The Local Kitchen + Bar

About The Local Kitchen + Bar

The Local — Kitchen + Bar sits on the corner of Moir & Molesworth in the heart of Mangawhai Village, doing exactly what its name promises: being the neighbourhood's local from morning to night. Coffee is poured from open at 9:30am, brunch runs until 2:30pm, lunch starts at midday, and dinner keeps the kitchen going until late. The only day off is Tuesday.

The kitchen covers all the bases across the day — brunch classics like eggs benedict on rosti and a proper big breakfast, lunch plates from Korean fried chicken and bao buns to burgers and the day's market fish, then small plates, hand-tossed pizzas and mains such as twice-cooked pork belly and slow-cooked beef cheek from 5pm. Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian dishes are flagged on the menu, and the team asks you to mention any allergies or dietary requirements when ordering.

Behind the bar there are eight taps pouring everything from McLeod's brews to Epic pale ales, a considered wine list served by the glass and bottle, house spirits with premium Fever-Tree mixer upgrades, and a short list of cocktails — cosmopolitan, Aperol spritz, espresso martini and margarita in classic, coconut or passionfruit. Low- and non-alcoholic drinkers are looked after too.

The Local also hosts celebrations, business events and private functions, runs live music and a monthly open mic night, and takes takeaway orders ahead by phone. Book a table online, roll in for a long lunch, or settle in for dinner that runs late — it is built to work however the village uses it.

The Local Kitchen + Bar, Mangawhai: Coffee From Open, Dinner Til Late

On the corner of Moir and Molesworth, right in the heart of Mangawhai Village, The Local — Kitchen + Bar keeps a simple promise: coffee from open, long lunches, and dinner that runs late. Doors open at 9:30am six days a week, with Tuesdays the one day the team stands down. It is a room built for the whole day — a flat white in the morning, a lazy lunch that stretches, and small plates and wine well into the evening.

One kitchen, all day

Brunch is served until 2:30pm, and the breakfast list covers the classics done properly: eggs your way on toasted ciabatta, a breakfast bagel stacked with bacon, egg, spinach and hollandaise, and waffles with bacon, banana and maple syrup. The Mexican Eggs pile potato rosti, spinach, bacon, house salsa and goats cheese under poached or fried eggs, while the gluten-free Eggs Benedict sits on rosti with a choice of beef cheek, bacon, salmon or mushrooms. There's mince on toast for traditionalists and house-made granola with coconut yoghurt and coconut panna cotta for the lighter appetite. The Big Breakfast — eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomato, rosti and ciabatta — is the one to order when you mean it.

From midday the kitchen swings to lunch: crisp tempura cauliflower with sriracha mayo, pork belly bites tossed in chamoy with green apple, salt and pepper calamari with house-made aioli, and seafood chowder with toasted ciabatta. Bao buns come with crispy chicken or pork belly, and the burger list — beef, crispy chicken or battered fish — arrives with chips. Fish and chips, the day's market fish and sirloin with mushroom sauce round out the bigger plates.

Dinner, from small plates to slow-cooked mains

From 5pm the dinner menu takes over. Small plates lead in, then proper mains: twice-cooked pork belly with hoisin glaze, potato pave and pea puree; slow-cooked beef cheek with mash and jus; satay chicken; and Lamb Two Ways, pairing roasted lamb with a lamb croquette, miso butternut puree and yakiniku tare glaze. Pizzas are hand-tossed and topped with house-made marinara and mozzarella — margherita and veggie for the purists, Mexican and meat lovers for the hungry, and a lamb and pumpkin with caramelised onion, goats cheese and balsamic glaze for something different. Dessert changes nightly, so ask your server what's on tonight.

Eight taps and a considered wine list

The bar earns its half of the name. Eight taps pour everything from McLeod's lagers, Northern Light and Pioneer Porter to Epic's hazy pale ale and Thunder APA, with bottles, cans, RTDs and a solid low- and no-alcohol line-up behind them. The wine list runs by the glass and bottle from Gisborne and Martinborough sauvignon blanc to Central Otago pinot gris, Hawke's Bay chardonnay, Marlborough rosé and a short red list, plus Piper Heidsieck by the bottle. Cocktails cover the classics — cosmopolitan, Aperol spritz, espresso martini and a margarita in classic, coconut or passionfruit — while spirit drinkers can upgrade to premium Fever-Tree mixers and non-drinkers have juices, soft drinks and Antipodes sparkling water.

