Located on the Mudbrick vineyard this bistro has amazing food…read more The staff is so helpful and kind. Shoutout to KENNY!!!!! Always ask for him! The butter for the bread and the bread itself was divine . The duck meatballs was worth every bite. Cocktails, wine all a delight. Make sure you make a reservation.

Came here with my parents and kids as a special occasion to mark the new year and their visit to…read moreNew Zealand. Came here expecting a lovely lunch a la carte (vs the white table cloth formal pice fixe menu), but left fairly disappointed by the experience. Agree with others, portion sizes are anemic - especially for the prices. They were also out of the duck leg and the oysters, with no replacement. It's $30-40 for starters, and $55-60 for a main (which doesn't include any vegetable or side). While food was good, definitely didn't justify the prices. You also are unable to taste wine while dining, but can go next door to the cellar door for $40 per person. I personally wasn't a fan of the tannin forward reds, but depends on your style. The service wasn't that great either - we had two kids with us and one of their dishes (pasta and red sauce) didn't arrive until everyone else was done eating (~15 min after). No reason other than "the kitchen was busy". The view is lovely but the bistro has the second hand view versus the more formal restaurant. The day we were there they also didn't have any tables set up outside. Next time, I'll probably opt for one of the other wineries with great food as there are many other spots with nice views on the island.

Went for lunch with friends and should have taken the hint that they have an amazing view and were…read moreempty. The best way to describe it was the food was mediocre at best, and I do mean at best, and the service was absolute shite! The experience was so bad, we chose to leave during a rainstorm rather than stay any longer.

A proper fish and chips spot!…read more The day we visited Waiheke Island, we stumbled upon The Local and we're glad that we did! Upon walking in, we were greeted by friendly staff and ordered at the counter. We tried the beef burger, hoki fish and 2 kinds of chips (regular and kumara), a fish cake, and calamari. Tartar sauce packs were 50¢ each but malt vinegar was readily available on the table. Everything was piping hot when it came out. The fish was extra crispy, the fries were the perfect texture, the fish cake was delectable, the calamari was tasty, and the burger was very flavorful! We had a great lunch and would return!

Very nice place and the cakes are amazing! Highly recommend!…read more Service is amazing as well

This is a neat place to go to for an after-work drink…read more The Oakroom has recently had a facelift and has a cosy feel. Rohini and Corey are great hosts and the small team of staff are always friendly, chatty and sincere. There's a gastropub style menu; food and drinks are good value. It's also a good spot for a private function with good catering options.

My friend held her 21st party here last night and when I arrived I instantly wanted to have mine…read morehere. It's a lovely looking bar I think it must be quite new because all the furniture looked that way. Not the place itself though, it was really classy but rustic with mood lighting and lots of seats which I love, too many places don't offer enough seating and everyone just has to stand around. Their outside deck area was where we spent most of our night, they had outdoor tables and stools as well as a more comfy option...the outdoor sofa. They had two tv screens which she used to display pictures all evening. The bartender was pleasant and friendly and everyone looked like they had the best night.

Gorgeous ambiance, right on the river. Service was good. Brought food out promptly. Now the food,…read morewe had a lot. The winning tapa for us was the crudo. We ordered it twice! All the food we had was delicious, seems like you can't go wrong with anything you order. The drinks were also pretty good. I ordered the cocktail passionfruit sour. It was so good! Definitely a great spot for tapas and cocktails/mocktails with a great ambiance.

The food and service is fabulous. Best time to go is in the water weather when you can sit outside…read morein the fresh air and enjoy the river views. Thoroughly recommend,.

Best Steak sandwich in town well worth a visit The Phoenix…read moreon the Strand Gastropub with an atmosphere!

While road tripping across the north island of NZ we stopped by The Phoenix in Tauranga for lunch…read moreand it didn't disappoint. The Angus burger was terrific and paired well with the golden lager. Nice atmosphere and staff was friendly.

