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This spot out in the country offers food up there in quality with the best urban-chic cafés. The contemporary New Zealand–style menu has a mix of smaller and larger plates that (mostly) stay under NZ$30. The drinks menu features popular New Zealand wine varieties and craft beer. Dinner is available Wednesday to Sunday, but lunch is only on the weekends.
10 Waitomo Village Rd., Waitomo, Waikato, 3977, New Zealand
Known For
- Good wine list for such a small and isolated place
- Traditional rewana (Māori bread)
- Local Te Kuiti slow-cooked lamb shoulder
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch Mon.--Fri.
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Though this café shares premises with a property brokerage office, it's not your usual pie and sandwich workplace diner. At lunchtime, people from all over town descend on the Local, and you are unlikely to get a table to yourself if you don't make a reservation. However, there is usually space on the long communal table. Noodle bowls are a specialty here: choose your preferred type of noodle and add anything from tofu, portobello mushrooms, marinated beef, pork belly, or prawns, just for starters. Sliders (small burgers) are another menu favorite; the smashed avocado and feta slider is a popular vegetarian choice. It's about a 15-minute walk from the center of town, or a short drive.
240 Broadway Ave., Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, 4414, New Zealand
Known For
- Noodle bowls with anything from tofu to prawns
- Fresh salads
- Large windows and streetside location
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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Head to Nero for fine dining in a charming old Victorian-style villa on a quiet inner-city street. Chef and owner Scott Kennedy describes the cuisine as contemporary New Zealand, along with a touch of fusion to celebrate cultural diversity. Choose warm and cozy indoor seating in winter, or restful alfresco in the garden in summer. Nero consistently wins restaurant awards and has received New Zealand's prestigious Beef and Lamb Excellence Award.
36 Amesbury St., Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, 4410, New Zealand
Known For
- Diverse Asian flavors
- 42-day whisky-aged Wagyu beef
- Quality service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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At this buzzing corner café, surfers—here for the great coffee and organic, free-range food—cram the couches and Formica tables beneath walls decorated with hanging plants, surfboards and Raglan beach scenes. The menu is huge and the meals hearty, starting with breakfast at 8. Dishes hail from around the globe: Mexico, Thailand, and more. The dinner menu (Thursday through Saturday only) is seasonal and plates are designed for sharing. There's also a selection of organic beers, wines, teas, smoothies, and juices.
19 Bow St., Raglan, Waikato, 3225, New Zealand
Known For
- Locally sourced coffee, produce, and beverages
- Retro, casual beach vibe
- Gluten-free, paleo, and vegan options all available
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Wed.
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The dosa (a filled, savory pancake) takes pride of place on the menu at this southern-Indian restaurant on New Plymouth's main street. The most traditional (and popular) option is the masala dosa (filled with seasoned potatoes, other vegetables, and mixed spices), but you can also get a number of variations, including one with mozzarella cheese for an "India meets Italy" combo. Other dishes to try include aubergines with roasted coriander and cashews, goat in fresh sliced coconut, and grilled fish with tiger prawns in banana leaf. If you need help, the enthusiastic staff here will be happy to provide explanations. A nice touch is the "peace wall" that displays quotations from famous people along the entire length of the restaurant.
77 Devon St. E., New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand
Known For
- Central location on main street
- Set menus available for two people or more
- Lentil doughnuts for starters
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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The local newspaper used to be produced in this historic building, but the premises now house a friendly café that doubles as a retro clothes and arts store. A large communal wooden table takes pride of place near the streetside windows, so this is a great place to chat with locals or just people-watch while you enjoy a cup of organic, fair-trade coffee. It is also known for its biscuits and cakes; the gluten-free chocolate and prune tart with blackberries is a popular choice.
21 Drews Ave., Whanganui, Manawatu-Whanganui, New Zealand
Known For
- Location in Whanganui's emerging arts district
- Artisan breads
- Lively atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.--Tues.
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A buzzy microbrewery, right in the center of the city, Brew Union serves a flexible menu of small plates, wood-fired pizzas, grills, salads, and burgers. Along with house-brewed beers, there are regular taps serving ales and ciders from craft brewers across New Zealand as well as a full selection of other beverages. So pop in for a pint with the locals, or bring the family for lunch.
