The Redoubt Bar & Eatery has been a fixture on Matamata's Broadway since June 2006, when Jacob and Kelly Henderson opened its doors after three years leasing The Redoubt in Te Awamutu. Their goal was simple: give this thriving Waikato town a dynamic, community-focused bar and eatery. Nearly two decades on, strong local support and a steady stream of travellers and Hobbiton tourists have made it a genuine 'must' for anyone in Matamata.
The kitchen's motto says it all — good food, good cheer, great beer. An ever-changing seasonal menu brings 'legend dishes' like crispy pork belly, the Kiwi-favourite fish 'n' chips, the OMG burger and a home-made seafood chowder, all under the banner of the legendary Sticky Chicky. Vegan, gluten-free and most dietary requirements are easily catered for, and the full menu runs all day from 11am until late, seven days a week.
The thirsty are well looked after too, with a range of New Zealand wines, fantastic tap beers including the Monteith's range and Heineken, and a cocktail list personally selected by general manager Clifford Williams — the only Jamaican in Matamata.
Inside, walls displaying local Matamata happenings, heroes and villains give the room a comfortable 'at your mate's place' feel. Whether you're debriefing after a Hobbiton tour, having a meal with the family, or sharing a few with your mates, The Redoubt aims to make your day at least that little bit better.
The Redoubt Bar & Eatery opened in June 2006, the work of Jacob and Kelly Henderson. The couple had already served their hospitality apprenticeship, leasing The Redoubt in Te Awamutu for three years before making the move. When they looked at Matamata, they saw a thriving town with room for something specific: a dynamic, community-focused bar and eatery. So they built one.
It clearly answered a need. On the back of strong local support — and a steady flow of travellers and Hobbiton tourists passing through — The Redoubt has established itself as a 'must' for anyone in Matamata. Nearly two decades on, its motto still frames everything it does: good food, good cheer, great beer. The stated aim is modest and disarming — to make your day at least that little bit better.
Step inside and the room tells you a lot about the place. The walls display local Matamata happenings, heroes and villains, giving the bar a comfortable 'at your mate's place' character that's hard to manufacture. It's a venue equally at ease hosting three very different tables: visitors debriefing after a Hobbiton tour, a family settling in for a meal together, or a group of mates there to 'share a few'.
The rhythm of the day is refreshingly simple. Doors open at 11am, seven days a week, and the bar runs until late. Better still, the full menu is available all day — so there's no anxious clock-watching between lunch and dinner.
The Redoubt bills itself as the home of the legendary Sticky Chicky, the dish that gives regulars a reason to return and travellers a reason to tell friends about a small Waikato town. Around it sits an ever-changing seasonal menu with its own roll-call of 'legend dishes': crispy pork belly, the Kiwi favourite fish 'n' chips, the imposingly named OMG burger, and a home-made seafood chowder.
The kitchen keeps the table open to everyone. Vegan, gluten-free and most dietary requirements are easily catered for — the standing invitation is simply to speak to the team. The menu runs the full span of the day too, from breakfast through lunch and dinner to dessert.
Beer gets equal billing in the motto, and the taps deliver: fantastic tap beers including the Monteith's range and international favourite Heineken, backed by a range of New Zealand wines. Then there's the cocktail list — personally selected by general manager Clifford Williams, known around town as the only Jamaican in Matamata. It's a small detail, but the kind that makes a drink here feel like a genuinely local call.
Location helps tell the story. Matamata sits in the heart of Hobbiton movie-tour country, and The Redoubt leans into it — calling itself the perfect place to debrief after your Hobbiton tour. A cold tap beer and a legend dish are a fitting way to wind down after a day in the Shire.
There's more to the calendar than casual walk-ins, too. The venue runs events and entertainment, takes reservations for those planning ahead, and sells vouchers for anyone keen to gift the experience.
Some bars trade on novelty; The Redoubt trades on being exactly what its town needs. Community-focused walls, an all-day seasonal menu that takes dietary needs seriously, honest tap beer and a cocktail list with a personal stamp — it adds up to what the owners call a uniquely Redoubt experience. If you find yourself in Matamata, whether you've just come off a Hobbiton bus or you've lived down the road for years, the door's open from 11am. Good food, good cheer, great beer — as promised.