One of the most unpleasant café experiences We’ve had in Milford. We were seated downstairs, where the acoustics are genuinely dreadful — every conversation echoes so badly that it feels like people are shouting across the room. We politely asked several times whether a door or window could be opened to let some of the noise escape. The barista manager refused, explaining that they were worried people might leave without paying. An astonishing explanation, and frankly laughable. The same logic appears to override basic customer comfort and common sense throughout the place. The café was completely packed, yet there was only one waitress working. As a result, our coffee arrived after 20 minutes, and the food took over 35 minutes. No apology, no acknowledgement — just chaos. Even more concerning was watching several mums struggle to carry prams up and down the stairs because the double doors onto Milford Road are kept locked for fear of non-paying customers. It raises serious questions about accessibility and safety. One can only hope the doors would be opened in the event of a fire, given that everyone is funnelled through a single entrance. This place feels far less like a welcoming coffee shop and far more like a noisy pub on a Friday night — completely out of place for a café in the heart of Milford. Until they prioritise customer comfort, accessibility, and basic service standards over paranoia, I would strongly recommend going elsewhere. NOTE IN RESPONSE TO THE OWNER’S REPLY: Thank you for your response. I feel it is important to clarify several points, as your reply does not accurately reflect what took place and overlooks matters that go beyond personal dissatisfaction. You state that, because other cafés were closed, there was no option but to seat us as you did and that we declined to move to the front. In reality, no practical or supported alternative was offered. The café was already extremely busy, and your only waitress, who was looking after more than 20 tables, was unavailable to assist, and our group included two elderly people and a baby. Under those circumstances, moving tables or navigating stairs without assistance was neither reasonable nor safe. Presenting this as a choice we refused is therefore misleading. You also refer to it being a busy day and to having accommodated us without a booking. When we arrived, we simply asked whether a table for five was available. No booking policy, conditions, or time limit were communicated to us at any point. As such, it is inaccurate to describe this as an exception or favour, rather than a standard decision to seat customers. Once seated, the level of care provided should meet the same standards regardless of how busy the venue is. Regarding access and ventilation, the concern was never the existence of a single entrance. The issue was that doors and windows were deliberately kept closed despite repeated requests, even as the downstairs area became increasingly loud and uncomfortable. While air conditioning may regulate temperature, it does not address excessive reverberation or noise levels. The acoustic conditions downstairs made conversation difficult and created a physically uncomfortable environment, which reasonably raises concerns about customer comfort and wellbeing. For these reasons, saying that we “think” we were not looked after minimises what were clear and observable issues relating to staffing, accessibility, noise management, and customer care. This feedback is offered so that these matters can be acknowledged and addressed, rather than reframed as a misunderstanding. I appreciate the closing apology and goodwill, but meaningful resolution begins with recognising where systems and decisions fell short.
Contacts & Location
📍 Address: 101 Kitchener Road, Milford, Auckland 0620, New Zealand
📞 Phone: +64 9 489 9708
🌐 Website: cropcoffeeandeatery.godaddysites.com
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Reviews
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Angie ★☆☆☆☆
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Dileepa Navaratne ★★★★☆
Great cafe with a lot of seats, good coffee and breakfast options on the menu, I had an Eggs Benedict with Bacon, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Jess Simmiss ★★★★★
Love popping into Crop Cafe when I’m Milford! First off, this is an owner operated cafe, if you have had the pleasure of meeting the gems behind this place you will see the heart and soul of this place! Fantastic location, great cabinet food available and if you have time to sit -full menu of delicious bites. Always such a warm welcome here, pop in, support local, you will not be disappointed! Jess, Hospitality Specialist Kakapo Business Sales
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Sherryk Koswara ★★☆☆☆
Staff were pretty undertrained, one lad came to get the coffee of my order but left before getting the rest of the order from the table. Realised it, came back to finish the order, then 15 minutes later a different waitress comes to get our coffees because he forgot to put our order through. They were otherwise very polite and kept an eye out on all the tables frequently. Food range is pretty wide and interesting but as far as taste goes, was average. It's on the west end of the row of businesses so unfortunately that means no sun goes in in the morning and come the afternoon the cafe closes, so it's pretty dark and cold inside.
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Sty ★★★★★
We had a great experience. Food was great and service was good. This place has ample seating inside and good layout which creates a good atmosphere. Plus it’s dog friendly with outside seating. We sat out in the sun on the corner. Food came out quickly and looked perfect. Wagyu burger is must try. Eggs on toast comes with homemade relish. Most cafes these days are just putting out only toast and eggs and charging the same price. Popcorn chicken with nice Asian style dressing and pickles was great too. Team checked on us twice if we are happy with everything. We certainly were and liked that the staff was attentive. Happy to recommend this place to anyone.
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Aaron Haslinger ★☆☆☆☆
The boss is not a boss He is arrogant and says to the employees that they have to buy perfume and does not pay the hours of the employees. I as a German backpacker felt very threatened. I have quit and am very happy about it. In the street there are many other cafes that have better quality and are friendlier.
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N B ★★★★★
The waitress that served us is very nice and attentive! She made my sister the wrong coffee but apologized and made the right one. We didn’t know what happened for the place to change management but we’re glad we decided to try it out. The food was yummy and delicious. We also forgot our car keys which they kept safe for us when they cleared our table. Bonus points for playing good songs! Keep up the good work guys!
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ELÆN ★★☆☆☆
*Updated 16/7/23: (Under New Management) so we thought we'd give it a try again. Unfortunately no point of difference in comparison to other cafés in Milford, but more expensive, where as prior it included Korean in the menu. My partner enjoyed hers, but mine was cold and lacklustre, probably from inconsistencies with timing the meals. The bacon @ $7 was a rip, as it was old, hard, tasteless and reminiscent of old boots/beef jerky. Sigh... *Updated 25/10/22: Unfortunately today my breakfast was cold and borderline cooked. At $19, albeit $4 more than my usual haunts, you'd expect better. Great cafe, friendly staff, stunning coffee, good food and decent portions. What's not to like?!
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FAQs
What is the address of Crop?
Crop is located at 101 Kitchener Road, Milford, Auckland 0620, New Zealand
What is the phone number of Crop?
You can contact Crop at +64 9 489 9708
How can I get to Crop?
You can find directions to Crop by following this map link