Lime Tree Cafe is a cafe at 172 Rodney Street in Wellsford, Rodney, holding a 4.5 rating on Google. Small-town cafes on a state highway carry a double load: pleasing the locals who call in most mornings and serving travellers who need a good flat white and something to eat within minutes of parking. The ones that last get the basics right — coffee that tastes the same every visit, cabinet food turned over fresh, and service that holds up when holiday traffic hits town. A reliable test is the regulars: if locals keep their own table, the kitchen and the coffee machine are being looked after. Weekend mornings are usually the busiest, so early is the smart move if you are on a timetable. For locals and anyone breaking the long drive between Auckland and Northland, Lime Tree Cafe is well placed on Wellsford's Rodney Street.