Food Tours, Restaurants and Great Tastes in New Plymouth
People’s first impressions of New Plymouth is that it’s a city with a coney volcano, beaches and not a lot else. While the natural attractions are spectacular in their own right, many are pleased to discover that New Plymouth is an artsy city full of talented artisans, brewers, winemakers and more to tempt the tastebuds. What’s more, some of the hotels here host fine dining restaurants to make sure every moment in New Plymouth is a gastronomical one. So, plan your food-orientated getaway to this small North Island city with this foodie guide to New Plymouth.
Things to Do in New Plymouth for Foodies
- Taste the fudge of Wisteria Gourmet Fudge in Pukekura Park
- Do a brewery tour of the Shining Peak Brewery
- Have an artisanry experience at the Farmers Market Taranaki
- Taste the craft beers at Mike’s Brewery & Bistro
- Do a wine tasting at the Okurukuru Winery
- Enjoy high tea in the historic Tūpare house and gardens
- Indulge in New Plymouth’s eateries.
For more information on these activities, check out the 7 Things to Do in New Plymouth for Foodies.

Food Experiences in New Plymouth
From the bitterness of craft beer to the sweet tastes of gourmet fudge, New Plymouth’s artisans will take your tastebuds on a whirlwind journey. Starting with the beer, you have two excellent brewbars to enjoy in New Plymouth. Mike’s Brewery & Bistro offers a casual ambience in its cool industrial-style bar and restaurant serving pub-style meals along with its award-winning craft beers. Ask if Mike himself is around, as he is known to offer casual brewery tours for those who show interest.
See how the hoppiness compares to the Shining Peak Brewery, who offer brewery tours taking you behind the scene of their state-of-the-art brewing facility. The tour includes a comprehensive tour of the brewery and explanation of the brewing process, a pint of beer on arrival, a tasting paddle, a tinnie (can) of beer to take home and a souvenir hat!
If you’re more of a sweet tooth, be sure to head to the Tea House on the Lake in Pukekura Park for fudge tastings. Wisteria Gourmet Fuge is freshly made on-site where they offer free tastings of the ever-changing 15 varieties.
And to try an array of fresh produce and artisanry products, make sure your Sunday morning is spent at the Farmers Market Taranaki. Fill up your basket with fresh fish, seasonal produce, microgreens, baked goods, fresh dips and spreads and much more at this buzzing community event.
For more foodie activities, check out the 7 Things to Do in New Plymouth for Foodies.

The Best Restaurants in New Plymouth
You’ll want to stay longer in New Plymouth purely for the eateries. From contemporary New Zealand cuisine to the street food favourites of Vietnam, your tastebuds will take a gastronomical trip around the world. We list favourites in the fine dining department, like Table, Salt Restaurant and Okurukuru Winery in The Luxury Guide to New Plymouth so head there for more information. A few of the romantic restaurants are listed in The Honeymoon Guide to New Plymouth.
The best of the rest include the contemporary vibe and Indian-Malaysian cuisine of Koi Lounge (85 Devon St West Central), also specialising in gin and whisky tastings. For a night out with friends, head to Social Kitchen (40 Powderham Street) which uses a Mibrasa charcoal oven to create irresistible smokey meat dishes.
For something just plain fun, check out Deluxe Diner (36 Leach Street) offering American-style dining with vibrant bubblegum decor and even the waiting staff are dressed in theme.
Finally, get stuck into the cafe culture of New Plymouth at cosy cafes like the quirky Elixir Cafe (117 Devon Street East) and Little Fed (53 Tukapa Street).

Alternative Things to Do in New Plymouth
Believe it or not, it’s not all about nommy moments in New Plymouth. There are actually quite a few fun experiences to be had across the beaches, gardens and the Egmont National Park. Some of the other things you could be getting up to in New Plymouth include:
- Hike in the Egmont National Park
- Visit the Puke Ariki museum
- Take a road trip down Surf Highway 45
- Wander around Pukekura Park
- Climb Paritutu Rock
- Do the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway
- Visit the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery
- See the Three Sisters cliff formations…
… and more! Get more information on each experience in the 10 New Plymouth Must-Dos.
Foodie Accommodation in New Plymouth
Accommodation with restaurants:
- Novotel New Plymouth Hobson
- The Devon Hotel A Heritage Hotel
- Auto Lodge Motor Inn
- The State Hotel
- Tivoli Homestay
- The Chalets at Okurukuru
- King and Queen Hotel Suites
- Copthorne Hotel Grand Central New Plymouth
- Millennium Hotel New Plymouth
- Plymouth International
- Nice Hotel
Self-catering accommodation:
- The Strand
- Braemar Motor Inn
- Quest New Plymouth Serviced Apartments
- Saddle and Sulky Motor Lodge
- Ducks & Drakes
- One Burgess Hill
- Flamingo Motel
- Belt Road Seaside Holiday Park
- Carrington Motel
- Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park
- Ariki Backpackers
- New Plymouth TOP 10 Holiday Park
- Amber Court Motel
- Beach Street Motel Apartments
- 299 On Devon West
- Lockwood Manor Motel
- Brougham Heights Motel
- BKs Egmont Motor Lodge
- 16 Northgate Motor Lodge
- The Dawson Motel
- Egmont Eco Leisure Park
- Ahu Ahu Beach Villas
- The Metrotel
- Pukekura Motor Lodge
- Coronation Court Motel
- YHA Sunflower Lodge
- Braemar Motor Inn
For more information on our top picks, check out the 10 Best Accommodation in New Plymouth for Foodies.

Author
Laura S.
This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor in chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in New Zealand over 10 years ago and with a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to travel New Zealand. She knows Aotearoa inside-out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience New Zealand’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also editor of several other South Pacific travel guides and is the co-host of NZ Pocket Guide’s live New Zealand travel Q&As on YouTube.