritters with whipped feta and a poached egg, avocado whip with buffalo curd, and French toast with dark chocolate dulce de leche and freeze-dried mandarin.

Toasties come three ways — Waipawa Butchery pastrami, roasted pumpkin with spinach and feta, or champagne ham with Craggy Range Dairy camembert — and the burger list covers a Nashville hot chicken sandwich and a Matangi beef burger with special sauce. There's a roasted and raw broccoli, kale and chickpea salad for greener moods, and the daily counter is where you'll find cakes, slices, cookies and ROAM's famous cheese and herb scones, served with Lewis Road Creamery butter.

The drinks list is equally considered: Coffee by Supreme, teas by Noble & Sunday, raw cold-pasteurised Homegrown juices and smoothies, low-alcohol pours from Garage Project and Zeffer, and a wine list with local names like Tony Bish Fat & Sassy Chardonnay and Swift Lumière red. A mimosa or Aperol spritz suits the deck-and-sunlight mood.

Jett's Burger Shop

Once a month, ROAM hands things over to Jett's Burger Shop — a pop-up created by Brad's seven-year-old son, who has spent years running a play kitchen from his bedroom and serving his family memorable dining experiences. The pop-up menu includes a 150g Matangi beef cheeseburger, a panko-crumbed tarakihi fish burger, a Kansas City BBQ pork burger, an eggplant parm burger for vegetarians, Bostock's chicken nuggets, onion rings and desserts like the Jett's Burger Shop sundae with jelly, Lewis Road ice cream, berries, cream and nuts. Gluten-free buns are available. Follow ROAM on Instagram for pop-up dates.

More than a cafe

ROAM also specialises in grazing boxes and grazing tables — immaculately styled with cheeses, cured meats and accompaniments — for everything from picnics and corporate lunches to wedding prep and date nights. Brad offers private chef experiences in homes, holiday homes, Airbnbs and lodges with bespoke menus, and the cafe itself can be booked for weddings, birthdays and corporate events, catering for groups of up to 100 people (minimum spends apply).

Plan your visit

ROAM opens Tuesday to Friday from 7am to 2pm, Saturday from 8am to 3pm and Sunday from 8am to 2pm, closing on Mondays. Find the cafe at 189 Marine Parade, Napier, phone 06 222 6494 or email [email protected]. Reviews consistently call out the friendly service, great coffee and a dog-friendly front deck perfect for people watching in the sun — bring the family, bring the dog, and roam no further.

Signature items

  • Cheese & Herb Scones
  • Folded Eggs & Chilli Crisp
  • Sweetcorn Fritters
  • Matangi Beef Burger
  • Cured Akaroa Salmon
  • Jett's Burger Shop

Menu

Burgers

  • Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich — Pickles, lettuce, cheese & ranch
  • Matangi Beef Burger — American-style cheddar, mustard, pickles, onion, lettuce & special sauce

Toasties

  • Pastrami Toastie — Waipawa Butchery pastrami, mustard, pickles, kraut, cheddar & russian dressing
  • Pumpkin & Feta Toastie — Roasted pumpkin, confit garlic, spinach & feta
  • Ham & Camembert Toastie — Champagne ham, dijon mustard, cheddar, onion & Craggy Range Dairy camembert

Beer & Cider

  • Brave Brewing Co Tiger Milk IPA — Craft IPA from Brave Brewing Co
  • Steinlager Classic — New Zealand lager classic
  • Asahi — Japanese-style lager
  • Corona — Mexican lager
  • Zeffer Cider — Hawke's Bay cider

Coffee & Tea

  • Coffee by Supreme — Espresso coffee from Supreme roasters, served all day
  • Tea by Noble & Sunday — A range of blended teas

Bowls & Plates

  • Toasted Sourdough — Toasted sourdough with Lewis Road Creamery butter and jam, vegemite, marmite, peanut butter or honey
  • Overnight Oats — Berry & chia compote, coconut whip, maple, toasted almonds, dried orange & fresh mint
  • Free Range Eggs on Sourdough — Two eggs — poached, folded or fried — on toasted sourdough
  • Breakfast Bun — Thick-cut bacon, HP sauce, hash brown, fried egg & tomato relish on a brioche bun
  • Cured Akaroa Salmon — Dill yoghurt, capers, pickled red onion, soft-boiled egg, everything seasoning & toast
  • Avocado Whip — Fresh tomatoes, fine herbs, buffalo curd, toasted seeds & lemon on toasted sourdough
  • Folded Eggs & Chilli Crisp — Free range folded eggs, avocado puree, ROAM-made chilli crisp, coriander, fried shallots on sourdough
  • Sweetcorn Fritters — Crispy fried fritters, whipped feta, poached free range egg, tomato & herb dressing, chilli & coriander
  • French Toast — Dark chocolate dulce de leche, freeze-dried mandarin, pure Canadian maple
  • Broccoli & Kale Salad — Roasted and raw broccoli, kale, chickpeas, currants, mint, tahini tofu dressing & toasted almonds
  • Bowl of Fries — Rosemary salt & ketchup

