Lake Taupo is one of the most famous places in the North Island of New Zealand, as well as one of our favourite places to visit. After multiple stays in the lakeside town, we have gathered for you the places we go to for some food and drinks.
This recommendation will be divided categorically by meal type, whilst providing the one favourite place for each category.
Breakfast/Brunch
Cafe Lucas
650 Lake Terrace,
Wharewaka,
Taupō 3330
Opening hours: 8:00 – 15:00, every day
Price point: a more expensive modern cafe
A very good casual/comfort cafe-style meal, served in a decent portion. The cafe is located on the edge of the town, a final stop before the highway leads you further down south. With that said, it is only a 15-minute drive from the town center; considering the scale, it is still convenient to drive to.
Free wifi / good sit and work environment
Our favourite dishes: Minced on toast, chicken waffle (only for the sweet tooth)
Bonus: the cafe is located in The Landing Lake Taupo, which makes it easy to park with a dedicated off-road parking space. The commercial project also include entertainment area, perfect for those looking to do some activities like bowling, vr games, and other activities indoors, as well as a laundromat, which is ideal for those travelling and looking for a place to wash clothes.
Lunch/Takeaway
Grasshopper Chip Bar
40 Taharepa Road,
Hilltop,
Taupō 3330
Opening hours: 10:30 – 20:30 to 21:00 (depending on the days), closed on Mondays
Price point: an affordable value takeout meal
The ‘Bar’ in the name is most likely associated with the self-service style takeout food, with various dishes pre-made and laid out on hot plates on the bar, and not a bar where one goes to drink.
The place feels like a Chinese takeaway at heart, but also has very good fish and chips and some other Western items on the menu. This place is the embodiment of a good value-to-meal portion restaurant, even the portion of the fish and chips, and other made-to-order menus are… inspiring.
The items on the bar are a self-service, all-you-can-pack-into-a-box style, where you choose and pay for the box size, and stuff as much food in it as you can while being able to close the lid at the end. Do note that the bar items are only available at peak meal times and are not an all-day thing.
Our favourite dishes: Fish and chips
Coffee
BUBU Coffee Roaster
Rangatira shopping center,
Mansell Rd,
Nukuhau,
Taupō 3330
Opening hours: 7:00 – 13:00, opening hours vary on weekends, closed on Mondays
Price point: good price for good coffee
For those who are only looking for some drinks, especially coffee, we highly recommend this local roaster. Located in the more residential part of the town, this coffee place roasts the beans right in the cafe, hence the name.
We went there with the expectation of the coffee being high and came out not at all dissatisfied.
Coffee beans are also available for purchase there.
Our favourite drinks: Coffee of your preference, Cold brew
Dinner
The Bistro in Taupo
17 Tamamutu Street,
Taupō
3330
Opening hours: 17:00 – 21:00, closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (booking recommended, can be done on their website)
Price Point: Cheaper to mid-range fine dining prices. (NZD 130pp for a 6-course meal)
A family-owned restaurant, one of the places with overwhelmingly positive reviews on Google Maps. A place that may look like it could be a tourist trap at first glance, but is not when you try the food there and learn about their story (available on their website).
We have learned about this place a little more recently, but we are instantly captivated by their food.
The website says that they are a Kiwi Style dining, although we do not know what that means exactly, we would describe the food that is served as a substantial casual-finer dining food.
The restaurant serves à la carte, but for those who cannot decide what to order, we can recommend getting the Degustation, which is a 6-course menu of their current favourite dishes.
We will attempt to describe the overall style of the 6-course degustation meal with a comparison. We have tried many fine dining places all around New Zealand, and in many other countries, and for us, the course served at the Bistro feels like a finer dining meal, but with a more substantial portion, more straightforward taste, more relaxing environment, and less service time to complete the course, an overall easier eat of a well-designed meal. The comparison is not meant to say which is better, but hopefully helps you get the feeling of the restaurant more.
Note: the main in the degustation can be changed with the condition that both people agree to change it, if you have a main in mind or want to choose the meat of your choice.
Our favourite dishes (Availability is subject to season): Charcoal grilled asparagus, Belgian Chocolate & Coconut Parfait, Crispy duck rillettes
May you have a great trip,
Travel Tegami