Local Secrets: Eateries
Whether you are looking for a delicious brunch to start your day, a refuel in the afternoon or somewhere for a special dinner, these local favourites are certain to hit the spot – and have you coming back time and time again!
Coffee, Cakes & Pastries
Beach Road Deli
5 Beach Rd, Paekakariki
Beach Road Deli is the Paekākāriki locals' pantry and caffeine hub. Using a fair trade organic Wellington roasted coffee by The Immigrants Son, they thrive on making deluxe coffee.
Their baker is up at the crack of dawn, baking fresh rolls and baked goods. With the majority of baking done on site, you can be sure it is just how your nana baked with no nasties or additives. Handmade artisan goodness at its finest.
The Lockup
52b Marine Parade , Paraparaumu
Home of the famous Jackie’s Gems, Lockup is a fun, casual, takeaway eatery serving delicious home-style food and locally roasted Dark Horse Coffee. With a seated backyard it's a great place to enjoy delicious coffee and food! The Lockup is kid and dog friendly so there's no need to leave the messy ones at home!
Joe and Joy
11 Mahara Place, Waikanae
Coffee and freshly prepared food shared with loved ones is one of the great joys of life! Whether you are relaxing in Joe and Joy café with a coffee, choosing a special occasion cake from their range, ordering catering online for your next meeting, the delicious food and fantastic service will ensure your experience is a great one. Joe & Joy also offer year-round delivery - click on the link below for the latest info on how to order.
Olde Beach Bakery
3 Ono St, Waikanae Beach, Waikanae
Olde Beach Bakery is the first bakery in Waikanae Beach, and little sister to Long Beach Tavern.
A casual, cheerful, friendly and beautified corner of Waikanae Beach, where people of all walks of life enjoy the delicious baked goods as well as the garden and seating area. The open kitchen design provides customers the opportunity to see the processes involved in creating world class baked goods and this also helps promote dialogue between our bakers and our community.
Olde Beach Bakery offers the best cheese scones, traditional French breads and pastries, delicious handmade pies, as well as milkshake syrups made from scratch.
Ruth Pretty's Garden Room Cafe & Cooking School
41 School Road, Te Horo
Pretty by name and nature, Ruth's place is a foodie's delight. Open Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 4pm, Ruth Pretty's kitchen shop and Garden Room Cafe is locally famous for their coffee and cake deal. Set in a rustic glass-covered outdoor area it is the perfect place to unwind. The locals make a beeline for the Ginger Gems!
You're not a true foodie until you've graduated from one of Ruth's Cooking school classes!
Brunch, Lunch & Dinner
Sunday Cantina
31 Poplar Avenue, Raumati South
The Sunday Cantina Kitchen makes the most of the abundance of fresh local produce this region has to offer. Not only is the food fresh and full of flavour, the ingredients also tell the stories of the amazing local people who, with love, grow and produce food for their community. It's the perfect place for a guilt-free brunch to get you started for the day!
Salty’s Diner
44 Seaview Road, Paraparaumu Beach
Salty’s Diner is the newest addition to the Food Folk Family. Calling itself the "rowdy little sister who gets away with anything" the Salty's team deliver good ole diner food - served up with friendly and casual service, and a side of inappropriate kitchen banter.
They promise to keep the food fresh with a big, bold and smokey menu that provides an epic tasting experience. It's a place to catch up with mates, chill, and enjoy the feed.
Tasty eats & North End Brewing beers served from a lovingly converted vintage Airstream right in the heart of Paraparaumu Beach. What more could you want?
Two Fat Chefs
30 - 31 Marine Parade, Paraparaumu
Nestled into the Paraparaumu waterfront is a fantastic cafe, after opening in 2019 it has quickly become a local favourite and is regularly packed out for Sunday brunches! Two Fat Chefs is the perfect place to sit down and watch Paraparaumu go by!
50-50
22 Maclean St, Paraparaumu Beach
Awarded a coveted "HAT" in the 2021/22 Cuisine Good Food Awards, 50-50 was described as having "an exquisiteness to this experience clearly stamps 50– 50 as the best in Paraparaumu’s ever-growing dining cluster".
