Wow, what a great spot just down the road from some hiking. I didn't really know what to expect but…read moreUtopia delivered. Food: 5/5 We both got Benedict's and I am a fatty which required me to get a waffle with bacon, which we both shared. The hollandaise was full of flavor and balanced well, eggs and potatoes were cooked perfectly. My only critique would be too many mushrooms, but I did order the veggie. That waffle was amazing! It was a Liege style with a very tasty blueberry compote and light cream. The bacon was cooked more to my American pallet (crispy!) and loved the bananas. I had an Americano with cream, which hit the spot. The shot was pulled perfectly and beans tasted fresh. The felt like her cappuccino was perfect so the caffeine situation is a 5/5. Service: 5/5 The lady behind the counter was hustling and taking good care of the steady folks coming in and browsing. She was patient and thoughtful. I thought we'd bee waiting a while but the kitchen and service was very fast. Ambiance: 5/5 There's a sofa made out of a tub, and it's yellow! Already hitting the high marks with the Misses. Plenty of room for the steady flow of patrons. The large menu, to seating, to the clean toilet area, I was impressed and felt very comfortable here. Bottom line, get in here for some coffee and pre-hike calories!!

Nice cosy environment with the fire going. Seating upstairs and to the rear…read more Quite a large menu and also counter food. We had the quiche which was reasonably tasty, not amazing but ok. Not offered any salad or sides with it. Had to wait at the counter for a while as the server fluffed about and the barista avoided eye contact - she could have at least said hi and " we'll be with u in a minute "

Excellent meal. Had the lamb shoulder for two - delicious. Big dish of tender lamb with roasted…read morevegetables- potatoes parsnips beans - yummy. Grand restaurant but very bright lights which ruin the atmosphere. Doesn't feel intimate. Had pistachio flan for dessert which was tasty but a little hard. We chose to take a break after dinner and then had dessert and drinks in the lobby. Ordered after dinner drinks and one of our party asked for water - was told where he could go and help himself - not acceptable! Overall a good night and recommend it.

Not a bad place for dinner, one of only a couples places to eat at. We decided for our last night…read morethat we would splurge. Splurging cost us $107.00. We made a booking because the front desk when you check in, tells you that you need to. So we made one that morning for 7PM. We had already looked at the menu online and had sort of figured out what we were doing. We've been craving vegetables of some sort because at home we are used to eating some everyday. Been different here because those meals can be quite expensive. We had tap water, and had lemon slices brought out. Tasted like meyer lemons. The staff were pretty on top of it before we ordered. We ordered the Chateaubriand for Two, $87.00. Angus beef fillet pan seared, seasonal vegetables, potatoes, bearnaise sauce, and pan jus. It took some time for the food to come out. We looked around the room. The building is quite old, 1929. We had to ask multiple waiters for water top offs, for a slightly upscale pricey restaurant the staff is supposed to be on it. Finally our food arrived. The seasonal veggies were crisp green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, and terribly overcooked zucchini. The zucchini were so mushy and overcooked, we just ended up not eating them. The potatoes were baby potatoes. Heated plates were brought out which is very nice, then your meat isn't cooled when you put it on your plate to cut. The fillet was cooked well, I had it cooked a little more done than I like it because my husband usually eats it well, we went for medium. The pan jus was the best. Not a fan of the bearnaise. Dishes were cleared off, then about 15 minutes later or so bread and butter pudding came out. Quite small for $20.00, 6 ounce ramekin. We probably would have done better getting a milk shake from downstairs. The bread pudding was alright, there were some cranberries and golden raisins or sultanas mixed in the bunch. The ice cream had definately been scooped and then frozen so it wouldn't melt when placed on the warm bread pudding. There was freeze dried raspberries crumbled on an extremely large plate with crushed pistachios. The extremely large plate just made the dessert seem extra small. It seemed silly.

This cute spot is located at the train station. We had the lamb shank and the beef adobo and both…read morewere absolutely delicious!! Even more amazing was the ginger blueberry crumble! Very nice staff and good selection of beer and wine!. Someone local told us to go there and I'm glad we did!!