41 Broadway Ave., Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, 4410, New Zealand
Known For
- Fresh house-brewed beers
- Tasty tapas
- Lots of different spaces (communal, quiet, indoors, and covered outdoors)
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Just off the Square, funky Café Cuba is a perennially popular local haunt for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and after-show mingling. The menu is all classic, wholesome café fare, matched with laid-back background music. There are magazines and newspapers to peruse if you can focus with the happy chatter of locals all around.
Cuba and George Sts., Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, 4410, New Zealand
Known For
- Student community vibe
- Modern bubble and squeak (British breakfast) with bacon
- Sweet treats like cheesecake
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Wholesome homemade food attracts both Taranaki locals and travelers to this character-filled village café housed in a circa-1878 butcher shop. The menu runs from breakfast through late lunch (i.e., 5 pm), with dinner only on Friday and Saturday nights. Midway between New Plymouth and Stratford, in the town of Inglewood, it’s a welcome spot if you’re on the road, heading to the mountain.
1 Kelly St., Inglewood, Taranaki, 4330, New Zealand
Known For
- Best baristas for miles
- Gourmet burger selection
- Waffles for breakfast
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Wed.
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This restaurant is actually a short walk from the beach, but the atmosphere is right, if a little kitschy. Seafood is predominant on the menu (try the seafood chowder or the smoked kawahai fish cakes), but there's also an extensive selection of wood-fired pizzas. The menu matches everything with a beer or cider from the Waikato-based Good George Brewery, but you can also order wines and cocktails. Sit yourself down on a swing chair or around one of the wooden picnic-style tables and check out the colorful artwork, surfboards on the wall, hanging pot plants, and 'street' signs to other famous surf places like Bora Bora and Waikiki.
2 Bow St., Raglan, Waikato, New Zealand
Known For
- Cold lager in the summer, mulled cider in the winter
- Tempura fish and chips with pickles and aioli
- Both indoor and outdoor dining
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One of the newer eateries in town, Iso has established itself as a favorite with locals as well as the visiting surf set (it's connected to a surf shop). Bagels are a brunch special, along with the Ozone-brand coffee, but the restaurant really comes into its own in the evening when you can pick up a wine or locally brewed beer along with European-inspired fare such as tapas or pasta. But there are also burgers as well as a tasty Buddha bowl that combines brown rice and veggies. The friendly staff will explain the market fish and 'butcher's block' specials, and they're usually good. The liveliest atmosphere is in the street fronting room (it's got the bar) but for a more intimate time, there is an area out the back.
23 Bow St., Raglan, Waikato, 3223, New Zealand
Known For
- Good daily fish and meat specials
- "Nasty Burger" with beef, bacon, caramelized onions, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and chimichurri aioli
- Outdoor seating on footpath
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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Traditional Japanese food made with a mix of imported Japanese ingredients and fresh local produce is the star here. There's also a good selection of beer, sake, rice wine, and New Zealand beverages. Momiji is set in an old heritage building, once a post office, in the CBD.
26 Victoria Ave., Whanganui, Manawatu-Whanganui, 4500, New Zealand
Known For
- Bento boxes
- Kirin beer on tap
- Sashimi and sushi with locally caught fish
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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This waterside restaurant has big windows, big views, and big tasty menus. Brunch is served every morning, and dinner brings out the chef's creativity. For lunch, look for platters, flatbreads, burgers, and salads. Orca also has a casual bar, where you can watch the sunset over the harbor, play a game of pool, or listen to live music on weekends. Beers from Raglan's own Workshop Brewing Co. have pride of place at the bar.
2 Wallis St., Raglan, Waikato, 3225, New Zealand
Known For
- Signature braised beef cheek with balsamic pickled onions and garlic mash
- Best dining views in Raglan (look for the orcas!)
- Excellent food and wine pairings
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Occupying a 100-year-old shearing shed, the funky, rustic Rock-it serves casual Kiwi fare and local Raglan Roast coffee. The menu is small but wholesome; try the all-day brunch, beef sliders, and soups for lunch, either inside or out on the huge deck. It’s 3 km (2 miles) from town on the way to Ocean Beach. It is open for dinner on Friday and Saturday only.