This praise is what happens when you blend the best local produce, meat and seafood with culinary tweaks, techniques and flavours from all over the world to make delicious modern New Zealand dishes.
Working around the world including for Gordon Ramsay in Tokyo and on super-yachts has honed chef Helen Turnbull's inventive take on food. At this stripped-back eatery she opened with maître d’ Eddy Kennedy, Helen takes admirable risks with an ever-changing menu. Michelin may never visit, but they should.
Passo
159 Kāpiti Rd, Paraparaumu
Passo means to pass, to stop by, to drop in. It’s the nickname of local chef and restaurateur, Michele Passarello and the original name of the street his family have been living on for generations.
Join Michele for authentic pizza, pasta, secondi, contorni and more, just like his Nonna used to make, but now combined with modern flavours and techniques. More than a restaurant, Passo is a place to get together offering genuine hospitality, great food and drinks and a warm, friendly atmosphere.
Stop in for coffee, lunch, dinner or a decadent dessert.
Take-out gelato anyone?
Tuatara Brewery & Tap Room
7 Sheffield Street , Paraparaumu
Now with a plethora of regular gigs and events, The Brewery Tap Room is a non-pretentious, casual, and relaxed environment - fostering great hospitality and sociability. Everyone is welcome - from beer connoisseurs on strict tasting business, to work groups popping in for an after work pint or two, as well as enjoy a range of wine, cider and soft drinks.
A visit to the tap room is a great chance to rub shoulders with our award-winning brewers, who frequent the licensed area to carry out all the important "quality control". You can take a little Tuatara home with you too!
Long Beach Cafe and Tavern
40 Tutere Street, Waikanae
At Long Beach simplicity meets sheer quality with a menu dedicated to fresh and local ingredients. The relaxed atmosphere, fair trade coffee, International beer/wine list and full bar all speak of the restaurant's originality and commitment to quality. Long Beach - a collaborative effort, led by its owners, is proud of its relationship with its loyal patrons, staff and local producers.
Relish Cafe
Relish Cafe - An Iconic Cafe over the tracks in Waikanae.
The cosy 1923 built cottage now converted to Cafe, is on the corner of Elizabeth St & Anne St.
Salt and Wood BBQ
11 Ngaio Rd, Waikanae
The Salt & Wood BBQ brew-pub is unashamedly all about meat and beer. Connected to the North End Brewery by a large glass wall, the Salt & Wood team insist that "there's no combo on earth like legit American BBQ and a cold pint"
Can't decide which of the 14 or so beers brewed at the on-site North End Brewery you should have with your meal? Ask the team which pairs best with your meal or share a 6-beer tasting tray with a friend and then have a pint of your favourite.
There’s also a large wine and cocktail selection, and well-thought breakfast and burger menus for all-day dining.
Bus Stop Cafe
55 Sims Rd, Te Horo Beach
A unique indoor, outdoor café, located off the beaten track in Te Horo, proving people will go anywhere for good food. A must visit in this coastal town, filled with homemade treats, rustic dishes and great coffee.
Ōtaki Kitchen
30 Main Street, Otaki
Located in the heart of historic Ōtaki village, the Ōtaki Kitchen is a wonderfully cosy boutique cafe/restaurant serving a delicious range of a la carte and counter food.
Situated in the Family Hotel building, which was completed in 1881, the interior is a modern nod to bygone times while the simple yet clever combinations of flavours and textures make dining here a delight. Courtyard dining next to the recently re-furbished Civic Theatre provides a fabulous way to watch the world pass by.
Gorge Cafe
50 Riverbank Rd, Otaki
With a delicious menu using predominantly local produce and some of the best coffee on the Kāpiti Coast, Gorge Cafe is a great place for brunch, lunch or dinner. Based in Ōtaki, the cafe is the perfect stop as you explore the northern parts of the region! Can't decide from the menu? Check out the amazing cabinet food or mix-and-match from the sides to make your own perfect meal. A great place to soak up the vibes while you try a locally-crafted, award-winning Elemental Cider.
Feeling hot and bothered? Grab a sorbet or gelato to eat in or takeaway. Delicious!