Alimento Eatery has been part of Tauranga's café scene since 2002, when it first opened on First Avenue. Over the years it has earned a reputation as one of the city's top cafés, built on a consistently high standard of food, coffee and friendly service — and on locals who have made it a favourite for more than two decades.
The kitchen's approach is hands-on: everything served in the café is made by the team themselves, from the bread and pastries to the desserts, with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. Alongside the a la carte menu you'll find an amazing range of cabinet items, plus options for a variety of specific dietary requirements. The servers are on hand with professional service and consistently great coffee, whether you're dining in, taking away or ordering delivery.
The café occupies the spacious, historic former Masonic Lodge building on 1st Avenue in Tauranga Central. On warmer days you can settle in for a lazy breakfast in the sun or take shade beneath the striking Karaka tree; in winter, the back room beside the fire is the spot. As the team puts it, they want you to feel like you are at home.
Alimento Eatery opened its doors on Tauranga's First Avenue in 2002, and more than two decades later it still holds a reputation as one of the city's top cafés. That kind of longevity doesn't come from a single hit dish or a trendy fit-out. It has been built the slow way — a consistently high standard of food, coffee and friendly service, repeated day after day until it became a habit for Tauranga locals. The team is proud to be part of a great community, and after so many years on First Avenue, plenty of the faces at the tables have been coming back just as long.
If there's one thing that sets Alimento apart, it's how much of the menu begins in the café's own kitchen. The team makes all of the food they serve, including their own bread, pastries and desserts, with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients running through everything. Baking and cooking on site means the pastries in the cabinet and the plate on your table come from the same hands.
The range shows up in two places. The kitchen team offers an amazing selection of cabinet items for anyone after something quick, while the a la carte menu suits those who would rather sit down and order. The team also understands that many people are on special diets, so there is a range of options for specific dietary requirements. If you're unsure what suits you, the servers know the menu well and are happy to help you choose.
A café is judged on its coffee, and Alimento's front-of-house team has made consistently great coffee part of a genuinely professional standard of service. Alongside the food and the friendliness, it's one of the reasons the café has stayed a local favourite for so many years. Whether you dine in, grab a takeaway or order a delivery, the same kitchen and the same standards stand behind it. Ordering ahead is straightforward too — the menu is online, so you can view it and place a takeaway or delivery order before you even arrive.
The building adds its own character. Alimento Eatery is based in the spacious, historic former Masonic Lodge building on 1st Avenue in Tauranga Central. On warmer days, you can opt for a lazy breakfast out in the sun or seek shade beneath the striking Karaka tree. When winter arrives, the move is to cosy up in the back room next to the fire. Between the two, there's a seat for most kinds of Tauranga weather. It's an easy place to linger, and that's the point — as the team puts it, they want you to feel like you are at home.
You'll find Alimento Eatery at 74 First Avenue in Tauranga Central. Doors open Monday to Friday from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, and from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday — worth remembering if you're planning a weekend breakfast, since the later start is an hour later than weekdays. Dine in, takeaway and delivery are all available, with online ordering and table bookings through the café's website, and the team can be reached on 07 579 5990.
If it's your first visit, a simple approach works well. Have a look at the cabinet for the house-made breads, pastries and desserts; mention any dietary requirements so the team can point you to the right options; then pick your seat to suit the day — sun or Karaka tree outside, fireside inside. However you do it, you'll be stepping into a café that has been getting the basics right since 2002.