$75 NZ dollars for 4 lamb shanks and 2 glasses of wine, you can't beat that! Such a good value and…read moreso tasty. The waitress was very nice and friendly. She brought us a picture book about the local area, and gave was sample of wine. The lamb shanks was so tender and served in tasty sauce that is salty with just a little bit of sweetness. The restaurant was only 9miles from the Chateau Tangariro, and it was worth it. It was nice busy and it feel like very local.

This will go down as one of the best experiences ever of my trip and honestly in my life. I will…read morenever forget this hospitality. We got here after a long drive from Auckland... was the only place opened but sadly we got there close to their posted close time and being a small town they were in deed closed. I knocked to find out if there was something else around and they kindly brought us in to eat anyways. They made us a full plate a food, not just something lying around. Where to start? The food was absolutely amazing! I've never had lamb shank and was a little scared to try it but it was fantastic. The meat fell off the practically. They served it with some potatoes, a sweet potato(yum), and some grilled onion. The sauce they used complimented everything and I did all I could not to lick it off the plate. It wasn't too heavy at all. It had a flavor that reminded me of grandma's cooking. My friend had the fish and chips and enjoyed it very much! Okay back to the rest. Cute place, very moderately decorated. Not overbearing. Very clean. They even have bikes to rent. By the time I left I felt like family. Marie is incredibly sweet (so are you Bruce!) and chatted with us throughout dinner, telling us about the area, gave us a book of pictures to look through, and filled up a water bottle for me for the drive. They were just really genuine people and that made my night. This restaurant is a gem and you would be making a big mistake not to stop. If I could give it 10 stars I would!

Good coffee, lots of gluten free options, big sausage and bacon portions. Perfect for me.read more

Strong commitment to 6am-8pm! We've found a lot changes to hours during fall but they didn't. We…read moreappreciated the vegan burger (falafel and tahini, pomegranate and salad tasted great), curly fries, and veggie burger! Recommend a pass on the spring roll.

This cute spot is located at the train station. We had the lamb shank and the beef adobo and both…read morewere absolutely delicious!! Even more amazing was the ginger blueberry crumble! Very nice staff and good selection of beer and wine!. Someone local told us to go there and I'm glad we did!!

We stopped in while waiting for a shuttle from the train station to our accommodations. The…read moreambiance was quaint. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The service was quick. The porridge was hot and delicious. The desserts under glass also looked amazing although we did not try them.

Great little place. Good food pleasant people. We enjoyed a nice coffee and pastry that was…read moreoutstanding

What a great cafe! We stopped in on our way through to Auckland. Had an amazing breakfast and…read morecoffee. It's nicely decorated and good amount of seating for customers. Not too much parking. The coffee came with a licorice candy that was very good; nice added touch! The corn fritters and omelette were both very tasty! Service was friendly and fast. I would highly recommend you try this place out! They serve breakfast, light meals, and lunch.

Wow, what a great spot just down the road from some hiking. I didn't really know what to expect but…read moreUtopia delivered. Food: 5/5 We both got Benedict's and I am a fatty which required me to get a waffle with bacon, which we both shared. The hollandaise was full of flavor and balanced well, eggs and potatoes were cooked perfectly. My only critique would be too many mushrooms, but I did order the veggie. That waffle was amazing! It was a Liege style with a very tasty blueberry compote and light cream. The bacon was cooked more to my American pallet (crispy!) and loved the bananas. I had an Americano with cream, which hit the spot. The shot was pulled perfectly and beans tasted fresh. The felt like her cappuccino was perfect so the caffeine situation is a 5/5. Service: 5/5 The lady behind the counter was hustling and taking good care of the steady folks coming in and browsing. She was patient and thoughtful. I thought we'd bee waiting a while but the kitchen and service was very fast. Ambiance: 5/5 There's a sofa made out of a tub, and it's yellow! Already hitting the high marks with the Misses. Plenty of room for the steady flow of patrons. The large menu, to seating, to the clean toilet area, I was impressed and felt very comfortable here. Bottom line, get in here for some coffee and pre-hike calories!!

Nice cosy environment with the fire going. Seating upstairs and to the rear…read more Quite a large menu and also counter food. We had the quiche which was reasonably tasty, not amazing but ok. Not offered any salad or sides with it. Had to wait at the counter for a while as the server fluffed about and the barista avoided eye contact - she could have at least said hi and " we'll be with u in a minute "

Super cute out of the way cafe and tackle shop. All the food was delicious and fresh and…read morebeautifully presented. Great service too. We were able to pick up fly fishing supplies and fill our bellies. Yum! PS Shane is a wonderful fly fishing guide.

A tiny cafe behind the well established fishing tackle shop. The menu isn't extensive but the…read morecabinet fare was fresh and prepared on site. We had the soup and a croque Monsieur. Both were tasty and the coffees were excellent. This cafe has only been here a couple of years but seems to have built a loyal fan base considering the number of customers.

Decided not to EAT here. Walked in on a cold wet day and the white tiles and white metal stools did…read morenothing to make me feel any warmer than outside. No counter food on display, limited menu and no customers - guess others felt the same

Yum!! Great vegetarian/Paleo/Gluten free options- fast service and everything was delicious!…read moreDefinitely try the Paleo burger or the vegetarian toasty. Easy to find in the Main Street and a great place to stop in when doing your scenic drive around the Tongariro National Park

Given its location far from the hub of civilization, the Pihanga Cafe does a very good job of…read morefeeding hungry hikers and other guests of the adjoining Chateau Tongariro. This comfy place is very casual, with simple tables and friendly workers. There are only a handful of choices here in Tongariro, so it's impressive that the food is as good as it is. You are sort of a captive audience, after all! I dined here twice during our recent stay in the Chateau. Both times, I opted for the fresh fish, which came with a nice green salad and fries (kumara fries, in my case). Everything was fresh and tasty. The fish was light and flavorful, and the fries not too heavy. The salad consisted of green leaf lettuce with some sliced peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Very nice! Don't hesitate to dine here if you are at the Chateau. Or even if you are staying at a lesser property nearby. You won't be disappointed.

Most expensive kids meal that I have ever seen in my life! (It probably costs out with the huge…read moredessert but I don't need my kids to have huge dessert with each meal.) They enjoyed it all! My husband enjoyed his soup. Low stars for the chewy lamb. Also would probably eat elsewhere if you are gluten free especially celiac. Noting foods that have shared fryer foods as gf isn't the best practice.