The Best Casual Eats, Drinks & Takeaways On Waiheke Island

Waiheke has become synonymous with lavish vineyard lunches that stretch on into the early evening sun, but a tour of the laidback eateries that are loved by locals is a fun way to sample more of what the island has to offer, writes Leisha Jones.

Climbing the steep winding path from Ōneroa Beach up to the shops, stop in at The Courtyard, a bright and lively little bistro hidden off the main drag. Owner-operator Brent Mills says because of their slightly hard-to-find location, it was always important to look after the locals, with lower price points and more accessible food than the vineyards, so people could come more often. He describes The Courtyard as being a bit like the TV show Cheers, where everybody knows your name. It’s rowdy and dog-friendly with familiar service that will make visitors feel welcome too.

There’s a great selection of quenching cocktails to go alongside snacks – Campari, vodka, grapefruit and San Pellegrino spritz paired with crab brioche toast, or tuna and smoked tomato crostini – or settle into a blue cane chair for dinner under the festoon lights, dining from a menu of butter-heavy bistro classics such as handmade snapper agnolotti bathed in saffron broth with pops of sweet green peas, topped with grilled prawns.

With views over the village and out to sea, The Oyster Inn is the best place on the island to enjoy the local Te Matuku oysters. They’re always fresh, shucked to order and served ice cold, as they should be. The restaurant reopened in August after a month-long break to give the well-loved space a refresh. They’ve reopened with a new menu from head chef Valentina Adornato, who shares the kitchen with her partner and sous chef Luca Carloni.

Born and raised in Northern Italy, Valentina’s passion for Mediterranean flavours and pasta is evident on the summer menu which highlights some of the best seafood the country has to offer: Kaikōura crayfish strozzapreti in a deeply savoury shellfish bisque; and steamed Coromandel mussels, shelled and sitting atop a verdant roast onion, garlic and parsley sauce.

Hidden down a semi-industrial side street, with only one small blue table for dining, Indy’s Curry Pot is a takeaway shop serving restaurant-quality Sri Lankan food. Indika Bombuwala (Indy) says he came to Waiheke on a daytrip nine years ago and never left. He worked all over the island – at Mudbrick, Casita Miro, The Shed and Three Seven Two – and says his hospo connections have seen his business flourish through word of mouth since starting out as a food truck in 2019. With a solid local following for takeaway dinner, Indy will introduce a Sri Lankan lunch this summer, where customers can choose toppings for their rice from a buffet-style selection. Indy is particular about his spices, importing them directly from Sri Lanka, saying sometimes his mum will send him “the good stuff” – and you can really taste the difference in his food.

The menu is posted daily on Instagram and always features meat, seafood and vegetarian curries, all served with rice and coconut sambal; as well as Sri Lankan specialties such as dosa, mutton spring rolls, kottu (cut roti stir fried with curry) and the increasingly popular, lamprais. Indy’s lamprais is the perfect portable beach food, a hefty parcel of rice, curry, dahl, fish croquette, boiled egg, coconut sambal and eggplant pickle all wrapped in a banana leaf – sourced from the gardens of neighbours and friends around the island – and steamed. Unwrapping this spice-scented gift on the beach after an early evening swim will transport you to Sri Lankan shores.

If you’re looking for takeaway beer to go with your lamprais on the beach, you’ll pass Alibi Brewer’s Lounge on your way to Ōnetangi. Tucked away under Tantalus Estate, this moody den sits next to its own on-site microbrewery, where head brewer Jody Thomas releases new craft beers every few weeks. They can all be purchased to takeaway in cans or refillable growler bottles poured fresh from the tanks. Inside, brass beer taps emerge from the low, vaulted ceilings, lamps throw warm light on the brick walls and there are deep leather seats circling the fireplace; while outside, shaded tables overlook the Tantalus vineyards.

Take your pick and enjoy a tasting paddle with elevated bar snacks that are made to complement the beers: wagyu brisket croquettes with leek ash, mustard mayo and red wine reduction; pickled jalapenos stuffed with aged cheddar, fried and topped with a citrusy gel made from Alibi Pilsner and hops; and the best shoestring fries on the island, dusted with parmesan and served with truffle creme fraiche.

They are also brewing beer and making award-winning spirits just down the road at The Heke, home to Waiheke Brewing Co and Waiheke Whisky. You can book a guided tasting at the distillery, or sit and have a flight of whisky or beer at The Heke Kitchen, where they serve pizzas, a quality smash burger, and moreish vege dishes that are great alongside grilled meats or as a meal on their own.

For a casual vineyard lunch on this same stretch of road, pull in to The Shed at Te Motu Vineyard, a rustic and relaxed restaurant renowned for working closely with local growers, and growing what they can on site in their own garden. The outdoor area is dotted with picnic-style tables and sheltered by a stretch tent, placing you among the vines that produce their Bordeaux-style reds.

It’s casual enough that you can stop in between beach visits for some rosemary focaccia bread with Waiheke olive oil, alongside a plate of pickled garden vegetables and house-cured charcuterie. Or sit down to a full meal of chef Lahiru Bandaranayaka’s (Banda) dishes, where nods to his Sri-Lankan heritage are found on the summer menu with dishes such as the coconut milk hopper with cashew curry; and lemon tart with coconut and mint ice cream. There’s the option to add chef Banda’s chilli paste to the side of any dish – it’s great alongside their rotating cut of chargrilled meat which changes often.

At Ōnetangi beach, Three Seven Two overlooks the two-kilometre stretch of golden sand, and is the perfect place to refuel after a swim and a brisk walk along its length. The sea view tables are first to fill up, but the garden out the back is equally appealing, with more relaxed seating cocooned by lush plants. The staff here are led by local hospitality lifers who encourage a good time, with a drinks list that heroes local beer and wine, and a chilli margarita this is worthy of a bus ride from Ōneroa. It’s always exciting to see what’s on chef Bronwen Laight’s latest menu, her comforting food is packed with Italian, Spanish and Asian flavours, think whole flounder with curry butter, capers and crispy potato rissoles. The fried crispy cabbage with black garlic and Szechuan chilli oil is island-famous, and the crispy agria potatoes with curry aioli run a close second for the perfect post-beach snack.

The drive to Man O’ War from Ōnetangi will take you winding through undulating farmlands and restored native forest before eventually popping out at their namesake bay at the northeastern end of the island. Surrounded by orchards, olive groves and beehives, it’s a fun and picturesque place to spend a day, with a cellar door where you can taste their renowned wines; a children’s playground; swimming in the bay when the tide is right; and the recently launched Forest Flight, an eco-conscious zipline that careens above Kauri trees on 900m of ziplines that are connected by an elevated boardwalk to protect the forest below. The two-hour experience offers views of the glittering Hauraki Gulf and ends at the beachfront restaurant, The Tasting Room, where they serve an easy menu of small plates, great pizzas, and Middle-Eastern-inspired dishes such as smoky lamb rump skewers with parsley and onion salad and fresh flatbreads; and chargrilled harissa chicken on a bulgur salad studded with olives, raisins, and preserved lemon.

In the summer months, there are often DJs on the terrace and the pop-up crate kitchen serves crowd-pleasing favourites such as tacos, salt and pepper squid and burgers – handheld food that can be enjoyed while sprawled on the sizeable lawn. The season will officially kick off with their annual Pinque Party – a fun celebration of their very drinkable rose – on November 16. The venue has its own air-conditioned coach that picks up from five locations on the island; or catch the new Explore ferry service that runs direct from downtown Auckland to Man O’ War Bay.

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