Restaurants in Coromandel Region
-
A
Driving Creek Cafe
A large selection of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, organic and fair-trade delights awaits at this funky mud-brick cafe. The food is wonderful – beautifully presented, fresh and healthy. Once sated, the kids can play in the sandpit while the adults check their email.
reviewed
-
B
Nakontong Thai Restaurant
Although the bright lighting may not induce romance, the tangy Thai dishes should provide a warm glow.
reviewed
-
C
Rocco
Housed in one of Thames’ gorgeous kauri villas, Rocco serves a lively tapas selection and more substantial mains, making good use of local ingredients (mussels, fish) and high-quality Spanish imports (chorizo, cheese, olives). Inclement weather, take a seat among the crushed-shell and swirling brick paths outside.
reviewed
-
Old Mill Cafe
There’s nothing run-of-the-mill about this old dear. Zooshed up with bright pink feature walls and elegant veranda furniture, it serves delights such as buttermilk-and-blueberry pancakes, croque monsieurs, New England chowder and perfectly gooey chocolate tarts.
reviewed
-
D
Fire Place
Living up to its name, the modern interiors wrap around big stone chimneys and open fires. The excellent wood-fired pizzas ($20) are big enough for two, saving room for the phenomenal desserts. In the off-season look out for cracking specials like the $15 Sunday roast.
reviewed
-
E
Pepper Tree Restaurant & Bar
C-Town’s most upmarket option, Pepper Tree dishes up generously proportioned French-style cooking with a particular emphasis on local seafood. On a summer’s evening, the courtyard tables under the shady tree are the place to be.
reviewed
-
Manaia Cafe & Bar
With courtyard seating for lazy summer brunches and a burnished copper bar to prop up later in the night, Manaia is a slick addition to the Tairua strip. The dinner menu features bistro faves with some artful twists.
reviewed
-
F
Coromandel Smoking Co
For a delicious snack or cooking supplies, Coromandel Smoking Co has a wonderful range of smoked fish and seafood. You can’t leave town without trying the extremely addictive smoked mussels.
reviewed
-
Punters Bar & Grill
Punters is primarily a pub, but it also serves decent snacks (such as crunchy panini slices with dips) and giant burgers with a choice of scotch fillet or fish instead of the usual random meat patty.
reviewed
-
Craig’s Traditional Fish & Chips
All you could ask for in a chippie, Craig’s cooks up pieces of grilled fresh fish and fat, salted chips. The service is friendly, and there’s a TV and a stack of trashy mags to speed up the wait.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Meeting Place Bar & Restaurant
These grand chambers once belonged to the local council. The cosy bar is more appealing than the cavernous dining room, but servings are massive and the slightly retro fare is surprisingly nice.
reviewed
-
G
Cafe Nina
Barbecue for breakfast? Why the hell not. Too cool to be constricted to four walls, the kitchen grills bacon and eggs on an outdoor hotplate while the punters spill out onto tables in the park.
reviewed
-
Coromandel Oyster Company
If you prefer your bivalves au naturel, the roadside Coromandel Oyster Company is the place for newly landed mussels, scallops, cooked crayfish and, of course, oysters.
reviewed
-
Soul Burger
It’s hard to argue with the ‘Eat, Love, Live’ motto or the audacious burgers of this hip corner joint. Try a Coromandel Ninja (beef, wasabi, pickled ginger, salad) or a Vegan Vibe.
reviewed
-
Lazy Lizard
Winning points for bizarre hand-shaped stools, this funky lizard does delicious counter food, cooked breakfasts, bagels and salads. The fair-trade organic coffee is first rate.
reviewed
-
H
Sola Cafe
Bright and friendly, this meat-free cafe is first rate. Expect excellent coffee and a range of vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options that include heavenly salads.
reviewed
-
I
Sangam Indian Cuisine
North India comes to Whitianga via this large, upmarket restaurant with exotic light fittings. If the kids aren’t spice-friendly there’s a fish-and-chips lifeline.
reviewed
-
J
Success Café
This easy-going café delivers good coffee, cooked breakfasts, and local specialities such as mussel chowder. Dinners are solid meat, fish or chicken affairs.
reviewed
-
K
Cog
Get an early start on the sunny terrace of this side-street cafe, where the counter food beckons enticingly and the toasted sandwiches have gourmet aspirations.
reviewed
-
L
Umu
Umu serves up classy cafe fare, including excellent pizza, mouth-watering counter food (tarts and quiches around $7), superb coffee and tummy-taming breakfasts.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Ti-tree Cafe
Housed in a cute little wooden building with punga-shaded outdoor seating, Ti-tree serves fair-trade organic coffee, cooked breakfasts and wood-fired pizza.
reviewed
-
Hot Waves Café
The wonderful Hot Waves Café hires spades ($5) and serves excellent food in cool surroundings. In summer there are queues out the door.
reviewed
-
Out of the Blue Cafe
This popular meeting place serves decent coffee, breakfast, counter snacks and light meals such as salads and sandwiches.
reviewed
-
M
Tuatua
The tapas craze has made it to Whitianga, but with a local flavour – try the Madrid-style Coromandel mussels.
reviewed
-
N
Food for Thought
You might toy with a panini, cake or coffee, but it is really the award-winning pies that you come here for.
reviewed
