Ragtag

restaurant — Westmere · Auckland

About Ragtag

Ragtag is a neighbourhood restaurant in Westmere, Auckland, established in December 2022. Proudly calling its culinary style '100% not authentic,' the kitchen avoids traditional Mexican ingredients in favour of an eclectic blend inspired by Taiwanese cooking, Southern barbecue, and classic English pub dishes.

The centerpiece of the menu is their signature handmade flour tortillas, enriched with duck fat and rolled fresh daily using techniques learned from Sonora in London. Guests can enjoy a dynamic, frequently changing selection of small plates, shared mains served with fresh tortillas, alongside natural wines, local craft beers, and creative cocktails in an intimate, welcoming setting.

Ragtag Westmere: Unapologetic Flavours and Fresh Duck Fat Tortillas

Perched on Garnet Road in the Auckland suburb of Westmere, Ragtag has carved out a unique culinary niche since opening its doors in December 2022. Describing itself as a cute, cosy neighbourhood restaurant that is proudly 100% not authentic, the venue avoids the conventions of traditional cuisine. Instead, it offers an inventive menu influenced by Taiwanese street fare, Southern barbecue, and comforting English pub food.

The Pride of the Kitchen: Duck Fat Tortillas

At the heart of the dining experience are Ragtag's signature duck fat flour tortillas. Every single day, the kitchen team rolls and presses over 400 tortillas completely by hand. The dough technique was learned from Sonora in London, enriched with duck fat to yield a fluffy, pillowy texture that stands apart from standard flatbreads. Rather than acting as a mere carrier for meats and toppings, these warm tortillas are treated as the main event on the table, designed for ripping and sharing among diners.

A Playful and Evolving Menu

The food offering rotates regularly to follow the seasons and culinary inspiration. Diners can begin with playful snacks and tostadas, such as torched raw fish tostadas with apple salsa, deep-fried Brussels sprouts with basil ranch and chilli crisp, or beef nuggets with spicy green chilli sauce. Larger plates are designed around generous sharing platters served alongside batches of fresh duck fat tortillas, including smoked lamb paired with korma and mint chutney, or market fish served with green zhoug and crispy potatoes.

To finish, desserts deliver classic indulgence with clever textures, ranging from a sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream to a lemon meringue bombe alaska built over a salty Ritz crunch.

Warm Neighbourhood Hospitality

Ragtag balances its culinary confidence with a welcoming, community-centred atmosphere. The dining room embraces a relaxed ethos, complete with natural wines on tap, local craft beers, and creative cocktail pairings like Sichuan whiskey palomas. Whether stopping in for a long lunch over the weekend or a shared dinner midweek, the Westmere favourite invites locals and visitors alike to settle in, share plates, and enjoy food that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Signature items

  • Duck Fat Flour Tortillas
  • Smoked Lamb
  • Market Fish
  • Duck Carnitas Tacos
  • Lemon Meringue Bombe Alaska

Menu

Dessert

  • Sticky Toffee Pudding — Toffee sauce, vanilla ice cream
  • Basque Cheese Cake — Boysenberry
  • Lemon Meringue Bombe Alaska — Ritz crunch
  • Affogato — Espresso poured over ice cream

Set Menu

  • Individual Bites — Raw fish tostada, prawn tostada, beef nuggets, duck carnitas tacos
  • Share Plates — Sriracha carrots, market fish, sweet & sour pumpkin, smoked lamb

Cocktails

  • Spritz — With Aperol
  • Salted Cherry Sour — House cocktail
  • Plum Collins — House cocktail
  • Margarita — With kaffir lime
  • Paloma — With Sichuan, whiskey

Wine On Tap

  • Big Fizz — Sparkling wine on tap
  • Selection Massale Orange — Orange wine on tap
  • Ragtag x Three Fates Rosé, 2024 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Park Chilled Red, 2023 — Nelson & Marlborough, New Zealand

Beer & Cider

  • Tiger Milk IPA — Served on tap
  • Black Sands Pilsner — Pilsner
  • Garage Project Good Shout — Craft beer
  • Garage Project Chipper Hazy — Hazy beer
  • Garage Project Fugazi 2.2% — Low-alcohol beer
  • Morningcider — Cider

Large Plates

  • Market Fish — Green zhoug, crispy potato, 6 duck fat tortillas
  • Crispy Aubergine — Baba ganoush, pickled onion, 6 corn tortillas
  • Smoked Lamb — Korma, mint chutney, 6 duck fat tortillas
  • 600g T-Bone Steak — Hot sauce, soy egg, 6 duck fat tortillas

