Lilyworld Cafe

About Lilyworld Cafe

Lilyworld is Go Media Stadium's very own garden bar — part cafe, part garden bar, part function space — sitting on the site of the iconic Big Day Out Lilyworld stage at 52 Maurice Road, Penrose, Auckland. It bills itself as the only venue of its kind in the area: a massive garden bar with picnic tables under the pohutukawas, a 9-hole mini putt, go karts next door via ACE Motorsport, and a cafe kitchen turning out a brand-new menu of crowd-pleasers.

The food leans casual and shareable — brisket sliders, the namesake Lilyburger with fries, Caesar bites, chicken rolls and toasties — backed by a full drinks list of tap and bottled beer, wine by the glass or bottle, ready-to-drink cans, soft drinks and proper barista coffee, including iced drinks and milk alternatives. For most matchdays Lilyworld is the place to be pre and post match, and for large stadium events it forms part of the overall event footprint.

Live entertainment and sport on the big screen keep the venue humming beyond mealtimes, and it is a regular host of ticketed music events. It is family friendly, with a sand pit, table tennis and giant outdoor games to keep the kids busy, and the garden bar is dog friendly during standard cafe hours. The space is available for partial or exclusive hire, making it a flexible option for functions, with a loyalty card for the regulars.

Lilyworld Cafe & Garden Bar: Go Media Stadium's Stadium-Side Hangout in Penrose, Auckland

Perched inside Go Media Stadium at Penrose, Lilyworld calls itself the stadium's very own garden bar — and it occupies a genuine piece of New Zealand music history: the site of the iconic Big Day Out Lilyworld stage. Today it's a cafe, garden bar and function space rolled into one, and the self-described only venue of its kind in the area. Whether you're stopping in for a weekday lunch or settling in for hours around a matchday, the deal is the same: cafe comfort, a sprawling outdoor garden bar, and a lot going on around you.

The only venue of its kind in the area

Lilyworld's drawcard is a massive garden bar, with picnic tables scattered under the pohutukawas. Around it sits an unusual line-up of entertainment for a cafe: a 9-hole mini putt, go karts thanks to neighbour ACE Motorsport, and a big screen. On large stadium events, Lilyworld forms part of the overall event footprint, and for most matchdays it's the place to be both before and after the final whistle.

What's on the plate

A brand-new food menu mixes fresh dishes with customer favourites, all crafted for the Lilyworld atmosphere. Brisket sliders, the namesake Lilyburger with fries, Caesar bites, a chicken roll, toasties and chips with dips headline the kitchen — casual, shareable food that works equally well for lunch or a gameday feast. The team even invites diners to tag their favourite dishes on Instagram or Facebook.

The drinks list runs deep. On tap you'll find Tiger, Heineken Silver, Export Gold, a pair of Sawmill brews and Monteiths Apple Cider, with bottled Heineken and Sol alongside. Wine covers sparkling, white, rosé and red by the glass or bottle, from Jacobs Creek Prosecco to Triplebank Sauvignon Blanc and Church Road's 'Gwen' rosé. Ready-to-drink cans from Pals, Jamesons, Malfy Rosa and Altos handle the pre-mixed territory, while non-drinkers get the Pepsi range, juices, No Ugly functional drinks and Red Bull. The barista counter pours white and black coffee, chai and hot chocolate, with iced coffee and chocolate for warm afternoons — and oat, soy, coconut or almond milk if you'd prefer.

Gamedays, big screens and live entertainment

Sport is on the big screen, live entertainment features regularly, and Lilyworld is a regular host of ticketed music events — a fitting legacy for a site that once hosted the Big Day Out. Watch parties are a fixture too, with Warriors finals fare like the 'Up the Wahs' event rallying fans, and ACE Motorsport tie-ins bringing exclusive offers to the calendar.

Family friendly, dog friendly

Plenty of cafes claim to be family friendly; Lilyworld backs it up with a sand pit, table tennis and giant outdoor games to keep kids entertained while the adults settle in. Dogs are welcome in the garden bar during standard cafe hours, and regulars can sign up for the venue's loyalty card.

Functions and private hire

The venue is available for partial or exclusive hire, making it a flexible option for everything from work dos to celebrations. Exclusive hires can open the venue outside standard hours with a minimum spend, and enquiries go through a simple online form.

Planning your visit

Regular hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 10am to 8pm, and Friday and Saturday from 10am until late; Monday and Tuesday the venue is closed to the public but can open for exclusive hires. There's plenty of free onsite parking, and for those on public transport, Penrose is the nearest and most popular train station for reaching Go Media Stadium, with buses also serving the area.

Tables can be booked online to secure a spot for an event or a casual visit — the team asks that same-day and large-group bookings be made by call or text. General enquiries, booking information and feedback go to hello@lilyworldcafe.com or 027 807 3066.

Signature items

• Brisket Sliders
• Lilyburger & Fries
• Caeser Bites
• Chicken Roll
• Chips & Dips
• Barista Coffee

Menu

Food

• Brisket Sliders — Sliders filled with brisket — a favourite from the new food menu.
• Chips & Dips — Chips served with dips, made for easy sharing.
• Lilyburger & Fries — The namesake house burger served with fries.
• Caeser Bites — Bite-sized take on the Caesar classic.
• Chicken Roll — A chicken-filled roll from the new menu.
• Toastie — A toasted sandwich, a cafe staple.

