This neighborhood eatery is owned by the folks who run the Night Owl Restaurant, Owl's Nest Motel,…read moreand some other local businesses...I think they pretty much own the entire of 400? Regardless of the near monopoly, the Fat Pigeon serves up wonderful meals and bakes up perfect pastries...all for very reasonable prices. $21 Fat Pigeon breakfast $2: eggs cooked the way you like, crispy bacon, breakfast sausages, mushies, fried potatoes, roasted tomato & toasted ciabatta...a Hobbit's perfect breakfast $18 Bacon Banana Waffle Tower...a true tower representing breakfast! $21 Green lip mussels: savory steamed mussels in a delicious chorizo & tomato sauce, and garlic ciabatta...go good! We enjoyed some other divine dishes as well..be sure to eat here if you're nearby!

Still great. Friendly staff. Excellent array of food. Lamination especially good and beautifully…read morepresented.

We had an outstanding dinner this evening here, Hello Beasty aside the best meal we have had during…read moreour first five days in New Zealand. Began with a bottled stout beer (too few beers on tap, sad to say). First time trying rewana bread, a Maori sourdough. My garden salad was rich with interesting greens as well as julienned strips of carrot and tomatoes. Nancy was pleased with her salt and pepper squid, almost as good as the first rate calamari of Capetown, the standard by which we judge calamari. My main was Lamb 'N' Vege, tender medallions of lamb shoulder in a stew of cubed potatoes, squash and beets, with a nice gravy. We were too full to think of dessert (Nancy liked the look of her chargrilled broccoli but was too full to do anything but take it home)

Service was excellent. The Thai mussels were tasty every though they were breaded and fried. The…read morelamb shoulder was good and the burger was tasty although the beef was more dense. Good spot in Te Kuiti for dinner that was open to 8:30 pm.

We had an adequate dinner here. Nancy very much liked her arugula salad (I didn;t get a taste) and…read moreher pumpkin risotto. I had whjat purported to be a Thai beef salad, and although the greens where very nice and the beef well prepared, it was not discernibly Thai -- no lime juice, no fish sauce, no spiciness, and no cilantro. Nice salad, but not an accurate menu listing

This was a great place for us to stop at while visiting the Waitomo Gloworm Caves. We got here…read moreright as the cafe was opening, which was probably a good thing since we didn't make a reservation but we were still able to get a table since we were early. I would recommend either making a reservation, or getting there early because it's a pretty small cafe and the dining room can fill up really quickly. Their parking spots out front is also pretty limited, so getting there early ensures that you have a place to park without having to circle around and find street parking. We got one of their salads and their fish and chips and both were absolutely divine. I loved the freshness of their salad and their flavor combination. The citrus dressing really tied it all together. The fish and chips, as a staple in NZ was so fresh and crispy here! I truly enjoyed it. The table next to us got the mini lamb burgers, and if I had more stomach space, I would have loved to try that too since it looked juicy and mouthwatering. The views in this place was also really great and and I truly enjoyed my visit.

How can you not love it with a name like that? We stopped by for a late lunch while on a day trip…read moreto the glow worm caves from Auckland. Our tour guide definitely knows food. There is a vast variety of drinks and baked goods as well as sandwiches available. Personally I was unable to resist a square cronut... I ended up sharing it with folks because it was so huge and filling. I also enjoyed a spinach feta Danish with a side salad. Everything was fresh and delicious. The vinaigrette on the salad was spectacular. The ambiance in here is so welcoming and cute. There is indoor as well as outdoor seating. Stop by if you get a chance and don't forget to order a dessert too.

Cute little cafe. Stopped here for breakfast and lunch. Both times the food was excellent…read more Breakfast, we did the eggs and waffle. Chai latte was pretty standard, but good. Lunch we did the nachos all was super delicious. The meat pie and sausage roll were just okay. Service was good and pretty quick. They also have a cute little shopping section with great locally made pieces.

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,.

The best meal I had in New Zealand! The pork belly bowl was absolutely delicious. It was so fresh…read moretasting and the pork belly was perfect. It wasn't greasy--it was airy and the perfect consistency. I keep saying perfect because it was just perfect! The toastie was also so good and the fries were tasty! The service was warm with plenty of drink refills. It's the perfect stop after a long day at the glow worm caves!

We had a very reasonable lunch here yesterday on our way to Waitomo., It was pretty different…read morefrom what the Lonely Planet described, but that is on the guidebook, not the restaurant. (weak beer list, for example) I had a plate of ribs with barbecue sauce, while my wife ordered sticky chicken. She was, I am sorry to say, a bit mean to the restaurant -- she has asked whether the sticky chicken was spicy, and was told that it wasn't. Then when it arrived, she expressed her discontent but repeatedly refused their offers to bring her something else. What really impressed me was how persistent but the waiter and the manager were in trying to make things right with her, despite her refusal to accept that. New Zealand nice meets midwestern stubborn.

I had a craving for a good burger and we found Rust. Their smash burgers are dripping with juice…read moreand fresh toppings. I had lettuce and tomato on mine and skipped the Mayo and pickle. Cooked to perfection, this huge burger definitely satisfied my craving. It came with a side of fries which were the perfect combo of crispy and salty. Service was excellent. I loved that the family of the woman working there came to visit her. Her little kids were so excited. There were a few other patrons enjoying their meals and we all were chatting a bit and sharing travel stories and recommendations. What a great stop.

Good little hangout - suspect the best in Turangi - and the chef knows what hes doing...love their…read morechicken salad,,,

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.

Hands down the best meal we've had in New Zealand so far, and we've been chasing great food the…read morewhole trip. We started with Maple Old Fashioneds, which were tasty though a touch watered down for a cocktail that's supposed to be spirit-forward -- maybe a Kiwi preference thing, but it's really the only note on an otherwise flawless night. For starters, the venison tartare and ceviche were both light, refreshing, and beautifully done. The tartare in particular let the minerality of the venison really shine through. For mains we went with the picanha and beef cheeks, plus sides of crispy potatoes and the gnocchi. Picanha on the menu alone sets this place apart -- it's a phenomenal cut that deserves way more recognition outside Brazilian cuisine, and they nailed it, especially with the chimichurri. The beef cheeks were equally impressive: fall-apart tender, melting texture, incredible depth of flavor. We ended up dipping the crispy potatoes in both the chimichurri and the beef cheek juices, which tells you everything. The blue cheese gnocchi deserves its own paragraph. Our son doesn't even like blue cheese and loved it -- the cheese was subtle, not overpowering, and the gnocchi itself was the most pillowy we've ever had. We liked it so much we ordered a second round. Worth the visit for that dish alone. We finished with the toffee custard -- think flan, but thicker and even silkier. A perfect way to end the meal. Service was warm and knowledgeable -- Dimitri took great care of us. Can't recommend this place enough.

Very good food with a contemporary menu. Attentive service but also some big groups and therefore…read morevery loud.

Excellent value for what you get. $15 for a decent sized entree. Looks like it would be a great…read morespot to grab a pint too!

The food was delicious but a little pricey. The chef did an excellent job with the food. My…read moresalmon was slightly raw in the middle but apparently this is how people eat salmon (accordingly to waitress).