Nin's Bin is a family-run roadside seafood stall about 20 minutes' drive north of Kaikoura, in the roadside settlement of Rakautara on State Highway 1. Opened in 1977 by Ronald Clark, it began as a roadside caravan selling cooked crayfish, and fifty years on it's still run by the family.
The philosophy is simple: don't mess with it. Fresh, local, sustainably caught crayfish and seafood are cooked onsite with nothing more than fresh mineral water, plus lemon and a little garlic butter if desired. Ronald's grandson Johnny Clark - the youngest skipper in New Zealand at eighteen - is now at the helm, catching and cooking fresh seafood daily alongside a small family team that includes Barry, Shelly, Clarkie, Treasure and Rochelle.
The menu covers fresh crayfish tail, whole crayfish served cold or with garlic butter, fresh live local mussels cooked in white wine, local fish and chips, and a local whitebait pattie. Nin's Bin describes itself as one of the most breathtaking outdoor cafes in the world.
On State Highway 1, about 20 minutes' drive north of Kaikoura in the roadside settlement of Rakautara, Nin's Bin has been serving fresh crayfish since 1977. Ronald Clark started it all from a roadside caravan, cooking crayfish for passing travellers, and fifty years later the business is still very much a family affair.
Nin's Bin's philosophy has never changed: fresh, local, sustainably caught crayfish and seafood, cooked onsite with nothing more than fresh mineral water - plus lemon and a little garlic butter if you want it. There's no fuss, no complication, just seafood caught and cooked the same day.
Ronald's grandson, Johnny Clark, is now at the helm. Johnny became the youngest skipper in New Zealand at eighteen, and today he catches and cooks fresh seafood while running the family business. He's backed by a small, close-knit team - Barry, his right-hand man and fellow fisherman; Shelly, who the team says really runs the bin; Clarkie, who's handed the reins to his son; and Johnny's sisters Treasure and Rochelle, keeping it in the family.
The menu centres on what Johnny and the team catch: a hot crayfish tail with garlic butter and lemon, a whole crayfish served cold or with garlic butter, fresh live local mussels cooked in white wine, local fish and chips, and a whitebait pattie served with buttered bread and lemon.
Nin's Bin is located at Rakautara on State Highway 1, roughly 20 minutes north of Kaikoura. For hours, the business asks customers to check Google, and Johnny can be reached directly by phone for enquiries. Come by for a taste of what many describe as one of the most breathtaking outdoor cafes in the world.