Wine

• Jacobs Creek Prosecco — Bright sparkling prosecco, by glass or bottle.
• Brancott Estate Brut Cuvee — Crisp sparkling cuvee.
• Deutz Marlborough — Celebration-worthy sparkling from Marlborough.
• Stoneleigh W.V. Chardonnay — Chardonnay by the glass or bottle.
• Triplebank Pinot Gris — Aromatic, food-friendly pinot gris.
• Triplebank Sauvignon Blanc — Crisp, fresh sauvignon blanc.
• Church Road Rose 'Gwen' — Fresh rosé nicknamed 'Gwen'.
• Brancott Estate Pinot Noir — Soft, easy red pinot noir.
• Festival Block Merlot Cabernet — Smooth merlot-cabernet blend.
• Jacobs Creek Shiraz Cabernet — Bolder shiraz-cabernet red blend.

Barista

• Coffee — Barista-made white or black coffee.
• Chai — Spiced chai from the coffee machine.
• Hot Chocolate — Rich hot chocolate, M or L.
• Iced Drinks — Iced coffee or iced chocolate.
• Coffee Extras — Extra or flavoured shot (vanilla, hazelnut, caramel), or oat, soy, coconut and almond milk.

Bottled Beer

• Heineken — The classic green-bottle lager, 330ml.
• Sol — Light, easy-drinking lager, 330ml.
• Sawmill 'The Doctor' — Easy-going Sawmill brew in a 500ml bottle.

Low-Alcohol Beer

• Heineken 0.0% — Zero-alcohol take on the classic lager.
• Sawmill Bare Beer 0.5% — Near-zero alcohol craft beer.
• Sawmill Nimble 2.5% — Low-alcohol craft beer, easy on the afternoon.

RTDs & Pre-Mixed

• Pals Vodka (Yellow) — Vodka soda with pineapple, lime & soda.
• Pals Vodka (Purple) — Vodka soda with Central Otago peach & passionfruit.
• Pals Vodka (Pink) — Vodka soda with pink lemon & soda.
• Jamesons Raw Cola — Whiskey and cola — original, sugarfree or watermelon.
• Jamesons Dry Ginger & Lime — Whiskey with dry ginger and lime.
• Malfy Rosa Gin & Soda — Pink gin and soda, ready to go.
• Altos Tequila Watermelon — Tequila and watermelon pre-mixed can.

Tap Beer & Cider

• Tiger — Crisp lager on tap.
• Heineken Silver — Smooth silver-label lager on tap.
• Export Gold — Classic NZ lager on tap.
• Sawmill Hazy Pale Ale — Hazy pale ale from Sawmill, on tap.
• Sawmill Pilsner — Crisp pilsner from Sawmill, on tap.
• Monteiths Apple Cider — Apple cider poured on tap.

Soft Drinks & More

• Pepsi Range — Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Mountain Dew and 7Up.
• Water — H2go still or NZ Natural sparkling.
• Juice — Apple, or apple, orange & mango.
• Lemon Lime & Bitters — The classic LLB.
• Gingerbeer — Classic gingerbeer.
• No Ugly — Functional drinks — Detox, Calm, Hydrate, Sport.
• Red Bull — Energy drink in original, sugarfree or watermelon.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Lilyworld located?

At Go Media Stadium, 52 Maurice Road, Penrose, Auckland — the site of the iconic Big Day Out Lilyworld stage.

What are the opening hours?

Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 10am–8pm; Friday and Saturday 10am until late. Closed Monday and Tuesday, though the venue can open for exclusive hires with a minimum spend.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes — the garden bar is dog friendly during standard cafe hours.

Is Lilyworld suitable for kids?

It's family friendly, with a sand pit, table tennis and giant outdoor games to keep kids entertained.

Can I book a table or host a function?

Tables can be booked online; functions are available as partial or exclusive hire via an enquiry form. Call or text for same-day and large group bookings.

Is there parking nearby?

There's plenty of free onsite parking. By public transport, Penrose is the nearest and most popular train station for Go Media Stadium, and buses also serve the area.

What can I eat and drink?

A new food menu featuring brisket sliders, the Lilyburger & fries, Caesar bites, chicken rolls and toasties, plus tap and bottled beer, wine, RTDs, soft drinks and barista coffee.

Tips

• {"body":"For most matchdays Lilyworld is the pre and post-match spot, and on large stadium events it forms part of the overall event footprint.","title":"Time it with gameday"}
• {"body":"The garden bar is dog friendly during standard cafe hours.","title":"Bring the dog"}
• {"body":"There's plenty of free onsite parking, or take the train to Penrose — the nearest station to Go Media Stadium.","title":"Skip the parking stress"}
• {"body":"Call or text for same-day and large group bookings; exclusive hires outside regular hours require a minimum spend.","title":"Book ahead for groups"}
• {"body":"Watch parties, live entertainment and ticketed music events are listed on the website's What's On page.","title":"Check What's On"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Sand pit, table tennis and giant outdoor games keep kids entertained.","dietary":"Barista milk alternatives available: oat, soy, coconut, almond.","parking":"Plenty of free onsite parking for your whole group."}