Owners Chris and Kerri Sullivan said their more than 40 staff members and their hard work were to thank for The Thirsty Whale Restaurant and Bar making the list. Photo / Paul Taylor
Owners Chris and Kerri Sullivan said their more than 40 staff members and their hard work were to thank for The Thirsty Whale Restaurant and Bar making the list. Photo / Paul Taylor
When the owners of the Thirsty Whale Restaurant and Bar found out they'd been named among New Zealand's best spots for everyday eating, their first reaction was shock.
Global rankings website TripAdvisor has given the restaurant in Ahuriri, Napier, a place in its Travellers Choice Top 10 Everyday Eats in New Zealand for 2021.
A TripAdvisor spokesperson said everyday eats restaurants are determined with an algorithm that analyses the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings of 'mid-range' price bracket restaurants left on TripAdvisor between January 1, 2020, and April 30, 2021.
Thirsty Whale owners Kerri and Chris Sullivan hadn't been told about making the list and were "shocked" when a brewery contact phoned to congratulate them.
Kerri says making the list is down to the work of their more than 40 staff.
Front from left: Sheree Enache, Kerri and Chris Sullivan of The Thirsty Whale Restaurant and Bar, named among TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice 2021 New Zealand Top 10 Everyday Eats. Photo / Paul Taylor
"If it wasn't for our great team, and we have got a fantastic team, and all the hard work that they do we certainly wouldn't be there.
"All our staff are really passionate, from front of house, the chefs, the cleaners, the bar staff, everyone is passionate about everything that they do.
"We're just so proud of everyone, right to the cleaners, if it wasn't for them, we couldn't make this happen."
The bar has had its struggles in the past 18 months, which have included a drive-by shooting outside the nightclub in late January, and ongoing challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic's effects on hospitality.
The Thirsty Whale Restaurant and Bar has been named in the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice 2021 New Zealand Top 10 Everyday Eats. Photo / NZME
Despite the massive worker shortage gripping the sector, Kerri said they had been able to keep all of their staff.
Kerri said she felt the bar's the six-to-seven-page menu was one of its selling points for reviews - allowing them to cater to different dietary requirements and have room for strong seafood and steak offerings.
Regular diners – sometimes coming up to four times a week – were also part of the success, she said, alongside other diners, visitors from out of town and local accommodation businesses that recommend Thirsty Whale to their customers.
At number 10 on the list, Thirsty Whale was the only Hawke's Bay restaurant to be featured.
TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice New Zealand Top 10 Everyday Eats:
