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There are many dining options across the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty. You can buy everything from fruit from roadside orchard stalls and take-out fish-and-chips joints to cafés serving sandwiches and espresso coffee, right through to fine-dining affairs. Even when restaurants are formal in appearance, diners and hosts tend towa
There are many dining options across the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty. You can buy everything from fruit from roadside orchard stalls and take-out fish-and-chips joints to cafés serving sandwiches and espresso coffee, right through to fine-dining affairs. Even when rest
There are many dining options across the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty. You can buy everything from fruit from roadside o
There are many dining options across the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty. You can buy everything from fruit from roadside orchard stalls and take-out fish-and-chips joints to cafés serving sandwiches and espresso coffee, right through to fine-dining affairs. Even when restaurants are formal in appearance, diners and hosts tend toward a relaxed country-casualness. Restaurant owners make a point of using the region's abundant resources: the fish is likely to have been caught that morning from a nearby bay, and shellfish are from local mussel and scallop farms. A huge community of artists lives in the region and their work is likely to be for sale even though it adorns restaurant walls.
Dinner service begins about 6 pm in the winter and around 7 pm during the summer months, though many places have "all-day menus." In peak season most places keep serving until at least 9 pm. For many restaurants reservations are a good idea, especially in the summer around the Coromandel. In winter, phone ahead to check if the restaurant will stay open.
There’s a vintage retro feel at this unassuming café that belies the amazing fresh-baked goods produced within. Cabinets are crammed with pastries, breads, cakes, panini and other sandwiches, and some truly fantastic cakes like the passionfruit curd cake. Salads and lots of vegetarian options are on the menu, the coffee is consistently good, and tea lovers can choose from a list of organic, loose-leaf flavors. The place is loved by the locals and if you eat in you’re likely to get to know them at the big communal tables.
50 9th Ave., Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, 3112, New Zealand
Jasmine vines cloak the front porch of this adorable 1890 miner's cottage. Folks come here for breakfast and lunch every day of the week, and you might have to wait a bit during holiday time, but locals think it's worth it. For breakfast, "The Classic" (bacon, sausages, eggs, fried potatoes, tomato, and toast) will set most people up for the day. At lunch you'll find hearty salads and seafood chowder, a staple for regulars. Cakes are seriously good, as is the coffee.
20 Victoria St., Whitianga, Waikato, 3510, New Zealand
07-866–5440
Known For
Classic breakfasts, including a great eggs Benedict
The meat and produce in this café and store all come from the owner’s very own farm, Kairaumati Hereford Stud. The meat is processed on-site, the sausages are made from an old family recipe, and the free-range eggs, honey, vegetables, jams, and pickles are all homegrown. For lunch, there’s a range of burgers (regarded widely as the best on the peninsula), toasted sandwiches, hot chips, muffins, and cakes, plus real fruit ice cream. You can dine in the garden, then pick up some farm-fresh meat and condiments to enjoy later.
2318 Colville Rd., Colville, Waikato, 3584, New Zealand
One of Thames's newest cafes, this place comes with a good pedigree (having been opened by the team who previously ran another popular dining spot in town) and has quickly gained a local following. Rainbow vegetarian tart with pesto and ricotta, butterscotch scones, and sticky bao buns are available alongside more traditional offerings such as cornish pasties.
501A Pollen Street, New Zealand
07-280-0297
Known For
Hot and tasty soups, including a vegan green velvet variety
At the base of Mauao and across the street from the beach, this bustling café is a great place for breakfast or lunch after a climb or swim. Grab a table (there are more outside than in) for a blueberry muffin, blue cheese scone, a falafel, a salad, or a dense chocolate brownie. Or get a huge sandwich and a smoothie to go, and head off to a quiet spot on the trail that rings The Mount.
1 Marine Parade, Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty, 3116, New Zealand
A consistently good community café, Sola offers an all-vegetarian menu but it’s no health food bar. Counter food includes tasty risotto cakes, Florentines, and fresh fruit shortbreads. Try a breakfast of potato-and-fresh-herb frittata or pan-fried polenta with smoked field mushroom, spinach, and feta for lunch. They also cater to wheat and gluten-free diets. Local cheeses and chutneys from the deli counter make great picnic fixings.
720b Pollen St., Thames, Waikato, 3500, New Zealand
07-868–8781
Known For
<PRO>excellent vegetarian menu</PRO>
<PRO>tasty berry friend (a small, sweet cake made from ground almonds and egg whites, often topped or filled with fruit)</PRO>
A classic New Zealand takeout experience, this is the spot to get a quintessential Kiwi-style beachside lunch or dinner of fish, shellfish, chips (fries), and burgers. When the fish (battered or crumbed) and chips are done well, they’re not too greasy or fatty. You could even wash them down with a bottle of the very sweet Lemon & Paeroa (the iconic Kiwiana soda made not too far from the Coromandel).
Shop 7, Main Rd., Tairua, Waikato, 3508, New Zealand
Mellow jazz might be playing in the background, local art graces the walls, and the retro couches and armchairs are great spots to chill out and enjoy a coffee, which is freshly roasted every day in the café. Snack options include bagels with any filling you desire, egg and bacon rolls, sandwiches, cakes, and slices. Alfresco dining is available as well.
72 The Strand, Whakatane, Bay of Plenty, 3120, New Zealand
Hidden down a side street (look for the sign on the main street), you'll find this gourmet home-cooking surprise. This café gem serves breakfasts, muffins, scones, cakes, and shortcakes alongside build-your-own bagels and counter "sammies" crammed with choices of grilled meats, haloumi (salty cheese of goat and sheep's milk), and vegetables. The focus is on free-range, organically grown ingredients. Set in a 1914 heritage building that was originally a bank gold refinery, they also offer a boutique one-bedroom accommodation, the Refinery Guard’s Cottage, and an adjacent open plan Miner’s Cabin. Prices are from $99 per night.
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