The intersection of Mt Eden and Stokes Road in the heart of Mt Eden village holds mixed fortunes. On one side of the road is Frasers, a bustling cafe that’s a local institution, which is always packed full of old friends catching up over coffee and first-time daters making awkward conversation.

On the other side is a building which almost appears cursed. The Mount sports bar was always empty and seemed out of place in the trendy and sophisticated strip. Some poor soul then spent thousands renovating the building and turning it into the Mulberry, but the unwelcoming exterior and its lack of real personality meant it too was short on clientele.

Under new management, it is now a Mozaik Cafe and the new owners appear to have started on the right foot by knocking out a wall and replacing it with french doors to improve the indoor/outdoor flow and make the venue more welcoming.

I’m not usually a fan of chain cafes, but despite this prejudice I decided to check out the new spot to see what it could offer the corporate lunch enthusiast.

Mozaik has four spaces for dining/drinking – outdoor tables on the footpath, inside on the ground floor, upstairs, and the upstairs deck. Being a cold winter’s day we opted for an upstairs window seat next to the gas fireplace, which provided maximum warmth and an elevated street view for pre and post-lunch people watching.

A friendly and helpful waiter greeted us with menus and proceeded to pour glasses of water to ensure we were well hydrated while deciding what to order. The menu featured a generous selection of meals ranging from light brunch options to more substantial and pricey meals.

My long black was delivered with a side of milk and water in a timely fashion and it wasn’t long before we were presented with one of the most satisfying cafe meals in memory.

I ordered an egg white omelette with chicken and mushroom, which came with a drizzling of pesto and topped with a cooked tomato. The fusion of chicken, mushroom and pesto folded in the well-cooked egg white omelette exceeded expectation and left my tastebuds in a state of euphoria.

My gluten free accomplice ordered the french toast with gluten free bread. Upon request, the waiter checked with the chef to ensure it was doable and what followed was potentially the best looking french toast I’ve ever seen. Topped with berries, bacon, banana, and a slab of grilled halloumi, I was experiencing some serious food-envy. I managed to negotiate a sample for review purposes and was pleasantly surprised at how amazing the gluten-free french toast tasted – I’m not usually a fan of gluten free alternatives. But mixed with the delicious ensemble this was a truly special meal.

In terms of price it was what you would expect for a non-cabinet order at a cafe or pub. The egg white omellette came to $17, and the gluten free french toast $18.

The venue itself provides plenty of opportunity for lunch meetings with multiple spaces to enjoy a meal. I’d recommend the upstairs dining area for a lunch meeting as it was much quieter than the downstairs space. The ex-pub nature of the cafe also means they are well stocked in the drinks department and there was a decent selection of beer and wine – I even spotted Little Creature craft beer in the cabinet.

All in all Mozaik Mt Eden was a great experience and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it as an alternative to the many cafes in Mt Eden village. While the interior still resembles the unsuccessful Mulberry, Mozaik’s service and lunch menu sure to satisfy the most staunch lunch enthusiast.

Overall rating: 7.5

• Location: 7
• Value: 8
• Service: 9
• Quality: 9
• Environment: 7
• X-Factor: 6

Mozaik Mt Eden, 421 Mt Eden Road