Pinot Plus is a cozy wine bar in Tapauna that seems to understand that "a meal without wine is…read morelike a day without sunshine." The decor is somewhat typical of European wine bars with its softly lit interior and deep red feature wall. I love the large blackboard and the old wine barrels with bar stools in their street-side seating area. A sommelier is always on hand to offer advice and help you find the right wine to compliment your meal so it is pretty standard to start your dinner with a little wine tasting session. Both sommeliers who served me were friendly and helpful and they went out of their way to help us find the wines that best suited our pallet and/or meal. I love that John Ingle has included a wonderful array of good New Zealand wines on his list. The menu isn't extensive but the meals are usually fabulous and the portions are perfect - if you are into sampling good food, rather than eating bellyful! I have eaten from two of their menus so far and I haven't been disappointed. However, as with most dining experiences some dishes are always going to be that much better. I have added a few comments along with some photos. Pinot Plus has had Grabone vouchers on offer lately - perfect reason to check it out! Please note; you can get a sparking water instead of wine but no other type of beverage here - it is after-all, a wine bar!

This was a delicious breakfast. The whipped yoghurt was amazing. The fluffy, airy sweetness was so…read moregood and the granola was also great. Fresh and crunchy with sweet stone fruits on top. The sourdough and eggs were great as well. I personally don't like parsley garnish so I didn't enjoy that on the egg as much but everything else was fantastic. Tomatoes were really juicy. Everything just tasted super fresh and of great quality.

we loved everything about this restaurant when we had dinner there. so much so that we went back…read morefor breakfast a day later! All the people there are friendly and efficient. The seating is comfortable. Go here.

What a great find! Took a wrong term, drove 50 km in the wrong direction - but was grateful to end…read moreup in Whangamata looking for dinner :) We sat outside on the ample deck - while not a great view - the overall atmosphere was lovely as we sat next to the bar and the staff kept popping out and chatting. My friend and I tried the crumbed squid (appie) and the market fish (salmon) and the soft shell crab for the main course. The squid came with a great puree (avocado?) and we loved the pineapple addition to the soft shell crab! We found the salmon to be a bit dry however. I think I'll definitely come back... for the pretty great seafood and....the goat inspired wine!! (check out the Nanny Goat Pinot Noir - worth the price).

I was planning to pop by the grocery store across the street and saw people eating on the patio at…read morethe Beach Club and decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did! Quick service. Lovely eggs Benedict with Salmon. Solid views of the beach. Definitely worth a breakfast visit.

Waiheke is a magical destination at any time of the year, but I haven't yet managed to catch a…read moresunrise there. I've been lucky enough to while away a late afternoon soaking up the picturesque views from Cable Bay, but I'm not much of a morning person. A 6am ferry trip from the mainland changed all that. Driving around in the dark just after 7am, we stumbled upon staff setting up the Oneroa Beach Club for the morning rush. Nowhere else in the village, bar an outdoor espresso bar, was opening until 8am or later, but we were welcomed inside early, our coffee orders taken by a ridiculously friendly staff member, and made to feel like we weren't that annoying couple who want the rules changed just for them! And as we sat there allowing the caffeine to filter through into our consciousness, the most incredible sunrise started peeking over the horrizon right in front of us, illuminating the peaceful harbour view & spilling golden light onto the street. We had the prime seats to view the morning come to life. The infectiously friendly nature of the staff was a wonderful start to the day. Maybe it's something to do with living on this island paradise, but everyone we dealt with was chirpy, happy & full of beans. The menu was filled with your classic breakfast choices, with lots of options available for vegan or gluten-free choices on request. The French Toast was highlighted as a "must try OBC signature dish", served with sumptuous fresh fruit, vanilla mascarpone & fresh seasonal berries. Of course we had to try it, along with the OBC Full Quota Breakfast. The French Toast was delicious; the fruit & accompaniments providing just the right amount of sweetness. The Full Quota was tasty; a typical rendition of a big breakfast. Nothing stood out as being fantastic, but each of the elements were good. One small little gripe - menus that advertise "field mushrooms" as one of the ingredients, then only deliver 1 mushroom! I've struck this at several places; OBC certainly isn't the only one. On a more positive note - no surcharge on public holidays whoop! The menu changes into a tapas/small plate menu ideal for sharing later in the day, along with cabinet food as well. Oneroa Beach Club seems the perfectly situated spot to crack a brew & take in the Pacific Ocean views on a lazy weekend. You'll probably see me there again soon!