New Zealand’s Pacific Coast Highway winds lazily through five distinct North Island regions from Auckland to Hawke’s Bay, hugging the coastline and providing access to some of the country’s best beaches, attractions and activities. It also boasts plenty of classic and quirky bars, cafes and restaurants.
Here are 15 of our foodie favourites on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Auckland
The Pacific Coast Highway begins in Auckland, giving you the opportunity to explore New Zealand’s largest and most cosmopolitan city. There are all sorts of culinary delights here, with a huge range of eateries serving international cuisine. Whether you’re after a tasty brunch, business lunch, romantic dinner or just a snack on the run, you’re sure to be satisfied.
SPQR, in hip Ponsonby, offers affordable Italian food and has an excellent selection of seafood and prime beef. It’s been around a while and has built a solid reputation for providing consistently good food and service. If you’re in a rush, try the two-course express lunch – you can be in and out within an hour.
While you’re in the area, it’s worth popping into Ponsonby Road Bistro. Its ever-changing menu and friendly staff are among its best assets, and there’s an extensive wine list. The elegant bistro’s informal atmosphere and renowned potato-topped fish pie with house-smoked salmon, scallops, market fish and leeks keep people coming back. Bookings are advised but if you’re making an impromptu visit you’ll usually find a cosy corner available.
If you want something unique, check out Federal Delicatessen in Auckland’s city centre. Nicknamed The Fed, this cool eatery pays tribute to the old-school Jewish delis of New York. Linger over coffee or cocktails, or sample classic New York deli dishes. The deli is open every day from 7am till late every day and doesn’t take bookings.
The Coromandel
Renowned for its fresh food and talented chefs, the Coromandel has built a strong reputation for unique flavours. Much of the food dished up in eateries around here is local – either fresh from the ocean or grown with love on a nearby farm or orchard. This means the area’s menus feature a mouth-watering range of flavours and food. Macadamias, cheeses, crayfish, mussels and scallops are regional specialties.
For a truly satisfying meal, you can’t beat Peppertree Restaurant and Bar, in the heart of Coromandel town. It specialises in local seafood and contemporary, award-winning Kiwi cuisine that will have you coming back for more. Dine in the sunny courtyard or on a cool veranda over summer, or snuggle up beside a crackling fire with a hearty meal in the colder months. Peppertree is open every day and is fully licensed. Book ahead, especially in summer.
No Kiwi holiday would be complete without a meal of fish and chips on the beach and for that you should visit Kaiaua Fisheries, on the shore of the Firth of Thames. Here you’ll get the freshest hoki, tarakihi, snapper, flounder, gurnard and lemon fish around, all coated in a special batter.
For lingering dinners or drinks, Neros in Whangamata is the place to go, with mouth-watering thin-crust pizza and excellent lamb shanks among the taste treats. Nero’s is known around Whangamata and beyond for its relaxed ambience and beachfront atmosphere.
Bay of Plenty
The Bay boasts plenty of fine dining establishments as well as casual eateries where visitors can grab a quick bite on the way to the beach or savour a cheap yet flavourful meal.
The journey to Tauranga will take you past historic Waihi, a gold mining town, and through the Athenree Gorge to Katikati, home to quirky bars, cafes and restaurants such as Forta Leza Restaurant, which is set in an old dairy factory.
This place is worth the slight detour you’ll need to take to get to it. It offers quality meals at affordable prices, with an extensive menu including seasonal, fresh Kiwi seafood, steak and sensational pizzas. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available on request.
What really makes Forta Leza unique is its dolls; it has one of the world’s largest private collections and this is on display daily from 10am-2pm. The restaurant is open from 10am-late.
In Tauranga, the Bay’s biggest centre, is the renowned Mills Reef Winery, nestled on 20 acres of landscaped grounds five minutes out of the CBD. Enjoy free wine tasting in the cellar door here, or a leisurely lunch in the elegant restaurant.
Over in Mt Maunganui, a short, scenic drive away, you’ll find the Deckchair Café. Opposite the main beach, this colourful and casual café has unobstructed ocean views and a buzzing atmosphere. Its always-popular menu speaks for itself.
Continue southeast on the highway and stop to sample kiwifruit at Kiwi360 on the way, or pop into Blueberry Corner between Matata and Whakatane for juicy berries, smoothies, ice creams and delectable home-made goodies. This little gem is open from October to March and has an orchard atmosphere with a picnic area and children’s playground.
Eastland
From Whakatane the Pacific Coast Highway winds through Eastland, home to Gisborne and the Bushmere Arms.
Here the chefs are passionate about delivering exceptional meals, so it’s no wonder the restaurant has won the New Zealand Beef and Lamb Hallmark of Excellence Award every year since 1999. It’s open daily from 11.30am till late. Afternoon tea and group bookings can be arranged by appointment.
Hawke’s Bay
There’s no better way to end your journey along the Pacific Coast Highway than with a stop in Hawke’s Bay – NZ’s food and wine capital. The country’s oldest wine-growing area is peppered with cool places to dine.
Start the day with a big, hearty farmers’ breakfast from the rustic Clifton Bay Café – designed along the lines of the Clifton sheep station wool shed that burned down in the 1920s. Most ingredients are sourced locally.
If you want a sweet treat, indulge in an ice cream at the famous Rush Munro’s, arguably Hawke’s Bay’s most delicious secret. The company has been making ice cream since 1926 – the gardens were rebuilt after the 1931 Napier earthquake – and its hand-crafted, batch-churned product won the supreme title for Boutique Manufacturer 2014 at the NZ Ice Cream Awards. It serves natural ice-cream in old-fashioned cones and offers unique flavours including feijoa.
Sumptuous lunches are on offer at Mission Estate, on Church Rd on the outskirts of Napier. It’s NZ’s oldest winery and has a popular restaurant with city views that’s open daily for lunch and dinner.
Featured image by millsreef.co.nz