Functions, music and takeaway

Beyond day-to-day service, The Local hosts celebrations, business events and private functions, and keeps a live music programme plus a monthly open mic night — musicians keen to play are invited to get in touch. Can't stay? Takeaway orders can be phoned ahead. There's a proper kids' menu too, from eggs your way and waffles to mini fish and chips, spaghetti bolognese and ice-cream sundaes.

The menu changes with the season, and the team asks only that you flag any allergies or dietary requirements when ordering — gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian dishes are marked throughout. Booking is easy through the reservations page or by phone, and with Mangawhai Village right outside the door, The Local does what its name suggests: it works as your local, whether that's 9:30 in the morning or late in the evening.

Signature items

• Eggs Benedict
• Big Breakfast
• Pork Belly Bites
• Lamb Two Ways
• Hand-Tossed Pizza
• Espresso Martini

Menu

RTDs

• Hyoketsu — Ask our team about today's flavours
• Hard Rated — Lemon or lemon lime
• Zeffer — Hazy lemonade or hazy gingerbeer
• Scapegrace — Yuzu gin or boysenberry gin

Mains

• Fish + Chips — Battered fish, chips, slaw + gribiche sauce (GF · DF)
• Twice Cooked Pork Belly — Hoisin glaze, potato pave, pea puree + house pickles (GF · DF)
• Market Fish — Ask your server for today's market fish
• Slow Cooked Beef Cheek — Served with mash, broccolini + jus (GF)
• Satay Chicken — Roast potatoes, seasonal veg + satay sauce (GF · DF)
• Sirloin Steak + Chips — Chips, slaw + mushroom sauce (GF)
• Lamb Two Ways — Roasted lamb, lamb croquette, miso butternut puree + yakiniku tare glaze (GF · DF)

Sides

• Hot Chips — Side of hot chips
• House Slaw — House slaw, gluten, dairy + veg friendly

Desserts

• Tonight's Dessert — Ask your server for tonight's dessert options

Breakfast

• Eggs Your Way — Served with toasted ciabatta
• Granola — House-made granola with coconut yoghurt, coconut panna cotta, seasonal fruit + raspberry coulis (DF · V)
• Breakfast Bagel — Bacon, egg, cheese, spinach, relish + hollandaise
• Salmon Bagel — Salmon, cream cheese, spinach, capers + pickled onions
• Waffles — Served with bacon, banana + maple syrup
• Mexican Eggs — Potato rosti, spinach, bacon, house salsa, goats cheese + poached or fried eggs (GF)
• Eggs Benedict — Poached eggs on rosti with hollandaise — choose beef cheek, bacon, salmon or mushrooms (GF)
• Mince on Toast — On toasted ciabatta with poached or fried eggs (DF)
• Big Breakfast — Eggs your way, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomato, rosti + toasted ciabatta

Cocktails

• Cosmopolitan — From the house cocktail list
• Aperol Spritz — From the house cocktail list
• Espresso Martini — From the house cocktail list
• Margarita — Classic, coconut or passionfruit

