Gringas brings Tex-Mex style Mexican food to Mangawhai Heads — the realisation of a dream for Maggie and Deena, who met in 2017, travelled together and settled in what they call Magical Mangawhai, only to find one thing missing: Mexican food. With Maggie's Texan background and Deena's passion for flavours, they started Gringas as a food truck to share their love of Tex-Mex style food.
After nearly four years in the beloved food truck, they took the plunge and opened a restaurant in 2021, complete with a new and improved menu. Today Gringas serves its food alongside margaritas, cocktails, beer and wine, and offers what the team describes as one of the largest tequila selections in New Zealand. The tagline says it simply: tacos + tequila.
You'll find Gringas at Shop 15 & 16, 7 Wood Street in Mangawhai Heads. Dinner service runs Tuesday to Friday from 5pm until close, with weekend doors opening at midday on Saturday and Sunday. Takeaways can be ordered online, and reservations are welcome via email or the contact form on the website.
The team is quick to thank the local community for its support over the years, and keeps followers on Facebook and Instagram up to date with specials and promotions.
Every good food town has an origin story, and Mangawhai's Mexican chapter begins with two people and a gap in the market. Maggie and Deena met in 2017 and travelled together before deciding to make their home in what they affectionately call Magical Mangawhai. There was just one problem with their new little town: there was no Mexican food.
With Maggie's Texan background and Deena's passion for flavours, the solution wrote itself. They launched Gringas as a food truck, sharing their love of Tex-Mex style food with the community.
For nearly four years the truck was Gringas' home, feeding Mangawhai's Tex-Mex cravings one service at a time. The truck years also gave the team time to refine the menu — so when they took the plunge and opened a restaurant in 2021, locals met a new and improved version of the food they already loved. The restaurant added a bar to match: Gringas now pours margaritas, cocktails, beer and wine alongside the food, and holds what the team describes as one of the largest tequila offerings in New Zealand.
The tagline says it all: tacos + tequila. That pairing is the heart of what Gringas does. In the kitchen it's Tex-Mex style food — the flavours Maggie grew up with, filtered through Deena's passion for bold tastes. Tacos are the headline act, the dish the whole venture was built around back in the food truck days.
Behind the bar, the margarita is the natural companion to a plate of tacos, but it's far from the only option. There's a cocktail list, beer and wine — and then there's the tequila. With one of the biggest selections in the country, the team's promise is simple: you're sure to find something to satisfy.
Gringas is a dinner spot most of the week. Doors open at 5pm Tuesday through Friday, and service runs until close. On weekends the rhythm shifts — Saturday and Sunday open at midday, making Gringas a proper option for a long weekend lunch, not just dinner. Mondays are the day of rest.
Reservations are easy to arrange: email [email protected] or use the contact form on the website and the team will get back to you. Prefer to phone? Call 027 560 4417, noting the phone is only manned during business hours.
Can't make it in, or fancy a night at home? Takeaways can be ordered online through Gringas' ordering page, so the tacos can come to you.
Gringas' journey — from noticing a missing flavour in Mangawhai, to a beloved food truck, to a restaurant with one of the country's largest tequila lists — has been powered by local support, and the team doesn't take it for granted. "We couldn't be more thankful for the support over the years," they say, "and we can't wait to see what the future holds for Gringas."
To keep up with specials and promotions, follow Gringas on Facebook and Instagram (@gringas_mangawhai). Whether it's a weekend lunch, a Friday-night dinner or a takeaway run, tacos and tequila are waiting in Mangawhai Heads.