Mediterranean Kitchen sits on The Dining Lane, just outside CentrePlace mall at 43 Bryce Street, and does exactly what its name promises: it brings the Mediterranean — sunshine, warm seas and fresh, tasty cuisine — to the heart of Hamilton Central. On arrival, the team aims to transport you to Turkey, Greece, Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt and a few neighbouring shores, with authentic dishes drawn from across the region.
Mezze — small plates made for sharing — are central to the experience, perfect at any time of day alongside a drink from the barista or the licensed bar. Alongside them you'll find a full lunch and dinner menu, desserts, Turkish coffee and teas, and a healthy kids' menu.
The kitchen's philosophy is flavours rather than heat: no chilli is used in any dish, though chilli sauce is available on request. All meat is Halal, sourced from local halal butchers using NZ-reared animals, and there are vegetarian, vegan, keto and gluten-free options throughout, with many dishes adaptable to dietary requirements — the friendly staff are always happy to explain them.
There's space for everyone, whether you linger over a quiet meal inside or take a table in the sunny courtyard, which is heated in winter. Parking is easy, with free options in the covered CentrePlace carpark and on-street, and the central bus station is a two-minute walk away. If you're off to a movie at one of CentrePlace's two cinemas, the team will happily work with your timeframe.
Mediterranean Kitchen sits on The Dining Lane, just outside CentrePlace mall at 43 Bryce Street, and it does exactly what the name promises: it brings the Mediterranean — sunshine, warm seas, and fresh, tasty cuisine — to the middle of Hamilton. As the team likes to put it, on arrival they'll transport you to Turkey, Greece, Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt and a few neighbours, with authentic dishes drawn from across the region.
The restaurant is one of four diverse eateries on The Dining Lane, each with exclusive indoor and outdoor dining areas. Here you can linger over a quiet meal for two or bring a whole group, sitting inside or out in the sunny courtyard — which is heated through winter, so outdoor dining isn't just a fair-weather option.
One thing worth knowing before you order: the kitchen doesn't use chilli in any of its dishes. The philosophy here is flavours rather than heat, built on the region's classic spices — cumin, paprika, parsley, thyme, bay, rosemary and turmeric. If you like it hot, chilli sauce is available on request.
Meat is slow cooked over hot charcoals, which gives the kebabs and steaks their distinctive smoky taste — shish kebabs are cooked the traditional way, on long, flat metal skewers. All meat is Halal, sourced from local halal butchers using New Zealand-reared animals.
Dietary needs are well catered for: there are vegetarian, vegan, keto and gluten-free options throughout the menu, and many dishes can be adapted — just ask the friendly staff, who are always happy to explain dishes in more detail. Families are looked after too, with a healthy kids' menu (see the restaurant's Facebook page).
Mezze — small plates made for sharing — are central to the experience, perfect at any time of day alongside a drink from the barista or the licensed bar. The dips alone are worth the visit: creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, classic tzatziki, pretty beetroot pancar, and cemen, a paste of Turkish red pepper and walnuts. Add sarma (grape vine leaves rolled around rice and spices), cigar-shaped sigara borek filled with potato, feta and parsley, or pumpkin-and-feta mujver fritters. The Mezze Platter gathers the most popular of them — falafel, sigara borek, halloumi, sarma and dips — served with fresh Pide, the Turkish flat bread.
Mains run from Greek classics to Ottoman favourites. There's traditional moussaka — baked layers of eggplant, potato and lightly seasoned lamb mince under mozzarella — and Turkish ravioli (manti), steamed parcels of spinach and ricotta with garlic yoghurt and rich tomato sauce. Charcoal-grilled shish kebabs come singly or as a mixed platter of chicken, lamb and minced lamb, while Iskender pairs seared beef strips with garlic bread, tomato sauce and garlic yoghurt. Sultan's Delight (Hunkar Begendi), a classic Ottoman dish, serves pulled lamb over smoked eggplant puree. Senay's Turkish Meatballs carry a family story: the recipe belongs to Adem's mother — fingers of tender lamb and spices topped with tomato sauce and garlic yoghurt. For something slower, the Kuzu Incik is a melt-in-the-mouth lamb shank cooked with Mediterranean herbs, and there's grilled fish and Scotch fillet alongside.
Weekday lunch has its own menu — the souvlaki, the Greek take on a doner kebab, wraps chicken, lamb or falafel with tzatziki, salad and fries. Finish with dessert and a barista coffee, Turkish coffee or tea.
The location is unusually convenient. There's one hour of free parking in the covered, accessible CentrePlace carpark on Bryce Street, and free two-hour on-street parking Monday to Saturday (all day on Sundays). The central bus station is a two-minute walk away. And if you're heading to a movie at one of CentrePlace's two cinemas, the team will work with your timeframe to make sure you're fed and on schedule.
Can't stay? Order for pickup by phone, use online click-and-collect (pay with any card), or get delivery via DeliverEasy. Gift vouchers are available, and reservations can be booked online — worth doing if you're coming with a group or want a courtyard table on a busy evening.