Wine List

• De Bortoli Prosecco — Sparkling prosecco, by the glass or bottle
• Paradise Prosecco — Sparkling prosecco, by the glass or bottle
• Piper Heidsieck Champagne — Champagne, by the bottle
• Torea Sauvignon Blanc — Gisborne sauvignon blanc, by the glass or bottle
• Nga Waka Sauvignon Blanc — Martinborough sauvignon blanc, by the glass or bottle
• Rimapere Sauvignon Blanc — Marlborough sauvignon blanc, by the glass or bottle
• Torea Pinot Gris — Gisborne pinot gris, by the glass or bottle
• Lake Chalice Pinot Gris — Marlborough pinot gris, by the glass or bottle
• Loveblock Pinot Gris — Marlborough pinot gris, by the glass or bottle
• Brookfields Chardonnay — Hawke's Bay chardonnay, by the glass or bottle
• The Bluff Chardonnay — Central Otago chardonnay, by the glass or bottle
• Louis Latour Chardonnay — French chardonnay, by the glass or bottle
• Lake Chalice Rosé — Marlborough rosé, by the glass or bottle
• Cote Mas Rosé — French rosé, by the glass or bottle
• Rockburn Rosé — Central Otago rosé, by the glass or bottle
• Horizon Pinot Noir — Pinot noir, by the glass or bottle
• Grant Burge Shiraz — Shiraz, by the glass or bottle
• Katnook Cabernet Sauvignon — Cabernet sauvignon, by the glass or bottle
• Cote Mas Syrah — French syrah, by the glass or bottle

Kids Mains

• Eggs Your Way — Served with toasted ciabatta
• Waffles — Banana, ice-cream + choc sauce
• Fish + Chips — Kid-sized battered fish + chips (GF)
• Fried Chicken + Chips — Kid-sized fried chicken + chips (GF)
• Spaghetti Bolognese — A classic for the smaller crew
• Pulled Beef, Mash + Veg — Pulled beef with mash + veg (GF)
• Pizza — Cheese, ham + cheese or pepperoni

Beer On Tap

• Speights Summit Ultra — 4.2% pour from one of eight taps
• Captains Low Carb Lager — 5.3% low carb lager on tap
• Puhoi Beer Pilsner — 4.6% pilsner on tap
• McLeods Northern Light — 2.3% light brew on tap
• Epic Hazy Pale Ale — 5.3% hazy pale ale on tap
• Epic Thunder APA — 5.8% APA on tap
• McLeods Longboarder Lager — 5.0% lager on tap
• McLeods Pioneer Porter — 5.6% porter on tap

Small Plates

• Tempura Cauliflower — Served with sriracha mayo (GF · V)
• Smoked Salmon Dip — From the small plates list
• Lamb Croquettes — Crisp croquettes, made dairy free (DF)
• Salt + Pepper Calamari — Served with house-made aioli (GF)
• Pizza Bread — Garlic or caramelised onion (V)
• Pork Belly Bites — Tossed in chamoy sauce + green apple (GF · DF)
• Winter Salad — Roast pumpkin, cauliflower, broccolini, capsicum hummus + goats cheese; add grilled chicken or market fish (GF · V)
• Seafood Chowder — Served with toasted ciabatta
• Honey Garlic Chicken — Korean fried chicken tossed in honey, garlic + soy sauce — spicy or mild (GF)

Bao + Burgers

• Crispy Chicken Bao — Bao bun filled with crispy chicken
• Pork Belly Bao — Bao bun filled with pork belly (DF)
• Beef Burger — Beef patty, bacon, cheese, lettuce, burger sauce, relish + chips
• Chicken Burger — Crispy chicken, lettuce, tomato, chipotle mayo + chips
• Fish Burger — Battered fish, lettuce, tomato, gribiche sauce + chips

House Spirits

• Nemiroff Vodka — House vodka with your choice of standard mixer
• Haymans Gin — House gin with your choice of standard mixer
• El Jimador Tequila — House tequila with your choice of standard mixer
• Evan Williams Bourbon — House bourbon with your choice of standard mixer
• Mount Gay Rum — House rum with your choice of standard mixer

Bottles + Cans

• Michelob — Beer by the bottle or can
• Lion Red — Beer by the bottle or can
• Speights — Beer by the bottle or can
• Corona — Beer by the bottle or can
• Steinlager — Beer by the bottle or can
• Asahi — Beer by the bottle or can
• Stella Artois — Beer by the bottle or can
• Zeffer Cider — Cider by the bottle or can
• Guinness — Stout from the bottles + cans list

