Thirsty Weta

Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula


Hearty meals, including pizza, steak, burgers, pasta and curries (mains $21 to $30). Later on a pub-meets-wine-bar ambience kicks off as the local musos plug in. It’s one of just a handful of places you’ll find craft beers on tap from the local King Country Brewing Co. Our favourite is the well-balanced pale ale.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula attractions

1. Ed Hillary Walkway

0.06 MILES

As well as the Kiwiana decorating the main street, the Ed Hillary Walkway (running off Maniapoto St) has information panels on the All Blacks, Marmite and…

3. Opapake Pa

7.23 MILES

Near Waitomo Adventures, a steep 20-minute walk leads through bush then along farmland to the abandoned Opapake Pa, where terraces and kumara pits are…

5. Waitomo Caves Visitor Centre

7.74 MILES

The big-three Waitomo Caves are all operated by the same company, based at the spectacular Waitomo Caves Visitor Centre (near the Glowworm Cave). Various…

6. Glowworm Cave

7.84 MILES

The guided tour of the Glowworm Cave, which is behind the visitor centre, leads past impressive stalactites and stalagmites into a large cavern known as…

7. Aranui Cave

8.82 MILES

Three kilometres west from the Glowworm Cave is Aranui Cave. This cave is dry (hence no glowworms) but compensates with an incredible array of limestone…

8. Ruakuri Cave

9.12 MILES

Ruakuri Cave has an impressive 15m-high spiral staircase, bypassing a Māori burial site at the cave entrance. Tours lead through 1.6km of the 7.5km system…