Coopers Catch

fish and chips — Kaikoura · Kaikoura

About Coopers Catch

Coopers Catch is a family-owned fish and chip shop in Kaikoura, running since 2015 under the motto "we don't make fast food, we make good food as fast as we can". It sits in the heart of a town best known for whale watching and swimming with dolphins, just a two-minute walk from the beach.

The menu covers the full New Zealand fish and chip shop range - fresh fish sold by weight, burgers, classic takeaway sides, light meals and family combo packs - alongside a homemade seafood chowder. A standout feature is the "bring in your catch" service: if you've been fishing during your stay in Kaikoura, Coopers Catch will cook your fish or crayfish for a small charge.

The shop caters to tourists, locals and groups alike, with free wifi for anyone eating in or waiting on an order, and views of the mountains and the sea while you wait.

Coopers Catch, Kaikoura: Family-Run Fish and Chips by the Sea

Coopers Catch has been serving Kaikoura's fish and chip fix since 2015, run as a family-owned business with a simple philosophy printed right across its website: "we don't make fast food, we make good food as fast as we can." The shop sits in a town famous well beyond New Zealand for whale watching and swimming with dolphins, and the location plays right into the experience - you can eat with mountain views and the smell of the sea, or take your order two minutes down the road to eat on the beach.

A Proper Fish and Chip Shop Menu

The seafood is the obvious drawcard. Alongside the standard battered fish, Coopers Catch sells Deep Sea Cod and Gurnard by weight - the cod described as soft and mild, similar to blue cod, while the gurnard is meatier with a slightly stronger flavour. From there, the menu runs through everything you'd expect from a Kiwi seaside takeaway: large and small chips, crinkle cut and shoestring options, and a long list of classic sides from spring rolls and curry rolls to battered mussels, squid rings and onion rings.

Burgers get their own dedicated lineup too, from a Plain Burger through to The Works (meat, bacon, egg, cheese, pineapple, mushrooms, lettuce and beetroot), plus a couple of more local options - a Paua Burger made with a battered paua fritter, and a Gurnard Burger. A Vegetarian Burger and Vegetarian Pattie are also on the menu for anyone skipping meat.

Chowder, Combos and a Kids Menu

For something heartier than a scoop of chips, the Light Meals section covers a Standard Fish Meal, a Deep Sea Cod Meal, a Mussel Fritter Meal, a Gurnard Meal, and a breakfast option of sausages, eggs, hash browns and chips. The shop's Creamy Seafood Chowder, served with garlic ciabatta, is called out by name on the menu as one of their signature homemade dishes.

Families and groups are well catered for too, with three different Family Pack combos bundling fish, sides and a 1.5-litre bottle of Coke, plus a dedicated kids menu of smaller portions like fish bites, mini hot dogs and chicken nuggets, each served with shoestring chips.

Cook Your Own Catch

One detail that sets Coopers Catch apart from a typical takeaway is its "bring in your catch" service. If you've been out fishing around Kaikoura and landed something, the shop will cook your filleted fish or crayfish for a small charge - a genuinely useful option in a town where charter fishing trips are part of the tourist draw. For anyone looking to book a trip in the first place, the shop also points customers toward a local fishing charter operator.

Visiting Coopers Catch

Coopers Catch is located at 9 West End in Kaikoura, open seven days a week. The shop caters to tourists, locals and groups alike, and offers free wifi for anyone eating in or waiting on an order - handy if you're killing time before or after a whale watching trip. Orders can also be placed online ahead of pickup.

Signature items

  • Creamy Seafood Chowder
  • Deep Sea Cod
  • Gurnard
  • Paua Burger
  • Bring Your Own Fish
  • Family Pack Combos

Menu

Chips

  • Large Chips — A large serving of chips
  • Small Chips — A small serving of chips
  • Crinkle Cut Chips — One scoop
  • Shoestring Chips — One scoop
  • Add Cheese — Cheesy chips topping
  • Cheese & Bacon Topping — Cheese and bacon chips topping

Combos

  • Family Pack #1 — 2 fish, 2 mini hot dogs, 2 hash browns, chips & 1.5L Coke
  • Family Pack #2 — 2 fish, 2 hot dogs, chips & 1.5L Coke
  • Family Pack #3 — 2 fish, 2 sausages, 2 hot dogs, 2 classic cake doughnuts, chips & 1.5L Coke
  • Squid Ring Combo — 6 squid rings, small chips & 300ml soft drink
  • Chicken Nugget Combo — 6 chicken nuggets, small chips & 300ml soft drink
  • Battered Mussels Combo — 6 battered mussels, small chips & 300ml soft drink
  • Small Standard Fish Combo — 1 small standard fish, small chips & 300ml soft drink

