Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty Restaurants

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.

Sort by: 8 Recommendations {{numTotalPoiResults}} {{ (numTotalPoiResults===1)?'Recommendation':'Recommendations' }} 0 Recommendations
CLEAR ALL Area Search CLEAR ALL
Loading...
  • 1. Bistro at the Falls Retreat

    $$$$

    It might be way out in the bush, but this restaurant could stand proud in any big city. Dine inside or out, beneath the trees, and watch the chefs in the open kitchen adding wood to the pizza oven or creating contemporary cuisine with organic-farmed beef and lamb and vegetables straight from the garden. For flavor and innovation, try the chef’s choice of three seasonal tasters. This is a great option for family dining---there’s so much space and a little playground---and it’s actually only about 10 minutes away from either town, Waihi or Paeroa. Accommodation is available too, from $180 per night.

    25 Waitawheta Rd., Waikato, 3682, New Zealand
    07-863--8770

    Known For

    • Spicy chicken pizza (and other pizzas)
    • Sharing platters
    • Vegetarian salads

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. Apr.--Oct. (approximately)
  • 2. Eggsentric Café

    $$$$ | Flaxmill Bay

    In addition to great food, this restaurant has a community-hub feel thanks to live music sessions, poetry readings, film nights, and a summer sculpture symposium. The dinner menu reaches beyond standard café fare, and there's also a great range of classic breakfasts and fresh baked goods. Be sure to check the on-site shop Eggstras for quality deli items to take on your journey. The café is about 1 km (0.6 mile) from the Whitianga ferry landing, with a free pick-up service if you don't fancy the 10-minute walk.

    1049 Purangi Rd., Whitianga, Waikato, 3591, New Zealand
    07-866–0307

    Known For

    • Scallops, chowders, and other seafood
    • Tasty desserts
    • Community art and music

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and May–Sept.
  • 3. Harbourside

    $$$$

    The food and the view will vie for your attention here, as you dine on contemporary New Zealand cuisine. The menu is created largely from local artisan products, and you can admire Tauranga Harbour from the stunning waterfront location. The quite pricey à la carte menu encompasses starters or starters to share as well as light meals that can be appetizers depending on the size of your appetite, mains, and desserts. From the grill, meats come with a choice of butters and sauces. Reservations are recommended, particularly if you want a spot on the over-water balcony.

    150 The Strand, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, 3110, New Zealand
    07-571--0520

    Known For

    • Excellent harbor views
    • Grill menu of local, organic cuts
    • Several duck dishes
  • 4. Manaia Café and Bar

    $$$$

    This spacious, centrally located café–restaurant can get busy with both visitors and locals. Breakfast kicks off at 9 am with all the standard Kiwi options. Salads, burgers, and fish-and-chips come on the menu for lunch; dinner is still casual but with slightly more upmarket fare with a good range of lamb, steak, salmon, pork, and vegetable dishes on offer. If you arrive during the day, pop into the adjacent Manaia Gallery, which sells jewelry, art, and crafts.

    228 Main Rd., Tairua, Waikato, 3508, New Zealand
    07-864–9050

    Known For

    • Woodfire pizzas
    • Breakfast waffles
    • Art and craft store next-door
  • 5. Mount Bistro

    $$$$

    The high prices set this restaurant apart from other local options, but then again so does the food: in the open-plan kitchen, nationally renowned chef Stephen Barry fuses quality indigenous meats, seafood, and produce with Pacific Rim flavors. À la carte menu choices range from small tapas to share and appetizers (which can also be requested in a slightly larger portion size) to full main courses. For those who inevitably want a taste of all the desserts, there's a tasting platter. The street-side restaurant looks out onto Mauao (Mt. Maunganui).

    6 Adams Ave., Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty, 3116, New Zealand
    07-575–-3872

    Known For

    • Signature flambé seafood dish
    • Multicourse degustation menu
    • Dessert tasting platter

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch
  • Recommended Fodor’s Video

  • 6. Pepper Tree Restaurant and Bar

    $$$$

    The standout restaurant in town showcases local produce, shellfish, fish, lamb, and beef. Lunch easily segues into dinner in the sheltered courtyard or in front of the fire, depending on the season. Service is swish and prices are up there, but you get what you pay for. All-day brunches and light lunches are also served.

    31 Kapanga Rd., Coromandel, Waikato, 3506, New Zealand
    07-866–8211

    Known For

    • Mussels (steamed or in chowder)
    • Other Coromandel shellfish like oysters and scallops
    • Signature prime rib steak
  • 7. Poivre & Sel

    $$$$

    The existence in a small seaside town of such a high-quality French fusion eatery pleasantly surprises many visitors. French chef Samuel Goslin remains true to classical French cuisine, at the same time allowing for the Kiwi taste for less salt and less fat. His wife Severine guides the front of house with a sophisticated yet relaxed ambience, whether inside or out in the cottage garden. Seasonal and local produce features options like Ora King salmon and Coromandel scallops.

    2 Mill Rd., Whitianga, Waikato, 3510, New Zealand
    07-866--0053

    Known For

    • <PRO>French classics like garlic snails</PRO>
    • <PRO>dish presentation that is more like art</PRO>
    • <PRO>two- or three-course degustation menus</PRO>

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
  • 8. Postbank Restaurant and Bar

    $$$$

    The modern fusion menu has chapter-like descriptions, a nod to the quiet, library theme of this stylish eatery in the historic Postbank building. In what is undoubtedly one of the resort town’s premier dining experiences, the dishes blend Mediterranean and Asian influences with top New Zealand produce. Dine in the vintage dining room or enclosed courtyard.

    82 Maunganui Rd., Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, 3116, New Zealand
    07-575–4782

    Known For

    • Good wine list
    • Marinated Ora king salmon
    • Reservations required

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.–Thurs.

No Restaurants Results

Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:

There are no results for {{ strDestName}} Restaurants in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:

Recommended Fodor’s Video