Tea Kiosk Café & Grill sits at the heart of Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa, 42 Amuri Ave, Hanmer Springs, just steps from the pools. Built by the New Zealand government in 1904, it's one of only three Tea Kiosks ever constructed alongside thermal springs, and the only one of the three still serving guests today.
Lovingly refurbished in 2015 with care taken to preserve its heritage character, the café offers comfortable indoor seating or a covered outdoor deck, both with views over the pools complex. The menu covers hearty Kiwi favourites, fresh pizzas from an authentic pizza oven, a breakfast menu, kids options, and a full range of hot and cold drinks, snacks and ice cream. The café is fully licensed, with New Zealand beers and wines available alongside light meals, burgers, pizzas and snacks.
A dedicated dietary menu covers gluten-free, vegan and kids options, and pizzas from the main menu can also be made gluten-free on request. A cabinet of freshly made sandwiches, bread rolls, pies, salads, cakes and treats offers a quick option for anyone heading back out to the pools. The café also caters kids' birthday parties, with fun food options, add-ons and a choice of session times, and a Poolside Platter Package for two is available when booking a Pools experience.
Some buildings hold a story worth telling, and Tea Kiosk Café & Grill is one of them. Built by the New Zealand government in 1904, the Tea Kiosk is one of only three ever constructed, each placed alongside thermal springs at a time when the government championed the restorative benefits of mineral bathing. Of those three, Hanmer Springs' Tea Kiosk is the only one still serving guests today, making a visit here as much a piece of living history as it is a place to grab a bite.
The café was lovingly refurbished in 2015, with care taken to preserve its heritage character throughout. Today it sits right at the heart of the pools complex, offering views that are hard to beat, whether guests choose comfortable indoor seating or settle in on the covered outdoor deck, whatever the weather is doing outside.
Whether you're fuelling up before a soak or winding down after one, the café's menu has something for everyone: hearty Kiwi favourites, fresh pizzas cooked in an authentic pizza oven, a breakfast menu, kids options, and a full range of hot and cold drinks, snacks and ice cream. Poolside Platters bring together light meals, burgers, pizzas and snacks, alongside hot drinks, milkshakes, smoothies, or a selection of New Zealand beers and wines — the café is fully licensed, so a cold drink in the sun is always an option.
For a quick bite before heading back out to the pools, the cabinet offers a rotating selection of freshly made sandwiches, bread rolls, pies, salads, cakes and treats — easy options that don't require sitting down to a full meal.
A dedicated dietary menu covers gluten-free, vegan and kids options, and pizzas from the main menu can also be made gluten-free on request. It's a level of flexibility that means groups with different dietary needs can still eat together without anyone missing out.
Tea Kiosk Café & Grill also caters kids' birthday parties, with fun food options, tasty add-ons, and three session time options to suit different groups. Add-ons include a Fresh Fruit Platter, a Sausage Roll & Savoury Platter, a Sweet Platter Chocolate Brownie, and a Kids Bubble Birthday Cake — all designed to make a pool party feel like a proper celebration. For couples or friends visiting together, a Poolside Platter Package for two is also available when booking a Pools experience, pairing food directly with the day's soak.
As the café itself sums up: good food, great views, and over 120 years of history beneath your feet. For anyone visiting Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa, Tea Kiosk Café & Grill offers a genuinely unique setting to eat, whether that's a quick snack from the cabinet, a full pizza fresh from the oven, or a celebratory birthday spread — all just steps from the water.