Restaurants in Coromandel Peninsula
In Thames
You won't find a lot of slick dining choices in Thames, but Sealey Café, 109 Sealey St. (tel. 07/868-8641), in an old villa, offers light lunches and coffee, although Waiomu Beach Café, 622 Thames Coast Rd., Waiomu Bay (tel. 07/868-2554), comes with higher recommendations. They're just across the road from the beach and have a good range of light food to enjoy with coffee. Sola Café, 720B Pollen St. (tel. 07/868-8781), is probably your best good-coffee choice in Thames itself. They have a small vegetarian menu and are open daily 9am to 4pm and for dinner on Friday nights.
In Coromandel
Driving Creek Café, 180 Driving Creek Rd. (tel. 07/866-7066), just north of town in an old villa, serves delicious meals using local and organic produce. It's open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:30am to 4pm and is the place to get a feel for local culture -- it's a laid-back venue set in the bush, with a piano planted in its center. The Success Café, 104 Kapanga Rd. (tel. 07/866-7100), is a nice place for a light lunch or a quiet evening meal. It serves local seafood in a relaxed environment; open summer daily from 9am to 6pm, with reduced hours in winter.
Peppertree Restaurant & Bar, 31 Kapanga Rd. (tel. 07/866-8211), is probably the best eatery in town, and its dinners present seafood, sushi, mussel fritters, local beef, and fresh vegetables in interesting combinations. It's open daily from 10:30am until late in summer, 11am to 9pm in winter. If you'd like a snack of fresh-smoked fish, mussels, scallops, salmon, or roe, then head for the Coromandel Smoking Company, 70 Tiki Rd. (tel. 07/866-8793; www.corosmoke.co.nz). It's open daily from 8am until 6pm with reduced winter hours. Coromandel Oyster Company, 1611 SH25, Tiki Rd., Coromandel (tel. 07/866-8028; corooysterco@xtra.co.nz), is another good spot to get fresh premium oysters, local mussels, prawns, scallops, chowders, sauces, and smoked seafood at wholesale prices -- just the thing if you're considering a beach barbecue.
In Whitianga
Whitianga has quite a range of fair-to-middling restaurants and cafes, so you won't go short of a meal. As in most provincial centers, service can be patchy and changes of ownership after printing can sometimes mean things aren't quite what they used to be. One of my favorite and most consistent Whitianga spots is Café Nina, 20 Victoria St. (tel. 07/866-5440), open daily in summer from 8am to 10:30pm and winter from 9am to 5:30pm. You'll get the best coffee and counter food in town at this 100-year-old miner's cottage tucked away in a small back street. It's hugely popular and always has a mixed, slightly alternative crowd.
The Fireplace, 9 The Esplanade (tel. 07/866-4828), is a great waterfront spot with a courtyard, good seafood, and wood-fired pizzas. They're open daily from 11am to late; be sure to make a reservation. The Eggsentric Café, 1047 Purangi Rd., Flaxmill Bay (tel. 07/866-0307), is near Cooks Beach and just a ferry ride from Whitianga itself. It has a great atmosphere and a chef who does inspiring and delicious things with fresh seafood. They're open Tuesday through Friday 10:30am till late, and weekends 9am until late. They'll even pick you up from the ferry if you wish. That's what I call service! Salt Bar and Restaurant, 1 Blacksmith Lane (tel. 07/866-5818; www.whitiangahotel.co.nz), has been revamped under new management and it's one of the best spots for fine dining. It's open daily from 11am until late. For good seafood and tapas, try Tuatua, 45 Albert St. (tel. 07/866-0952). They serve tapas all day and switch to an a la carte menu that focuses on seafood at night. Make sure you book ahead at night.
In Pauanui and Tairua
The one thing lacking in Pauanui is good eateries. You can go upmarket and have no regrets at Grand Mercure Puka Park Resort, or you can take the passenger ferry (NZ$5; hourly until 1am in summer) across to Tairua and dine at Manaia, 228 Main Rd. (tel. 07/864-9050), or at the Old Mill, 1 The Esplanade (tel. 07/864-7884), which is the more formal of the two.
In Whangamata
Café Onemana, Onemana Drive, Onemana (tel. 07/865-7200), is open for lunch and dinner. They've got great ocean views and a friendly atmosphere. Bookings are recommended for evening dining.
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10 Results
- Cafe/Modern NZ
Bravo
And hooray for this very fine eatery! We’ve dined here at all times of the day and never been disappointed. From brunch through to dinner it’s always lively but we particularly like late afternoon, unwinding with a glass of wine and a light snack. By night Bravo transforms to a…$$Tauranga - Pizzeria
Dino’s Pizza
At this great-value choice, you can eat your fill of delish pizzas, pasta dishes and salads without breaking the bank. The pizza menu is also available for take out, which is our choice (it means you can picnic on the beach).$Whitianga - Cafe
Driving Creek Café
Located in an old villa, this cafe serves home baked, great java, and light meals. They use local organic produce whenever possible and cater to folks with all sorts of dietary needs: gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, you name it. Curl up on the couch by the fire in winter or relax on…$Driving Creek Road - Cafe
Mediterraneo Café
I always think it’s a good sign when staff knows locals by name, and that's the case at this super-friendly Cafe (they'll know your name, too, by the end of your meal!). Mediterraneo serves up hearty breakfasts and tempting lunches (salads, pasta, curries, big soups or beer-battered…$Tauranga - Deli & Bakery
Oliver's Deli Bakery
Olivers stocks a truly fabulous range of picnic foods, which you can enjoy overlooking Ocean Beach or the harbor.$Parnell - Seafood
Peppertree Restaurant & Bar
The Peppertree has been around for years and can still be relied upon to serve up fresh, flavor-packed meals crafted from the wealth of local seafood on their doorstep. You can also order local beef and fresh vegetables, but fish is really the star here. Eat inside, in the sunny…$$Around Town - International
Salt Bar & Restaurant
Though there's lots of competition, we think this restaurant has the best views in the area—right on the edge of the water overlooking Whitianga Marina. It also has a masterful chef at the helm, so when you come here, you'll savor beautifully presented local seafood, lamb, duck or…$$Whitianga - Modern NZ
Tay Street Beach Café
Relaxing on the streetfront, overlooking one of the most happily bustling beaches in the area with a glass of New Zealand wine and a plate of grilled salmon, is our idea of heaven. This popular, bright spot attracts everyone from businessmen to families to surfers and beach-goers,…$$Mt. Maunganui - Cafe
Umu
By day, this relaxed cafe serves divine breakfasts, nifty light lunches, and tasty goodies from its well-stocked cabinet (perfect for picnics). At night, diners choose from a menu that features local seafood, salads, lamb, big steaks, and vegetarian dishes. They also do primo pizzas…$$Around Town - Modern New Zealand
Wild Hogs Bar & Restaurant
Though Wild Hogs overlooks the marina it’s more casual and relaxed than its competition, Salt (also reviewed on this website). The menu swings across salads, pizza, steak sandwiches, beer-battered local fish and pork ribs.$Whitianga
