From karaage, to cream doughnuts, to a special-occasion restaurant perched above a surf club.
A slice of beaming beauty with its sandy beaches, rugged coastline, fairly reliable sunshine, and some of the best surfing on the East Coast, Gisborne has a certain kind of laidback charm to it. More and more, though, it’s become known not just for sun, sea and surf, but for the very good things that come out of its kitchens, bakeries, food trucks and beehives.
One local who knows the food of the region especially well is Cate King. As creative director and head of brands at King Bees, a small family business harvesting wild honey on the East Coast, she works with some of the region’s smallest, busiest and buzziest food producers (bees).
King was born in Te Tairāwhiti, raised in Tokomaru Bay – about an hour North of Gisborne. Now, she lives in Gisborne with her husband Mike and four children. King’s love for the food of the place is inseparable from the landscape. “Living off the whenua and moana has always been an important source of food for myself and my family,” she says. Living so close to Gisborne’s ocean and bush means her husband Mike is often out fishing, diving and hunting, for example. And their muti-floral and mono-floral honeys are intimately tied to the plants, seasons and environments from which they come. “We love to eat food from our region,” says King.
When she isn’t tending to the hives – or preparing for the launch of their impending skincare range – King gets to know her corner of the country through its food. Her favourites range from easygoing food trucks, to celebration-worthy meals, to weekly sweet pick me ups, to splurge-worthy groceries.
Three words that sum up the food in Gisborne/ Te Tairāwhiti: Seasonal, abundant, fresh.
The local dish I crave most: Pāua (gathered by my husband Mike). It is my favourite dish that we cook at home. Cut thinly, then place in flour and fry in a hot pan with butter, oil, garlic and lemon juice. So good.
The best restaurant in Gisborne/ Te Tairāwhiti is: Crawford Road Kitchen.
Why I love Crawford Road Kitchen: Firstly, the food is beyond amazing! Just as good as, if not better than, any popular big city restaurant. Amy Campbell, one of the owners, just knows how to run a well-organised restaurant that accommodates every customer’s needs. The menu changes with the seasons, allowing the chef (Guy) to experiment with unique flavours and local seasonal produce. Not only does the menu have so many gourmet options, but it allows you to be flexible with the ways you eat and plates you share. The staff are friendly and helpful, and since we live in a small town, everyone is on a first name basis. It looks out over the harbour and the sunsets are stunning. Hands down the best.
My go-to order is: Trust me, if I could recommend the whole menu, I would. But if you ever visit, definitely order the pāua dumplings (so mouth watering), pan-fried tarakihi (served with an amazing risotto), and the pear and fig salad (the perfect way to balance out the richness of the meal). The desserts change often, but I love the cheesecake (it has our honey in it). I always start my evening with a chilli marg because they are the best.
Celebrating with a group? Book a table at: Tahu.
When I’m craving something cheap and cheerful I head to: Perfect Roast Takeaway on Gladstone Rd. The potatoes are my weakness.
Pub or bar of choice: We love Te Puka Tavern in Tokomaru Bay. Situated right on the coastline, it’s the best spot to enjoy a handle of cold beer while watching the boats come and go. The meals are great value and the locals are even better. It’s worth the one hour drive up highway 35 to visit Tolaga Bay then on to Tokomaru Bay to visit and maybe even stay the night at Te Puka Tavern.
Got visitors from out of town? I’m taking them to: Tahu. Situated above the Midway Surf Lifesaving Club, Tahu is relatively new to our region and is worth visiting. With its beautiful modern interiors, breathtaking views of Midway Beach and Young Nick’s Head/ Te Kurī, it is the perfect place for larger group gatherings where you can sample a whole bunch of dishes from their stunning menu and impressive range of cocktails.
Gisborne/ Te Tairāwhiti’s best:
Breakfast: Flagship Eatery. I love this cafe located in central Gizzy. They make delicious sweet cinnamon brioche as well as a savoury option. I often order the scrambled tofu with sourdough. They make amazing coffee too.
Coffee: Raglan Roast.
Burger: Hanks is our family favourite. If we ever crave takeaways on a Friday night, burgers at Hanks is our go-to. It has a fun family friendly vibe with lots of space to eat-in if you prefer.
Pie: I have to say Cafe 35 in Tokomaru Bay. Obviously, most people love the pāua pies, but I personally love their butter chicken pie the most.
Comfort meal: Yoko Sushi is my go-to for a quick comfort meal. Especially for an easy takeaway lunch. The sushi here is fresh and fantastic, but my current order is their small chicken curry that comes loaded with pickled ginger. So yum. My second pick would be Good Day Dumpling. It’s a food truck which parks up by the skatepark opposite the information centre. Their karaage chicken bowls and dumplings make for an easy takeaway lunch or dinner option – and it’s very cute.
Fish and chips: London Street Fish Shop.
And the best place to unwrap and eat them is: Drive up Kaiti Hill and enjoy the stunning views.
Bread: The Sourdough Experience make and sell the most addictive bread ever. I often buy the seedy bastard which is packed with sesame seeds, linseed, chia, sesame and corn – hence the name.
Baked treat: The WorkShop. It’s actually a beautifully curated homewares store selling vintage and new bits and pieces from all over the world, but they also have a little cafe inside where owner Amy makes a variety of lovely sweet treats and great coffee.
For a serious sweet tooth, head to: 8888 Cafe for a Dubai chocolate cookie.
If you’re after spice, make a beeline for: I love a curry from Bollywood Indian Restaurant. Especially if it’s the chicken karahi (always NZ hot).
The place to go if you want to feel virtuous/ healthy: Zephyr Cafe offers a broad variety of smoothies, wellness bowls, soups, burritos and so many other tasty-yet-virtuous options. They also serve yummy coffee and the space is well set up for young children. Also very close to Wainui Beach.
The most underrated local gem is: Makaraka Dairy. For baking, pies, sandwiches, coffee and ice cream. It’s a one-stop shop.
The dairy with the best lolly selection: It has to be Okitu Store. They do scoop ice cream and real fruit ice cream here too which is a bonus.
A little local treat that always cheers me up: A cream doughnut from Gear Meat Pie Company.
My favourite grocery shop: Vetro is amazing. But I have to limit my visits to once a fortnight because it’s dangerously easy to go overboard. They sell so many fantastic edible things, from all over the world, from cheeses to olive oils to tinned things. They recently relocated to Wainui Rd, right by the Four Square too which makes it even more convenient to drop-in.
For the best produce, stop in at: The Village Berry has a next-level variety of fresh, local produce, as well as salads, baking and real fruit ice creams. I hear the honey they sell is pretty good too…
A perfect place to linger over a drink: The Sunshine Brewery, which has been brewing since 1989, is a Gizzy icon. I am a big fan of the awesome relaxed atmosphere, their huge variety of beers and the yummy pizza.
My favourite local hospo personality: I have to say Marcel Campbell from Neighbourhood Pizzeria. He’s the owner and always has a great grin on his face. Plus, importantly, the pizza there is epic.
The place I’m most likely to bump into someone I know: Neighbourhood Cantina is our local restaurant/bar at Wainui Beach. They make delicious tacos using locally made tortillas from La Tortilla Shop and serve a bunch of Sunshine Brewery beers. I always see someone I know there.
Why I love eating in Gisborne/ Te Tairāwhiti: You are pretty much guaranteed to bump into someone you know. Love that.
