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    Kai Whakapai

    4.5 (41 reviews)
    ModerateCafes

    Kai Whakapai Photos

    KAI WHAKAPAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Kai Whakapai

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    Reviews With Photos

    Pork Belly Bao - yum!
    Betty C.

    We loved this place. Right in town so easy to walk to, lots of good brews, an upstairs seating area and delicious food options. The bao were great and pizza too! Highly recommend.

    Smoked salmon eggs benny
    Tina A.

    Yes! ! Need a good breakfast before you head out of town? This is your place! Fish of the day -delectable veggie bed and juicy fish, just perfect in every way Eggs Benedict -you can never go wrong with a poached egg, welsh muffin and hollandaise sauce, the smoked salmon was also very nice, not too salty like what we have in the states Self serve water and the food gets delivered to where you choose to sit. The atmosphere was a little dirty just because you have to grab a table as soon as someone leaves and the floors are littered with food bits because of fast cleaning. This place is busy so it does take a while to get your food (30 min for us) Overall, good food and you can't really go wrong with self serve water

    Melinda M.

    This seemed to be the only good place open for breakfast at 8am in the area. We all enjoyed our food. Prices a bit high, as expected, but it was all good and service was nice, too.

    Casey W.

    This place was so good! We decided to give it a try because it was busy with what looked like a lot of locals, which is usually a good sign. I ordered the lamb salad and my husband ordered the open face steak sandwich. We were not expecting the quality and presentations of the dish! This was the best meal we had in New Zealand, and that saying a lot because NZ has some amazing eateries. This place is good for bigger groups and the staff are very friendly!

    Oliver D.

    Wanaka is an interesting little town and Kai Whakapai is a decent place to grab a bit. Had this. I think they're fish tacos. Can't be sure because it was over a year ago but apparently I liked it.

    Bao Buns, large latte
    Kathalena K.

    Kai is not what it used to be anymore! 6 years ago the locals would come around for a beer every arvo and sit together and catch up. Due to instagram this place is booming. The prices went up and it is often filled with tourists. And justifiably so! Kai has amazing food, so many delicious options! The staff is very friendly and everything comes out quick. Sitting by the lake front and enjoying seeing everyone stroll by is one of my favorite things about this place. Strangers share tables and start talking, enjoying their coffees and meals together. Still my favorite place in town!

    Banana bread with honey and zaatar
    Winlee W.

    Came here for lunch and had one of the most delicious salads I've ever had in my life. Side of local Sauvignon blanc. Banana bread with honey that my friend and I shared. Ambience is casual. Wine selection is good. Smells like wood and crisp air, makes me love Wanaka.

    Great Lake Wanaka front views
    Swati R.

    Absolutely love the local, happy and energetic vibes of this place. It always feels sunny here because of the people and energy. Loved their cappuccinos with the excellent views of Lake Wanaka. We tried their fresh baked items : Veggie frittata and ginger crunch and they were both delicious

    Cindy C.

    Wow, really delicious lamb and beetroot feta salad. Love the ambiance of the place, feels like a great local spot to relax by the lake. The breakfast hash cakes were okay, but still tasty. Service was great as well.

    Vegan mushroom pizza
    Wendy M.

    Artisanal pizza sold here. If you want the greasy pizza from your high school cafeteria in the states this is not the pizza you want. Very delicious and I highly recommend trying this place out with a beer. Vegan / vegetarian friendly with very kind and patient staff.

    Nate R.

    My second meal (porridge) was just what I needed to get me going for the day. The other day I had Eggs Bennie with smoked salmon was absolutely delicious! They had a DJ spinning records on Saturday night. The staff is very friendly, and they seem to be welcoming to families and pets.

    Jordan P.

    Good tasting beers and pizza. Love the locationand good customer service. Love the freshly made thin crust pizza kaiwaia mn and meat lovers! So good!

    Beer

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    7 months ago

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Stopped here for beers a couple of times. Good tap selection and friendly folks. Great location along the lakefront. Lovely spot!

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    2 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Excellent food reasonable prices. Great location . Varies menu . Recommended . Inside outside seating .

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Perfect Flat Whites and Cappuccinos. The breakfast here is amazing.The staff is really friendly and the whole place has a great vibe.

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Great food and atmosphere, efficient, and a place for the locals that know where the best service and happy hour is

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    Page 1 of 2

    Review Highlights - Kai Whakapai

    Love the ambiance of the place, feels like a great local spot to relax by the lake.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Alchemy - Butterfish with cauliflower mousse

    Alchemy

    4.5(15 reviews)
    0.1 km

    Stopped here for lunch and had a great meal. I had the lamb salad and my husband had the chicken…read moresandwich. Both were very good. They have tons of seating both inside and out with a nice view of the lake. You order at the counter and take a number for your table and they bring your food to you. Nice staff.

