Roadside Cafe is a cafe in Ascot Park, a residential pocket of Porirua, and holds a 5.0 rating on Google. New Zealand cafes are judged, fairly or not, on the flat white: a good one pulls a consistent shot and textures the milk properly, day after day, and regulars notice within a week if standards slip. The cabinet of slices, filled rolls and quiches is the other half of the draw, and what is left at eleven in the morning says plenty about how the day has gone. Neighbourhood cafes tend to peak early, with dog walkers and tradies through the door before nine, and weekends busier still; the surest sign of a good one is a queue of locals at opening time. For Ascot Park residents, a perfectly rated cafe on their own doorstep means good coffee without the trip into town.