LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR GENERIC EATING EXPERIENCES
We want our food to be a window into the honesty, hospitality and agricultural splendour of Waikato; and as a celebration of the river that gives it its name, its life and its flavours.
That is why we are called The River Kitchen.
you are where you eat
Food should represent where you are, it should reflect the nature of the place it was grown, raised, cured, harvested, prepared, served and eaten.
MAKERS AND GROWERS
The best taste comes from the skilful handling of the best ingredients, and the best ingredients come from the best plants animals and farming operations. We don’t shy away from the people who have grown our food - we celebrate them.
different every day
BAKED FRESH
BREAD, SCONES, BRIOCHE
Even as the ruru are finishing the night shift and Waikato prepares for the noise and energy of the tui clocking-on, Maria and her team are getting the ovens fired up for the day’s fresh breads, scones, cakes and brioche. Seriously if you haven’t tried Maria’s brioche you need to.
MAGIC BEANS
TRACEABLE & ETHICAL
We might not grow the beans here but we make sure all our coffee is traceable to the co-op or farm from which it originated so we know exactly where it comes from. Using only fair trade beans means our farmers are paid a fair price, maintain agreed environmental standards and have ethical working conditions.
LET’S HAVE LUNCH
A WHOLE PICNIC’S WORTH
As well as the constantly changing lunch specials that you will find on the bookmark, we have a picnic’s worth of menu items that are so popular we dare not take them off the menu. And best of all - you don’t even have to climb up a hill with a stupid bucket first.