The Hilltop sits in the Summerhill complex on Ruapehu Drive in Fitzherbert and bills itself as Palmerston North's home of great-value dining. It's a contemporary, relaxed bar and restaurant where the kitchen turns out pub classics, family favourites and everyday meal specials from 11am to 9pm, seven days a week, with daily meal specials keeping the price honest.
The drinks side is a genuine drawcard: the team has curated a range of more than 100 gins, each paired with Fever-Tree mixers, alongside cocktails, cold beer and coffee. A cabinet of sweet and savoury treats is stocked daily for dine-in or takeaway - ideal with one of their coffees any day of the week.
Families are looked after with a dedicated kids menu and a kids combo that comes with a meal, drink and ice cream sundae, while big screens and legendary pub meals make it a solid spot for live sport. For private gatherings, the Antler Room hosts functions for 15-22 guests, and a rewards programme offers generous perks for regulars.
Perched on the hill above Palmerston North in the Summerhill complex, The Hilltop does exactly what its tagline promises: it is your place to enjoy. This contemporary bar and restaurant on Ruapehu Drive has built its name on great-value dining - daily meal specials, everyday meal specials from $19.50, and a menu of pub classics and family favourites served from 11am right through to late, seven days a week.
Whether you are settling in for a long lunch, catching the big game on the big screens, or gathering the extended family around one table, The Hilltop keeps things relaxed. Cold Heineken on tap, a glass of bubbles, a cabinet of sweet and savoury treats and a gin list that runs to more than 100 bottles give this neighbourhood spot a little extra polish.
The heart of the menu is the everyday specials section, available from 11am to 9pm every day. Here you will find the plates locals come back for: beer battered fish 'n' chips, a chicken BLT on toasted focaccia, corn fritter stacks, buttermilk chicken tenders and the Heineken pot pie - slow cooked beef simmered in Heineken beer and topped with cheese and pastry. There is a Thai red curry with chicken and mango, a Korean BBQ chicken salad loaded with karaage, and a chicken and chorizo pasta for the pasta lovers.
Steak lovers get a dedicated choose-your-protein menu: 200g or 500g rump, lamb rump cap on, scotch fillet or eye fillet, each served with two sides and a sauce of choice - mushroom, peppercorn, garlic butter, aioli, bearnaise, red wine jus or gravy. In the cooler months, the slow cooked lamb roast and half or full kilo serves of pork ribs in the famous Jack Daniels rib sauce are the comfort-food picks.
Burgers hold their own too. The Hilltop Burger stacks a beef patty with bacon, egg, tomato, beetroot, lettuce, cheese and aioli in a brioche bun; the Hawaiian chicken burger brings buttermilk tenders and pineapple; and the mushroom and halloumi burger, with portobellos, potato rosti and sriracha mayo, is a proper meat-free option. Starters are built for sharing: supreme nachos (swap the beef for pork belly), jalapeno poppers, pork belly bites with rocket sauce, karaage chicken, bao buns and green-lipped mussels in a creamy garlic sauce.
The gin bar is The Hilltop's calling card. The team has curated a range of more than 100 gins, each paired with Fever-Tree mixers, alongside cocktails, cold beers and a simple soft-drink line-up for the drivers.
Not after a big meal? Coffee and cabinet food are available seven days a week - take a table for brunch or lunch, or drop by for a coffee and a slice to take away. It is a format that makes The Hilltop as easy for a quick coffee stop as it is for a full dinner service.
Families are well catered for, with a dedicated kids menu - ham and cheese pizza, chicken tenders, cheeseburger, fish 'n' chips - and a kids combo that comes with a meal, a drink and an ice cream sundae for children 12 and under. Desserts run to ice cream sundaes, warm apple crumble and a cheesecake of the day, and staff can point out low gluten options too.
For groups, the Antler Room is available for private dining and functions hosting 15-22 guests - a popular pick for birthdays, work dos and celebrations. Sports fans can count on big screens and legendary pub meals for all the big games, and regulars can sign up to the rewards programme to earn generous perks on their visits.
The Hilltop is part of the George Hospitality Group, a local family of Palmerston North venues, and it carries that same community-minded, easy-going feel. Find it in the Summerhill complex at 194-200 Ruapehu Drive, Fitzherbert. Doors open 11am to late, Monday to Sunday; book a table online or call 06 354 0621, and follow the venue on Facebook for the latest specials.