The Fat Farmer is a lively, locally owned restaurant and bar tucked into the corner of Hokowhitu Village, Palmerston North. The venue is opulent and vintage styled — an overt floor plan surrounded by intimate corner hideaways — blending rustic charm and contemporary decor into a distinctly stylish, European ambiance.
The kitchen specialises in an exceptional variety of traditional and modern sharing plates, offered as small and large plates built from an abundance of locally sourced produce. Every plate aims for that elusive balance of sweet, salty and sour — even dessert — and the menu runs from curated set menus and a main menu through to bao buns, sides and sweet treats.
Behind the bar, a full service lineup pairs an eclectic wine list with New Zealand made craft beer and cider, as well as a run of invigorating cocktails.
Locally owned and managed by Grace Farrington, who brings more than ten years of industry experience, The Fat Farmer keeps its mission simple: delicious, affordable food that guests want to return to week after week. Bookings are essential, with dinner service from 4.30pm Tuesday to Thursday and from 4.00pm on Friday and Saturday, until late.
The Fat Farmer sits tucked into the corner of Hokowhitu Village in Palmerston North, a lively, locally owned restaurant and bar that has built its name on one simple idea: distinctive, modern cuisine, delivered bite upon bite. From the moment the doors first opened, the kitchen has pursued that goal with an abundance of locally sourced produce, intricately woven into a menu of small and large sharing plates.
Step inside and the room makes an impression. The venue is opulent and vintage styled, with an overt floor plan surrounded by intimate corner hideaways — so a couple can tuck themselves away for the evening while a bigger table still feels part of the hum. Rustic charm and contemporary decor sit comfortably together, creating what the team calls a distinctly stylish, European ambiance. It is a room designed for grazing: unhurried, sociable and warm.
Food here is built around the table rather than the individual plate. The menu is characterised by an exceptional variety of traditional and modern sharing plates, and the kitchen's stated aim is that elusive, cuisine-defining balance of sweet, salty and sour — a balance they insist applies even to dessert.
The menu itself moves across several territories: curated set menus for a complete grazing experience, a main menu of small and large plates, a dedicated bao buns selection, sides to round out the table, and sweet treats to finish. Underpinning it all is a simple mission: serve delicious, affordable food that guests will want to return to week after week.
The sharing plates are only half the story. A full service bar complements the kitchen, pairing an eclectic wine list with New Zealand made craft beer offerings and a list of invigorating cocktails. Whether an evening calls for a glass from the wine list or something mixed, the bar is set up to match drinks to the steady rhythm of plates arriving at the table.
The Fat Farmer is owned and managed by Grace Farrington, who brings more than ten years of industry experience to the floor. That locally owned character shows in the produce sourcing, the neighbourhood setting in Hokowhitu Village, and the emphasis the venue places on guests returning week after week.
The Fat Farmer serves in the evenings, opening at 4.30pm from Tuesday to Thursday and from 4.00pm on Friday and Saturday, trading until late on each of those five nights. Bookings are essential, so it pays to reserve a table through the website's online booking page or by phone on (06) 358 4999 before heading in — particularly for Friday and Saturday evenings.
Gift vouchers are available online for anyone keen to pass on a night of grazing, and the venue can be found on Facebook and Instagram for menus and updates. For anyone new to the menu, the set menus offer an easy way in: a curated run of plates that captures the sweet, salty and sour balance the kitchen is known for, without having to plot the order yourself.
For locals and visitors to Palmerston North alike, The Fat Farmer offers an evening built around the pleasure of eating together: plates that balance sweet, salty and sour, a bar that knows its wine and craft beer, and a vintage styled room that invites you to stay a while.