How does the all-you-can-eat work?

One fixed price covers unlimited dishes from the all-you-can-eat menu — tapas, larger plates and desserts — with children's rates for ages 3–5 and 6–12, plus an optional bottomless soft drinks & juices add-on. Leftovers are not available for takeaway.

Is there a vegetarian option?

Yes. Silk Road has a dedicated vegetarian all-you-can-eat menu featuring breads and dips, kofta, sambousek, arancini, cauliflower steak, mushroom wraps and more, with vegetarian dishes also marked across the standard menus.

Can we order à la carte instead?

Yes. Alongside the all-you-can-eat format there are à la carte menus covering tapas, mains, sides and desserts, so you can order individual plates at your own pace.

How do I book a table?

Bookings can be made online through Nowbookit via the restaurant's website, or by calling +64 7 222 5522.

What about dietary requirements?

Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options are marked across the menus. The kitchen is small and warns there may be a risk of cross contamination, so let staff know about any concerns.

Where is Silk Road located?

At 1243 Amohia Street, Central, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand. Enquiries can be emailed to Rotorua@accountsilkroad.co.nz.

What should we drink with dinner?

The drinks list includes themed cocktails like the Watermelon Rosa and Mango Lassi Martini, New Zealand wines by the glass or bottle, beers and ciders, and non-alcoholic choices.

Silk Road

Name: Silk Road
Address: 1243 Amohia Street, Central, Rotorua 3010, Central, Rotorua, NZ
Telephone: +64 7 222 5522
Price range: $$
Rating: 4.8

restaurant — Central · Rotorua

About Silk Road

Silk Road is an all-you-can-eat restaurant on Amohia Street in central Rotorua, built around dishes inspired by the historic Silk Road trade routes — from the vibrant spices of India to the fresh seafood of the Mediterranean. Rather than a buffet line, guests order from a rolling menu of share-style tapas, larger plates, sides and desserts, with the kitchen cooking plates to order as the table explores.

The menu travels widely: Greek breads and dips, stuffed mushrooms and kofta; Indian butter chicken puff and spiced crab salad; Chinese dynamite prawns, pork belly wraps and char sui chicken; Italian crumbed meatballs and calamari; plus larger plates like lamb rump with masala jus and torched salmon with ponzu. Desserts stay playful — the white chocolate mousse is served in a homemade pani puri with pistachio cream. There is a dedicated vegetarian all-you-can-eat menu, an à la carte alternative, and a drinks list of themed cocktails, New Zealand wines, beers and ciders.

Founded in 2015 by chef Marco Li and expanded in 2018, Silk Road was named Best International Cuisine at the 2022 NZ Restaurant Awards. The team emphasises sustainable sourcing from local farmers and ethical suppliers, supports Rotorua food initiatives, and marks gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options across the menus — while noting the small kitchen carries a cross-contamination risk for those with serious allergies.

Silk Road Rotorua: All-You-Can-Eat Flavours from Greece to China on Amohia Street

At Silk Road on Amohia Street in central Rotorua, dinner is framed as a journey rather than a single meal. The restaurant's all-you-can-eat concept gathers dishes inspired by the historic trade routes — the vibrant spices of India, the fresh seafood of the Mediterranean, the street-food energy of China — and sets them on one table. Instead of a walk-around buffet, you order from the menu as you go, and the kitchen sends out plates in waves, cooked to order. It turns a fixed-price feed into something closer to a long, leisurely tasting menu that you control.

A Menu That Travels

The tapas list does most of the globe-trotting. From Greece there are breads and dips — pita, focaccia and garlic baguette with beetroot hummus, tzatziki and fig & olive tapenade — plus an onion, tomato and black olive stuffed mushroom over parsnip puree, and lamb kofta in homemade pita. India answers with a butter chicken puff in flaky pastry and a spiced crab salad. China brings buttered dynamite prawns in spicy mayo, BBQ pork belly wraps in crisp cos lettuce and char sui grilled chicken, while Italy chips in with a crumbed beef, pork and feta meatball and paprika-dusted calamari. Oven-baked mussels topped with bacon, mushroom and cheese round out the Mediterranean end of the table.

When you want something more substantial, the larger plates step in: spice-rubbed lamb rump with masala jus, prime grilled sirloin with salsa verde, dukkah-crusted fish of the day, and miso-marinated torched salmon topped with salmon roe and ponzu. Sides like cacio e pepe, creamy mash and rosemary salt fries keep the whole table happy.

Desserts stay playful. The signature white chocolate mousse arrives inside a homemade pani puri, topped with seasonal fruit and pistachio cream, while the churro basket and strawberry tiramisu finish things on a sweet note. Drinks follow the theme too — cocktails like the Watermelon Rosa, The Pharaoh and Mango Lassi Martini nod to stops along the route, alongside New Zealand wines, beers and ciders.

Dishes Regulars Come Back For

Ask around and the Dynamite Prawns come up first — reviewers call them the highlight of the night. The stuffed mushroom has a following of its own, and the lamb rump gets singled out for how tender it is. If you're celebrating or simply undecided, ordering across the tapas list is the point: plates are made for sharing, and the format rewards curiosity more than strategy.

Not eating everything? Silk Road runs a dedicated vegetarian all-you-can-eat menu with its own lineup — think sambousek, arancini, cauliflower steak, mushroom wraps and cucumber salad served in a crispy pani puri shell — plus an à la carte menu if you'd rather order individual plates at your own pace.

