Taylors on Hurstmere is a neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar on Hurstmere Road in Takapuna, just steps from Takapuna Beach. Established in 2017, it has built a name for exceptional wine, genuine hospitality and a warm, local feel — proudly recognised as winner of the 2024 Lewisham Award for Southern Hospitality Outstanding Local Establishment – North, backed by a 4.7 Google rating and a perfect 5.0 on First Table.
The kitchen's menu is made for sharing (though they won't judge if you don't): think panko-crumbed prawns with harissa mayo, salt and pepper squid, lamb and mint meatballs, tequila chicken, Clevedo oysters, soy, ginger and honey pork belly, plus sides, a generous cheeseboard and desserts like the chocolate brownie and raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake. Tuatara craft beers flow from the tap, the cocktail list runs from the Coco Loco to the popular Mrs Enough, and the wine list showcases an amazing selection of New Zealand's best alongside a few overseas specialties.
There's a daily happy hour from 5pm to 7pm, pre- and post-show menu and drink specials for Bruce Mason Centre ticket-holders, and the venue is available for private functions with exclusive use and no venue hire fee. Taylors opens from 2pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and its motto says it all: meet, eat, drink and be happy.
Tucked along Hurstmere Road, a short stroll from the sand at Takapuna Beach, Taylors on Hurstmere has been a neighbourhood favourite since opening its doors in 2017. The formula is simple and it works: exceptional wine, generous sharing plates, genuine hospitality and a warm, easy-going room where regulars and first-timers are welcomed like locals.
That approach hasn't gone unnoticed. In 2024 Taylors took out the Lewisham Award for Southern Hospitality Outstanding Local Establishment – North, and the numbers back it up too, with a 4.7-star Google rating and a perfect 5.0 on First Table. The team's stated mission is to be Takapuna's most trusted place to gather, unwind and enjoy a great night out — and the steady buzz on Hurstmere Road suggests they're delivering.
The kitchen turns out a fun mix of fresh, local flavours designed for the middle of the table. The menu reads like a list of greatest hits: panko-crumbed prawns with harissa mayo, salt and pepper squid with aioli, lamb and mint meatballs with sour cream and homemade tomato sauce, and tequila chicken with guacamole, mango chutney and salsa. There are jackfruit bao buns with peanuts and slaw, beetroot and goats cheese arancini, soy, ginger and honey pork belly with crackling, and half a dozen Clevedo oysters with shallot vinaigrette when you're feeling like a treat.
Sides keep it honest — shoestring fries, seasonal vege with garlic butter, house salad and rosemary and chilli polenta chips — while the cheeseboard is a table-centre classic. If you still have room, the chocolate brownie or the raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake will finish things off nicely.
Taylors wears its liquor licence proudly. Tuatara craft beers flow from the tap — a house lager, Hoppy Pilsner and Optical Hazy IPA — alongside a solid bottled lineup that includes low- and zero-percent options. The wine list is one of the real drawcards: an extensive run of New Zealand's best, from everyday Duck Point sauvignon blanc and chardonnay through to Cloudy Bay, Ata Rangi, Escarpment and Rippon, plus a few overseas specialties and a sparkling list that climbs from prosecco all the way to Dom Perignon.
Cocktails are taken seriously too. The Coco Loco mixes 1800 coconut tequila, Cointreau and pineapple; the Money Maker pairs Maker's Mark bourbon with berries, honey and ginger; and the popular Mrs Enough blends Absolut passionfruit with puree, cranberry and mint. There's also the Taylor-Tini and the rum-led Sucker Punch for the adventurous.
One of Takapuna's favourite rituals is Taylors' daily happy hour, running 5pm to 7pm, when Veuve Clicquot is poured at a special bottle price (subject to availability). If you're off to a show at the nearby Bruce Mason Centre, Taylors offers pre- and post-show menu and drink specials to bookend the night.
The venue is also a popular pick for birthdays and functions, with exclusive use, no venue hire fee, and food and drink packages tailored to your budget — capacities listed range from around 15 up to 45 guests.
Taylors on Hurstmere opens from 2pm, trading until late Tuesday through Saturday and wrapping at 8pm on Sundays. It's closed Mondays. Bookings can be made online and are a smart move for weekends, show nights and larger groups. One note from the kitchen: because of its size, not all dietary requests can be guaranteed — food is prepared where nuts, flour and other allergens are present, so flag any questions with your waiter.
Whether it's a long, lazy afternoon by the beach, a pre-theatre bite, a champagne-fuelled happy hour or a full-venue celebration, Taylors on Hurstmere delivers on its motto: meet, eat, drink and be happy.