Small Plates

  • Crisps — Hot chicken seasoning, kiwi onion
  • Prawn Tostada — Tomato vinaigrette
  • Torched Raw Fish Tostada — Apple salsa, nam jim
  • Octopus Tostada — Chilli jam, fresh herbs
  • Deep Fried Sprouts — Basil ranch, chilli crisp
  • Sriracha Carrots — Ranch dressing, pickled celery
  • BBQ Asparagus — Green curry butter
  • Quesadilla — Red pepper salsa, burnt butter
  • Grilled Mushroom Rice — Mushroom XO, soy egg
  • Beef Nuggets — Spicy green chilli sauce
  • Duck Carnitas Tacos — Beetroot salsa

Non-Alcoholic

  • Coke / Zero / Vanilla Zero — Chilled soft drink
  • Sprite — Chilled lemon-lime soft drink
  • Almighty Soda or Juice — Selected sodas and fruit juices
  • Garage Project Tiny — Non-alcoholic beer
  • Mocktail — Non-alcoholic house creation
  • Various Teas & Coffees — Selection of hot teas and coffee

Cellar List - Reds

  • Little X Syrah, 2022 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Three Fates Cabernet Franc, 2025 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Coriole Redstone Shiraz, 2025 — McLaren Vale, Australia
  • Jenny Dobson Alick Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Craggy Range Pinot Noir, 2024 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Radburnd Merlot Cabernet, 2018 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Craggy Range Prestige Collection Sophia, 2014 — Gimblett Gravels, New Zealand
  • Craggy Range Prestige Collection Le Sol, 2021 — Gimblett Gravels, New Zealand

Cellar List - Whites

  • Kenzie Mangatahi Albariño, 2023 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Kenzie Little Dreamer Sauvignon, 2024 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Black Barn Pinot Gris, 2024 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • La Famille Chablis, 2024 — Chablis, Burgundy, France
  • Craggy Range Sauvignon, 2024 — Te Muna, Martinborough, New Zealand
  • Craggy Range Chardonnay, 2023 — Gimblett Gravels, New Zealand
  • Pegasus Bay Encore Noble Riesling, 2017 — 375ml bottle, New Zealand

Cellar List - Bubbles

  • Known Unknown Petit Nat, 2021 — Marlborough, New Zealand
  • Swift Marceline Blanc de Blanc, 2023 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Swift Pipi Albariño, 2025 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Col de Salici Prosecco, 2024 — Valdobbiadene, Italy
  • Laurent-Perrier | Ay — Ay-Champagne, France
  • Digby Methode Champenoise, 2023 — West Sussex, England
  • Bollinger | Ay — Ay-Champagne, France

Cellar List - Rosé & Skin Contact

  • Little X Rosé, 2024 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Terrior Project Orange, 2024 — Marlborough, New Zealand
  • Château Roubine R de Roubine Rosé, 2025 — Côtes de Provence, France
  • Kenzie Changes Rosé, 2023 — Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
  • Fruit Cru, Various — Pōneke, New Zealand

Frequently asked questions

Where is Ragtag located?
Ragtag is located at 162 Garnet Road, Westmere, Auckland, New Zealand.
What style of food does Ragtag serve?
Ragtag serves an inventive, sharing-style menu influenced by Taiwanese dishes, Southern BBQ, and English pub food, centred around fresh handmade duck fat flour tortillas.
Do I need to make a reservation?
Ragtag highly recommends booking a table in advance via their reservation portal.
Are dogs allowed at the restaurant?
Yes, Ragtag is a dog-friendly restaurant.
Are there public holiday surcharges?
The restaurant is closed on all public holidays, except for Anzac Day weekend when it operates with no surcharge.
Can I get the recipe for the duck fat tortillas?
Yes, the team is happy to share their tortilla recipe with guests who ask.

Tips

  • {"body":"The restaurant is cosy and highly recommends booking reservations in advance.","title":"Book ahead"}
  • {"body":"The kitchen rolls over 400 duck fat tortillas daily and will happily share the recipe if you ask.","title":"Ask for the tortilla recipe"}
  • {"body":"The menu rotates frequently based on seasonal ingredients and culinary updates.","title":"Expect menu changes"}

Good to know

  • {"family":"Cosy neighbourhood restaurant welcoming diners and well-behaved dogs."}