Cafe Thyme

Rating: 1

We ate lunch here in September 2026.

Pumpkin soup   Roast kumara salad  Banana smoothie 

On a blustery spring day, the open fire in Cafe Thyme gives an impression of warmth, and we excitedly moved to the table closest to the hearth. When we looked up and saw the giant curated hole in the roof, exposing the rafters and uninsulated corrugate, we understood why the fire was providing the impression of warmth, rather than making the cafe actually warm. On the subject of the fire, it’s time to get out the elbow grease and clean off the soot which was coating the hearth, wall and ceiling. 

The fire was a triumph compared to the food. The banana smoothie was yoghurt forward to the point that it bordered on sour. While we accept that it contained a banana, the banana flavour was weak and it was desperately crying out for honey. Similarly, the pumpkin soup tasted like hot bowl of liquid. It didn’t taste like pumpkin, nor did it really taste like anything else. At least the bread was good, and it was piping hot. 

We would consider kumara to be an essential ingredient in a roast kumara salad. We would not consider roast potato to be a indistinguishable alternative to kumara. Despite both being roast root vegetables, they are nothing alike. And you sure as hell didn’t trick us. The Fee-Rex was so confused she took a bite from every one, wondering if perhaps some were kumara. None were. This is straight up unacceptable - when we order a roast kumara salad, you have an obligation to tell us you don’t have any kumara in house. Was this a cost saving exercise? If it was, here’s a tip - turn the lake of vinegarette on the salad into a puddle and you’ll be able to buy kumara.