Hand-Tossed Pizza

• Margherita — Tomato + basil on house-made marinara + mozzarella (V)
• Veggie — Capsicum, mushroom, red onion, tomato + corn (V)
• Hawaiian — Ham + pineapple
• Chicken + Cranberry — Chicken, cranberry + brie
• Pepperoni — Mild pepperoni
• Mexican — Beef, onion, capsicum, jalapeno, corn chips + sour cream
• Meat Lovers — Meat lovers toppings on house-made marinara + mozzarella
• Lamb + Pumpkin — Lamb, pumpkin, caramelised onion, goats cheese + balsamic glaze

Low + Non-Alcoholic

• Urbanaut Hazy Pale Ale — 2.5% low-alcohol hazy pale ale
• Sawmill Nimble Pale Ale — 2.5% low-alcohol pale ale
• Sawmill Bare Pale Ale — 0% alcohol-free pale ale
• Sawmill Bare Hazy — 0% alcohol-free hazy
• Corona 0% — Alcohol-free Corona
• Heineken 0% — Alcohol-free Heineken

Juices + Soft Drinks

• Orange Juice — Chilled juice
• Apple Juice — Chilled juice
• Cranberry Juice — Chilled juice
• Pineapple Juice — Chilled juice
• Tomato Juice — Chilled juice
• Sprite + Sprite Zero — Soft drink, regular or zero
• Coke + Coke Zero — Soft drink, regular or zero
• Raspberry — Raspberry fizzy
• Lemon, Lime + Bitters — Soft drink classic
• Gingerbeer — Soft drink classic
• Karma Organic — Organic cola, lemonade, raspberry or gingerbeer
• Antipodes Sparkling Water — 500ml or 1000ml bottle

Kids Drinks + Sweets

• Fluffy — The classic kids' fluffy
• Hot Chocolate — Kids' hot chocolate
• Juice + Fizzy — Apple, orange, cranberry, pineapple, lemonade or raspberry
• Kids Ice Cream Sundae — Chocolate, caramel or strawberry

Brunch Sides + Add Ons

• Rosti — Crispy potato rosti add-on
• Sausage — Breakfast sausage add-on
• Bacon — Bacon add-on
• Smoked Salmon — Smoked salmon add-on
• Chips — Side of chips
• Aioli — Side of aioli
• Hollandaise — Extra hollandaise
• Tomato Sauce — Extra tomato sauce

Frequently asked questions

Where is The Local Kitchen + Bar?

On the corner of Moir & Molesworth in the heart of Mangawhai Village, Northland — postcode 0505.

What are the opening hours?

Open from 9:30am til late, six days a week. The Local is closed on Tuesdays.

Do I need to book a table?

Bookings can be made through the reservations page on the website or by calling (09) 945 3838 — a good idea for dinner service.

Can I order takeaway?

Yes — takeaway orders can be placed ahead by phone.

Can you cater for allergies or dietary requirements?

Yes. Let the team know about any allergies or dietary requirements when ordering; gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian dishes are marked on the menu.

Is there a kids' menu?

Yes — eggs your way, waffles, fish and chips, fried chicken, spaghetti bolognese, pulled beef with mash and pizza, plus kids' drinks and ice-cream sundaes.

Does The Local host functions or events?

Yes — celebrations, business events and private functions, plus live music and a monthly open mic night. Get in touch by phone or email.

Tips

• {"body":"Reserve online or call (09) 945 3838, especially if you're aiming for the 5pm-onwards dinner service.","title":"Book ahead for dinner"}
• {"body":"The Local is closed Tuesdays. Other days open at 9:30am — brunch ends at 2:30pm, lunch starts at noon and dinner from 5pm.","title":"Mind the Tuesday"}
• {"body":"The market fish and the dessert change regularly, and the menu shifts with the season — your server can tell you what's on the day.","title":"Ask what's on today"}
• {"body":"Can't stay long? Ring your order ahead by phone and collect it from the corner of Moir & Molesworth.","title":"Takeaway made easy"}
• {"body":"There's live music and a monthly open mic night — contact the team if you'd like to play or plan a function.","title":"Catch a gig or play one"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Dedicated kids' menu spanning brunch, lunch and dinner, plus kids' drinks and ice-cream sundaes.","dietary":"Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian dishes are flagged on the menu; mention any allergies when ordering."}