Wine & Spritzes

  • Marceline Blanc de Blanc — Sparkling blanc de blancs
  • Paradise Prosecco — Italian-style prosecco
  • Swift Rosé — Rosé from Swift
  • Askerene Sauvignon Blanc — Crisp sauvignon blanc
  • Terroir Project Pinot Gris — Aromatic pinot gris
  • Albariño Brothers Albariño — Spanish-style albariño
  • Tony Bish Fat & Sassy Chardonnay — Hawke's Bay chardonnay
  • Swift Lumière Red — Red blend from Swift
  • Mimosa / Aperol Spritz — Brunch-friendly spritz options

From The Counter

  • Cakes & Slices — A daily counter selection of house-baked cakes, slices and cookies
  • Cheese & Herb Scones — ROAM's famous scones, served with Lewis Road Creamery butter

Juices & Smoothies

  • Homegrown Orange Juice — Raw, cold pasteurised orange juice
  • Homegrown Apple Juice — Raw, cold pasteurised apple juice
  • Berry Anti-Ox Smoothie — Berry smoothie
  • Feijoa Smoothie — Feijoa smoothie

Soft & Low-Alcohol Drinks

  • Sipper Iced Tea — Chilled iced tea
  • Pete's Natural — Natural soft drinks
  • 73 Citrus Sparkling — Citrus sparkling drink
  • Coke & Sprite — Classic soft drinks
  • Garage Project Tiny (0.5%) — Wellington low-alcohol craft beer
  • Garage Project Fugazi (2.2%) — Low-alcohol craft beer
  • Zeffer 0% Cider — Non-alcoholic cider

Jett'S Burger Shop (Monthly Pop-Up)

  • Cheese Burger — 150g Matangi beef, American-style cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles & special burger sauce
  • Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich — Bostock's Nashville hot chicken, special sauce, pickles, lettuce, cheese & ranch
  • Fish Burger — Panko crumbed tarakihi fillet, shredded iceberg, cheese & tartare
  • Kansas City Pork Burger — Kansas City BBQ pork, pickles, onions, cheese & homemade BBQ sauce
  • Eggplant Parm Burger — Crumbed & fried eggplant, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, tomato & herb dressing, aioli
  • Bostock's Chicken Nuggets — Homemade nuggets with hot & sour sauce
  • Onion Rings — Served with chipotle mayo
  • Bowl of Fries — A sharing bowl of fries
  • Mt Olive Pickle — A pickle on the side
  • Chocolate Dulce de Leche — With peanut butter & popcorn
  • Jett's Burger Shop Sundae — Jelly, Lewis Road ice cream, berries, cream & nuts
  • Luna's Choc Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich — Cookie and ice cream sandwich

Frequently asked questions

Where is ROAM cafe located?
In the iconic Six Sisters Buildings at 189 Marine Parade, Napier, with a view over the bay.
What are ROAM's opening hours?
Tuesday to Friday 7am–2pm, Saturday 8am–3pm and Sunday 8am–2pm. Closed Mondays.
Is ROAM dog friendly?
Yes — visitors regularly mention being welcomed with their dogs, especially out on the front deck.
What is Jett's Burger Shop?
A burger pop-up created by owner Brad's young son Jett. It runs at ROAM once a month — check ROAM's Instagram for the next dates.
Does ROAM offer catering?
Yes — event and corporate catering, grazing boxes and grazing tables, plus private chef experiences led by chef Brad Simpson.
Can I hire ROAM for a private event?
Yes — the cafe can be booked for weddings, birthdays and corporate gatherings, with bespoke menus for groups of up to 100 people (minimum spends apply).
What coffee does ROAM serve?
ROAM pours Coffee by Supreme, with teas by Noble & Sunday alongside juices, smoothies and a licensed wine and beer list.

Tips

  • {"body":"The front deck gets sun and the best view of the bay on Marine Parade — ideal for coffee and people watching.","title":"Grab a deck seat"}
  • {"body":"Cakes, slices, cookies and the famous cheese & herb scones change daily — ask what's on the counter before ordering.","title":"Check the counter first"}
  • {"body":"ROAM is closed Mondays; weekday service runs 7am–2pm with slightly later hours on weekends.","title":"Mind Mondays"}
  • {"body":"Jett's Burger Shop pops up once a month — follow ROAM on Instagram so you don't miss it.","title":"Follow for Jett's dates"}
  • {"body":"Grazing boxes, event catering, private chef experiences and full venue hire are all available on enquiry.","title":"Think beyond brunch"}

Good to know

  • {"family":"Kids menu available; family-run, with a monthly kid-founded burger pop-up.","dietary":"Vegetarian plates, toasties and burgers available; gluten-free buns on offer at Jett's Burger Shop pop-ups."}