Burgers

  • Plain Burger — Meat, lettuce & beetroot
  • Cheese Burger — Meat, lettuce, beetroot & cheese
  • Bacon & Egg Burger — Meat, bacon, lettuce & beetroot
  • Fish Burger — Standard fish, lettuce & beetroot
  • Vegetarian Burger — Vegetarian pattie, lettuce & beetroot
  • Hawaiian Burger — Bacon, meat, pineapple, cheese, lettuce & beetroot
  • The Works Burger — Meat, bacon, egg, cheese, pineapple, mushrooms, lettuce & beetroot
  • Junior Burger — Meat pattie, cheese & tomato sauce
  • Paua Burger — Battered paua fritter, lettuce & beetroot
  • Gurnard Burger — Gurnard, lettuce & beetroot

Seafood

  • Standard Fish in Batter — Classic battered fish
  • Deep Sea Cod — Very soft, moist flesh with a mild flavour, similar to blue cod; priced by weight
  • Gurnard — Tasty, meaty flesh similar in texture to blue cod but a little stronger in flavour; priced by weight
  • Fish Bites — Sold individually

Kids Menu

  • Fish Bites (3) & Shoestring Chips — Three fish bites with shoestring chips
  • Mini Hot Dogs (2) & Shoestring Chips — Two mini hot dogs with shoestring chips
  • Chicken Nuggets (3) & Shoestring Chips — Three chicken nuggets with shoestring chips
  • Junior Burger & Shoestring Chips — Junior burger with shoestring chips

Hot Drinks

  • Tea — A cup of tea

Light Meals

  • Standard Fish Meal — Standard fish, chips & coleslaw, with tomato and tartare sauce
  • Breakfast Meal — 2 sausages, 2 fried eggs, 2 hash browns & chips, with tomato sauce
  • Creamy Seafood Chowder — Their famous homemade seafood chowder, served with baguette ciabatta garlic bread
  • Deep Sea Cod Meal — Deep sea cod, chips & coleslaw, with tomato and tartare sauce
  • Mussel Fritter Meal — Mussel fritter, chips & coleslaw, with tomato sauce
  • Gurnard Meal — 100-120g gurnard, chips & coleslaw, with tomato and tartare sauce

Other Classics

  • Hot Dog — Classic hot dog
  • Sausage — A grilled sausage
  • Meat Pattie — A plain meat pattie
  • Vegetarian Pattie — A plain vegetarian pattie
  • Spring Roll — 160g vegetable spring roll
  • Curry Roll — 160g curry roll
  • 6 Onion Rings — Battered onion rings
  • 6 Prawns — Battered prawns
  • 6 Battered Mussels — Battered mussels
  • 6 Squid Rings — Battered squid rings
  • Seafood Stick — A single seafood stick
  • 6 Chicken Nuggets — Chicken nuggets
  • Chicken Pattie — A battered chicken pattie
  • Paua Pattie — Homemade battered paua pattie
  • Mussel Pattie — A battered mussel pattie
  • Potato Fritter — A classic potato fritter
  • Cheese & Broccoli Bite — Cheese and broccoli bite
  • Pineapple Ring — Battered pineapple ring
  • Plain Doughnut — A plain doughnut
  • Jam Wrap — A jam-filled wrap
  • Classic Cake Donut — A classic cake donut
  • Hash Brown — A hash brown
  • Mini Hot Dog — A mini hot dog

Bring Your Own Fish

  • Filleted Fish — Bring in your own catch and they'll cook it for you, charged per kg
  • Crayfish — Bring in your own crayfish and they'll cook it for you, charged per crayfish

Frequently asked questions

What are Coopers Catch's opening hours?
Coopers Catch is open 7 days a week.
Where is Coopers Catch located?
It's at 9 West End, Kaikoura, New Zealand, about a two-minute walk from the beach.
Can I bring in my own fish to be cooked?
Yes, if you've caught fish or crayfish around Kaikoura, Coopers Catch will cook it for you for a small charge.
Is there vegetarian food available?
Yes, a Vegetarian Burger and Vegetarian Pattie are on the menu.
Does Coopers Catch have a kids menu?
Yes, the kids menu includes options like fish bites, mini hot dogs, chicken nuggets and a junior burger, each served with shoestring chips.
Is there wifi available?
Yes, free wifi is available at the shop.
Can I order online?
Yes, orders can be placed online for pickup.

Tips

  • Try the Creamy Seafood Chowder - it's called out as one of the shop's signature homemade dishes.
  • If you've been fishing around Kaikoura, bring your catch in and they'll cook it for you for a small charge.
  • The beach is a two-minute walk away, so it's easy to take your order and eat with a sea view.
  • Family Pack combos are worth it if you're feeding a group, bundling fish, sides and a 1.5L drink.
  • Order online ahead of time to skip the wait for pickup.

Good to know

  • {"wifi":"Free wifi available","family":"Family-owned since 2015; caters to tourists, locals and groups","dietary":"Vegetarian burger and pattie available"}