248 Wainui Rd., Raglan, Waikato, 3297, New Zealand
Known For
- Country atmosphere
- Aged prime Scotch fillet with truffle agria mash and smoked vine tomatoes
- Alternative access (you can paddle a kayak up the Wainui estuary to get here)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.--Thurs.
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The casual yet stylish setup at this Japanese yakitori grill and cocktail bar is designed to bring people together, and it works. The menu focuses on small plates to share. Quality wines, craft beers, and sake are also available. Located in the heritage-listed White Heart Hotel, the Snug has cozy nooks and crannies plus a sheltered courtyard with a massive gas fire and barbecue. Lunch is served on Friday, but otherwise it's dinner only.
124 Devon St. W, New Plymouth, Taranaki, 4310, New Zealand
Known For
- Steamed buns, dumplings with assorted fillings, and spicy meat skewers
- Deep-fried kusiage delights
- Alcohol-infused desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sat.–Thurs.
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The name says it all: this is the place to socialize with friends while sharing plates from the open kitchen. The food has been fired up with flavor in the South American--styled Mibrasa charcoal oven or slow-cooked to create delicious 12-hour smoked meats. There’s also a huge selection of tapas-style shellfish, vegetables, charcuterie, and breads. While the food is high-quality, the decor is pretty casual; guests sit at high benches in the sheltered courtyard or the slightly more formal restaurant seating inside.
40 Powderham St., New Plymouth, Taranaki, 4311, New Zealand
Known For
- Sunday roasts
- Lively late dining (go early if you want quiet)
- Charcoal-flavored foods all served with chimichurri
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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This relaxed bar–restaurant specializes in pizzas, burgers, light meals, salads, and meaty main courses. It's also a music venue and hosts weekly quiz nights. There's a strong Kiwi character here, with wool presses for bar stands and giant screens for watching sports.
2 Victoria Ave., Whanganui, Manawatu-Whanganui, 4500, New Zealand
Known For
- Strong Kiwi vibe
- Late-night entertainment
- Nice craft beer selection
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Wholesome, organic, and scrumptious food is served in a country café that’s set in the middle of a 2-acre herb garden. The herbs grown here are served fresh with your food and are also used in the natural healing products manufactured on site. The dining area is adjacent to a themed garden designed to keep children interested. It's just a 10-minute drive from the city, near the town of Ashurst.
88 Grove Rd., Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, 4470, New Zealand
Known For
- Spectacular herb garden
- Generous and fresh Kiwi breakfast and brunch classics
- Adjacent shop filled with healing herb products made on-site
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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Situated at Waitomo's General Store (which itself offers limited grocery items and souvenirs), this versatile eatery can serve as a café if you're just looking for a coffee with a scone or biscuit, but it also offers fresh cabinet-style food such as paninis and bagels that can be prepared on the spot, as well as a full menu for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. Grab a comfortable and sunny spot near the window in the lounge-style seating area if you can, but there are plenty of standard tables and chairs. The outdoor deck is a good choice in the summer. Decor is fairly sparse, but there are some nice photos (for sale) of New Zealand landscapes on a couple of the walls. The eatery opens by 8 am each day.
15 Village Rd, Waitomo, Waikato, 3943, New Zealand
Known For
- Slow-cooked sheep shank
- Closing early (by 7 pm nightly)
- Right next to i-Site
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Join the locals at this cozy café, spread throughout the veranda, garden, and several intimate rooms of an old, mostly yellow villa. It serves a full breakfast/brunch menu with all the classics as well as wholesome, house-cooked lunches. It's located across the road from the river and a two-minute drive from the city center. The cafe caters well to vegetarians and vegans (try the haloumi stack with roasted kumara, wilted greens, and smoked capsicum [roasted red peppers]) but for meat eaters, one of the best things on the menu is the ginger beer pulled-pork burger.
17 Pitt St., Whanganui, Manawatu-Whanganui, 4500, New Zealand
Known For
- Best brunch menu in town
- Great tea selection
- Bright and welcoming atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