We stopped in while waiting for a shuttle from the train station to our accommodations. The…read moreambiance was quaint. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The service was quick. The porridge was hot and delicious. The desserts under glass also looked amazing although we did not try them.

What a stunning location. This is the fine dining spot for the Chateau Tongariro and the sense of…read morehistory and in this place. They have a really excellent breakfast here that is primarily for the hotel guests. There's a wide variety of meats and cheeses. They also have salmon as well as hot entrees including some very nice egg dishes. You need to make reservations for dinner and if you squint a bit you can see Victorian ladies walking outside. Seriously, it is high ceilinged and beautiful. The food is quite good. There is a wide selection of New Zealand meats as well as fish. There are also vegetarian items as well. This is probably the best place in Tongariro and go there if only for the history.

$75 NZ dollars for 4 lamb shanks and 2 glasses of wine, you can't beat that! Such a good value and…read moreso tasty. The waitress was very nice and friendly. She brought us a picture book about the local area, and gave was sample of wine. The lamb shanks was so tender and served in tasty sauce that is salty with just a little bit of sweetness. The restaurant was only 9miles from the Chateau Tangariro, and it was worth it. It was nice busy and it feel like very local.

This will go down as one of the best experiences ever of my trip and honestly in my life. I will…read morenever forget this hospitality. We got here after a long drive from Auckland... was the only place opened but sadly we got there close to their posted close time and being a small town they were in deed closed. I knocked to find out if there was something else around and they kindly brought us in to eat anyways. They made us a full plate a food, not just something lying around. Where to start? The food was absolutely amazing! I've never had lamb shank and was a little scared to try it but it was fantastic. The meat fell off the practically. They served it with some potatoes, a sweet potato(yum), and some grilled onion. The sauce they used complimented everything and I did all I could not to lick it off the plate. It wasn't too heavy at all. It had a flavor that reminded me of grandma's cooking. My friend had the fish and chips and enjoyed it very much! Okay back to the rest. Cute place, very moderately decorated. Not overbearing. Very clean. They even have bikes to rent. By the time I left I felt like family. Marie is incredibly sweet (so are you Bruce!) and chatted with us throughout dinner, telling us about the area, gave us a book of pictures to look through, and filled up a water bottle for me for the drive. They were just really genuine people and that made my night. This restaurant is a gem and you would be making a big mistake not to stop. If I could give it 10 stars I would!

Of all the places to find authentic Malaysian cuisine, Taihape has to be one of the most…read moresurprising. And yet our dinner here proved delicious - the laksas came hot and spicy; a chicken dish happily augmented to suit our vegetarian; and the satay chicken a well delivered classic. Only note is no alcohol here (it's halal certified), so we ducked out for a predrink before returning for the meal. Otherwise, for a very reasonable cost you get a very good meal.

Had to make a stop going north to Rotorua, and I couldn't have been happier with the food. I had…read morethe Beef rendang with roti and Teh tarik and it was all amazing. if you're looking for a place to stop for lunch or dinner, look no further.

Very cozy little cafe in Taihape. There is a beautiful patio in the back but it was a bit chilly so…read morewe grabbed a table inside near the windows to enjoy the outdoors but stay warm. I opted for the eggs on focaccia toast, choosing scrambled eggs. The breakfast portions in New Zealand have been substantial and this was no exception. I had my hot latte with the eggs. Always good coffee. You order at the counter and they bring you food to you. Service was excellent. Great stop.

Excellent food in very cozy indoor and outdoor spaces. You order at the counter and they deliver…read moreyour food to your table. Located next to an outdoor store.

Good coffee, lots of gluten free options, big sausage and bacon portions. Perfect for me.read more

Strong commitment to 6am-8pm! We've found a lot changes to hours during fall but they didn't. We…read moreappreciated the vegan burger (falafel and tahini, pomegranate and salad tasted great), curly fries, and veggie burger! Recommend a pass on the spring roll.