scrubbedexpat094

I'm taking Mrs V on a long romantic weekend away this month to the Bay of Islands. We are booked into Russell Cottages & just looking for any advice on good places to eat. I'm normally happy with a wild boar or two but Impedimenta is looking for something posher

Also heard that there's a cracking fush 'n' chups place that way, does anyone know of it?

helinuk

We visited Bay of Islands in Feb and just dropped into Russell for supper. We ate at : http://www.theduke.co.nz/ the bar menu was good and quick . There was also a posh restaurant in hotel.
There were quite a few people eating fish n chips on the quayside so it must be ok?!
Have a good visit.

I_Will_Freckle

There are a few good places down by the quayside. We ate in an excellent sea food place. Can't remember the name unfortunately but do remember that they had macaroni cheese on the kids' menu and it was fantastic. (Funny what we recall, isn't it?)

Russell is beautiful. I'm sure that you'll have a great time.

PS There is a great art gallery and shop in the main street. Be sure to check it out.

pixi-dust

Russell is my 'local'!!

Lovely treat places to eat are Kamakura and Gannets and for posh fish ( no chips!) The Gables. Gables and Kamakura are right on the front. Gannets is one road back. Also there's a nice Thai Restaurant ( odd decor, but good food!)
The Duke is good pub food an also lovely to sit out and watch the world go by having a drink.
You can also take the ferry over to Paihia, there's a new super posh place opened there called Salt.

The 'famous' fish and chip place you're thinking of could be the one on the front at Manganoui up the coast about an hour, best fish I've ever had.

Hope you have a lovely time....still t shirt weather

scrubbedexpat094

Thanks all for your help. We shall check out The Duke, had a look at the link you sent helinuk & it looks good, noted they had venison on the menu so I may go for that.

Not a great lover of macaroni cheese but we shall certainly take a look at the art gallery & shop. Why am I getting the feeling that we shall come home broke but 10Kg heavier & Mrs V placing nails & hammer in my hands & saying "No, up a bit, No, more to the left....right....higher....lower..."

Pixi-dust, how lucky you are to live in BOI. Thanks for the info on all the 'best' places to eat, certainly given me food for thought , sorry. That was the chippy I had in mind, thought the place began with an M but wasn't sure .

Now have to plan where we go & what we see between meals.

Smiler68

Sallys is a nice place to eat, great food.

http://www.dineout.co.nz/restaurant....nclude_old=yes

The fish and chip shop is brilliant, it is across the street from the pertol station.

If it is a nice day take a picnic upto the sundial / flagstaff hill, most amazing site.

luvwelly

Pixi-dust gave you most of the best eateries - it may be different now but for dinner when we went in January it was essential to reserve your table. Also in the Waterfront parade there was some sort of Angling Club and we were told visitors were allowed to use the restaurant upstairs there as well.
If the weather is not brilliant - checkout the Russell Museum it has some interesting stuff on the early settlers and the history of the local buildings most of which seem to have been raised to the ground by fire more than once in their short history....including the Duke of Marlborough Hotel.
NB We stayed at the Duke - I thought the breakfasts were AWFUL, the dinner good, the coffee crap and the service variable.

j19fmm

Lucky you! If you do take the ferry over to Paihia try The Swiss Cafe (it's a restaurant) on the main road through Paihia, keep the sea on your left and head towards Opua. Have always had really good meals there. Enjoy

Nice Guy

And don't forget to check out the church and the bone orchard, some fascinating tombstones of early settlers and chaps killed during early native conflicts, also, the church whilst pretty bland inside has more than a few musket holes in the walls......................

pixi-dust

Places to go in the area...

Waitangi of course - nice cafe too.
Puketi forest, nearer than Tana Mahuta and a really pretty boardwalk round about.
If the weather is nice, best way to see the actual bay is get out on a boat, the fullers trips are actually pretty good.
Head north for some of the most spectacular beaches, Matai Bay, Puheke beach etc. You can make this into a day trip and got to Manganoui for fish and chips on the way home.

Karikari peninsula is rather lovely and there's a nice wee winery there too.
A big day out is right to Cape Reinga but my advice would be to save it for a sunny day, once there there really isnt anything to do other than get your pic at the lighthouse! But it does have a special feeling ( I thought it did ) and on the way you can stop at 90 mile beach.

The Hokianga is also another lovely drive, go round past Opononi or stop at Rawene ( Boatshed for nice snacks) There are fantastic night bush walks round past opononi.


So you're coming for 2 weeks then !!


ps the booking of restaurants is pretty essential in summer, in winter you should be ok, I reckon.
I also agree about the Duke comments!

oh and for the fish and chips go to the place right on the front withthe deck going over the water, there is another one in town and it is good too, but not nearly as good.

pixi-dust

ps we're going to Manganoui today!! Fish here I come!

scrubbedexpat094

Save some for us

Think we need to come for a month! Thanks for all the information. Not sure we plan to go to Cape Reinga on this occasion but as we haven't actually made any plans yet, who knows. We will obviously go to Waitangi & Russell Church (saw it on Mr Connelly's tour of NZ) & been a place we've wanted to visit for a good while now.

I shall print off all the info you have given & take it with us, many thanks.