The Food Guide to Rotorua: Places to Eat & Food Tours 🍽️ [2023]

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The Best Food Tours in Rotorua

From Maori cuisine to internationally-inspired foods created by talented artisans, Rotorua’s food tours are vast and varied. A good place to start, however, is with a traditionally-cooked Maori dinner known as a “hāngī”.

Maori Hāngī Feasts and Buffets

A hāngī is food that is cooked in an underground earth oven over a long period of time to create melt-in-your-mouth textures and an earthy taste. Both Mitai Maori Village and Te Pa Tu (formerly Tamaki Maori Village – more info on Viator and Klook) serve hāngī buffets in their evening tours, which also include cultural performances and an insight into their traditions and customs. Alternatively, Whakarewarewa Maori Living Village (on Viator and Klook) and Te Puia (on Klook and KKday) cook their meals in the natural geothermal vents of their villages.

Wine and Craft Beer Tastings

For more European flavours produced locally in Rotorua, head to some of the local tasting rooms, like Volcanic Hills Winery. Based at the top of the Skyline Gondola, Volcanic Hills Winery provides wines made in Rotorua with grapes from all over New Zealand to go along with the commanding views over Lake Rotorua. If you prefer beer, then don’t miss BREW Craft Beer Pub on Eat Streat, pouring a wide range of local craft beer on tap and bottled.

Blueberry Orchard Tour

Get a behind-the-scenes experience of the local artisans on tours such as the Mamaku Blue Orchard Tour. Tour the orchard, the sorting and packing shed and the blueberry wine-making department to learn all about their story from bush to market. There’s also a shop and cafe on-site where you can taste some of their creations. The orchard is based in Mamaku, approximately 24km (14 miles) from Rotorua.

More Food Tours in Rotorua

• Learn about New Zealand farming on the Agrodome Farm Tour
• Mingle with the locals at the Rotorua Farmers’ Market and Rotorua Night Market
• Enjoy a cruise with food on Pure Cruise
• Forage for native ingredients on a wild food tour with Treetops Lodge & Estate
• Indulge in a Maori-themed lunch at Te Pa Tu
• Experience Rotorua’s outstanding restaurants…

… For elaboration on each activity, check out the 9 Best Foodie Experiences in Rotorua.

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About The Best Places to Eat in Rotorua

Dining in Rotorua is kind of a big deal, especially since there is a whole street dedicated to eating called “Eat Streat“. While there is a range of eateries along this street in the city centre, a top name is Atticus Finch (1106 Tutanekai Street, Eat Streat), which specialises in innovative plates designed to be shared. Think fried halloumi, crispy mozzarella risotto balls and ginger sesame fried chicken combined with creative cocktails and craft beer.

Kiwis love their Vietnamese food and you have plenty of choices in Rotorua, including Saigon ’60s (1205 Fenton Street). They serve a range of authentic cuisine on woven plates and flavoursome pho noodle soups. Don’t miss their egg coffee after your meal!

Some other international flavours to indulge in include Mediterranean at Ali Baba’s Tunisian Takeaways (1146 Tutanekai Street), spicy Mexican at El Mexicano Zapata (1148 Tutanekai Street) and the fresh pasta and wood-fired pizza of Giovanni’s (346 Te Ngae Road).

For something more “New Zealand”, head to Mokoia Restaurant (77 Robinson Avenue) at the Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort for local fare prepared with indigenous herbs and spices. At The Regent Room (1057 Arawa Street) of the Regent of Rotorua, try their “Taste Indigenous New Zealand” degustation menu with meals made with the likes of lamb, eel, blue warehou and manuka honey.

For more recommendations, check out fine dining in The Luxury Guide to Rotorua, romantic restaurants in The Honeymoon & Romantic Getaway Guide to Rotorua and street food in the Cheap Eats in Rotorua.

© Destination Rotorua

Alternative Things to Do in Rotorua

As much as the food tours and places to eat in Rotorua are delectable, you can’t travel all the way here just for the food. You’re in the geothermal and cultural hub of New Zealand! So balance out your stay with some of the alternative activities, such as:

• Checking out the geothermal parks like Wai-O-Tapu and Te Puia (more info on Klook and KKday)
• Indulging in some of the hot pools like Waikite Valley Thermal Pools or the Polynesian Spa (on Klook and KKday)
• Rolling down the hill in an inflatable Zorb ball
• Seeing the kiwi birds at National Kiwi Hatchery (on Viator or Klook).
• Hiking on Mt Tarawera
• Rafting down the world’s highest commercially rafter waterfall (on Viator and Klook)…

… and much more! Check out the details of these activities and get more inspiration in the 25 Best Things to Do in Rotorua.