    We were walking around the main strip of Wanaka and spotted a few happy hour signs. Alchemy was one…read moreof them; happy hour is from 5:00pm to 6:00pm ($7.00 wines and beer on tap). We dropped in on an early Monday evening (just before 6:00pm) to take advantage of happy hour. The place is beautiful with a few tables outside to people watch and enjoy the lake view. Otherwise, there's tons of seating inside with hipster light bulbs, a fireplace and old vintage equipment as decor. The dinner menu is split into share plates, mains, sides and kids. The pasta of the day was a seafood linguini ($25.00 NZD). We saw a few mains come out to neighbouring tables that looked appetizing. Same with the coffee, which most tables ordered. There's also a separate dessert menu. The Alchemy dessert platter ($18.00 NZD) sounded promising. Nice touch with the complimentary sparkling and tap water. Only lame thing here is that wifi stops working at 6:00pm. Er... - Crater Rim Waipara riesling ($7.00 NZD) - sweet but not overly so. It's regular $11.00 NZD for a glass. - Soljan Estate Reserve Hawkes Bay syrah ($7.00 NZD) - a little drier finish. Decent. We only came for drinks but the food looked pretty legit. Chill, relaxed vibe.

    Photos
    Alchemy - Banana dark chocolate chip muffin

    Banana dark chocolate chip muffin

    Alchemy - Avo Stack and Big Brekkie

    Avo Stack and Big Brekkie

    Alchemy - Sparkling or still water on tap :-)

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    Sparkling or still water on tap :-)

    Florence's Foodstore & Cafe - Such a wide variety to choose from!

    Florence's Foodstore & Cafe

    3.7(6 reviews)
    1.9 km

    Oh. my. goodness. Florence's is the best kept secret in all of Wanaka. This is a hidden gem and I…read moream so, so, so glad we discovered it! Myself and two friends were in Wanaka for the night staying at a nearby yurt. We stopped by That Wanaka Tree the next morning and decided to try to find breakfast on our way out of town (we were on a Camper Van adventure around the South Island). As always, Yelp led us to this magical paradise that is Florence's Foodstore & Cafe! So unassuming from the outside - particularly in the winter months - but once I stepped foot inside, I was greeted with this warm, homey feeling, among both a foodstore and cafe, that is not easy to do! I should note, it looks like the patio space would be quite a hit in the summer months. I was so taken aback by the delectable dishes in the display case and the assortment of teas, jams, mustards, etc. etc. around the store I almost missed the fact there is plenty of seating and even a fireplace to enjoy your meal(s) at!!! Once we took a second to collect ourselves from all the excitement, we ordered at the counter and had a seat at the table nearest the fireplace. I ordered the eggs benedict with salmon (eggs smoked salmon: sourdough toast, hollandaise) and a coffee (flat white, I'm sure). But, quite frankly, I wanted one of everything on the menu! What I ordered was simply melt in my mouth delicious and was delivered in a timely manner. Everything was SO good, we all ended up ordering something else to go (take away), for lunch later in the day. I ordered this amazing chicken salad on a croissant and a hot chocolate and even got my mom's souvenir from the foodstore portion of Florence's. If the foodstore wasn't great and if the cafe wasn't out of this world, then you must meet Florence for she is the true highlight of the place! Florence was so, so lovely - she ended up giving us suggestions for the remainder of our time on the South Island, much of which we followed and I'm glad we did as it made our journey that much more scenic. Florence - I cannot thank you enough! If you're in the Wanaka area, be sure to check out this place. They even host a high tea and community dinners throughout the month. Florence's is surely the place to be!!!

    Sunday morning November 10, around 10 am;I didn't get the clerks name, a mature woman with glasses…read morehelped us. I placed my order and stepped away, my husband paid and a # was placed in front of him which he brought to our table. After a bit we were brought two cups of coffee when only one was ordered, the wait person was confused and walked away. We waited for the soda to be brought but after a wait we decided to go ask. My husband was treated rudely and was told that "he" took the wrong number and messed everything up! Although we are just passing through we would not come here again and would not recommend this place, there are far too many other eateries to choose from that will offer better service than Florence's. ~ Mona

    Photos
    Florence's Foodstore & Cafe - The outside - must be quite the spot in summer months!

    The outside - must be quite the spot in summer months!

    Florence's Foodstore & Cafe - Order at the counter - marvel at the delectable food

    Order at the counter - marvel at the delectable food

    Florence's Foodstore & Cafe - "Would you rather be in a pickle or a jam" !!

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    "Would you rather be in a pickle or a jam" !!

    Kai Whakapai - cafes - Updated May 2026

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