2 Best Restaurants in Tauranga, Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty

This contemporary steak house in Mount Maunganui has an industrial chic interior with a black, white, and wood design, and a menu that showcases some of beef. Choose from Scotch fillet, Wagyu fillet, or ribeye on the bone; you also get to select your own elaborate steak knife. The fire and embers of the closed Mibrasa oven gives the dishes a charcoal flavor. Meat aside, the menu also features excellent fish and vegetable options, as well as an extensive wine list featuring top New Zealand wineries.

The high prices set this restaurant apart from other local options, but then again so does the food: in the open-plan kitchen, nationally renowned chef Stephen Barry fuses quality indigenous meats, seafood, and produce with Pacific Rim flavors. À la carte menu choices range from small tapas to share and appetizers (which can also be requested in a slightly larger portion size) to full main courses. For those who inevitably want a taste of all the desserts, there's a tasting platter. The street-side restaurant looks out onto Mauao (Mt. Maunganui).