The Story So Far

Chef Marco Li founded Silk Road in 2015 with a vision to bring global flavours to Rotorua through the all-you-can-eat format. The kitchen and dining room expanded in 2018 to meet growing demand, with ten new dishes joining the menu, and in 2022 the restaurant was named Best International Cuisine at the NZ Restaurant Awards for its fusion cooking.

Behind the scenes, the team talks about sustainable sourcing — partnering with local farmers and ethical suppliers — and about being part of Rotorua's food scene through support for local initiatives. The philosophy is simple enough: food as a journey of discovery, cooked with proper technique and good ingredients.

Practically speaking: book ahead (reservations are taken online through Nowbookit, or by phone), come hungry, and note that leftovers can't be taken away — it's all-you-can-eat, not all-you-can-take. Families are well catered for with child pricing tiers and an optional bottomless soft drinks and juices add-on. The menus mark gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options, though the small kitchen warns of cross-contamination risk, so mention anything important to the team when you order.

Signature items

Dynamite Prawns
Stuffed Mushroom
White Chocolate Mousse
Lamb Rump
Torched Salmon
Watermelon Rosa

Breads and Dips — Pita, focaccia and garlic baguette with beetroot hummus, tzatziki and fig & olive tapenade.
Stuffed Mushroom — Onion, tomato & black olive stuffed mushroom with parsnip puree, parmesan and basil oil. Gluten free.
Halloumi Chips — Crumbed halloumi sticks deep fried, served on garlic yoghurt sauce. Vegetarian.
Butter Chicken Puff — Homemade butter chicken served inside a flaky puff pastry.
Kofta — Lamb kofta in homemade pita with tzatziki tomato salsa. Vegetarian option available.
Pork Belly Wraps — Marinated BBQ pork belly in cos lettuce with pickled vegetables. Gluten free, dairy free.
Crumbed Meatball — Beef, pork & feta stuffed meatball with homemade basil & tomato marinara.
Crab Salad — Spiced crab salad with cucumber and spicy aioli, topped with roe shell.
Dynamite Prawns — Buttered prawns tossed in homemade spicy mayo sauce. Dairy free option.
Baked Mussels — Oven baked mussels topped with bacon, mushroom & cheese. Gluten free.
Crispy Calamari — Deep fried calamari tossed in paprika with tomato sauce and coriander mayo.
Charsui BBQ Chicken — BBQ grilled chicken marinated in homemade char sui marinade. Gluten free, dairy free.
Sambousek — Golden fried pastry pockets filled with savoury spiced vegetables. Vegetarian.
Arancini — Crispy fried risotto balls filled with cheese & herbs, with homemade tomato sauce.
Buffalo Chicken — Fried chicken nibbles tossed in buttered tomato sauce, topped with sesame seeds. Gluten free.
Vegetarian Kofta — Vegetarian kofta in homemade pita with tzatziki salsa. Gluten free option.
Cucumber Salad — Spiced cucumber & tomato salad with spicy aioli in a crispy pani puri shell.
Mushroom Wraps — Sizzling mushrooms wrapped in cos lettuce with pickled vegetables. Gluten free, dairy free.

Add Ons

Oysters — Fresh oysters with classic mignonette and lemon. Gluten free, dairy free.

Desserts

White Chocolate Mousse — Vanilla infused mousse in a homemade pani puri with seasonal fruit and pistachio cream.
Churro Basket — Churro bowl with vanilla ice cream, chocolate and pistachio cream.
Strawberry Tiramisu — Strawberry tiramisu with pistachio cream, topped with fresh strawberries.

Cocktails

Watermelon Rosa — Vodka, midori, watermelon syrup, fresh mint and lime.
The Pharaoh — Frozen passionfruit vodka blended with mango, apple juice and citrus.
Nomads Nectar — Fresh strawberries muddled with vodka, limoncello and lime.
Mango Lassi Martini — Bacardi rum, triple sec, yoghurt and mango pulp — smooth and tropical.
Pornstar Martini — Passionfruit-forward favourite with citrus zest.

Wine List

Pinot Gris — Volcanic Hills, Oyster Bay, Rapaura and Roaring Meg, by glass or bottle.
Sauvignon Blanc — Volcanic Hills, Oyster Bay and Allan Scott, by glass or bottle.
Chardonnay — Volcanic Hills, Oyster Bay and Selaks Buttery, by glass or bottle.
Riesling — The Doctors Riesling from Marlborough.
Rosé — Oyster Bay and Fickle Mistress rosé, by glass or bottle.
Pinot Noir — Volcanic Hills, Oyster Bay and Mt. Beautiful, by glass or bottle.
Merlot — Oyster Bay Merlot, by glass or bottle.
Syrah — Volcanic Hills Syrah, by glass or bottle.
Bubbles — Veuve Clicquot Brut and Brown Brothers Prosecco.

Beer & Cider

Tuatara Hazy Pale Ale — Hazy pale ale in a 425ml serve.
Speights Summit Ultra — Crisp Summit Ultra in a 425ml serve.
Peroni — Italian lager at 5.1%, 330ml.
Corona — Lager at 4.5%, 330ml.
Fortune Favours Pilsner — Pilsner at 5.0%, 330ml.
Fortune Favours Pale Ale — Pale ale at 5.3%, 330ml.
Fortune Favours Apple & Blueberry Cider — Fruity cider, 330ml.
Somersby Apple & Pear Cider — Apple and pear cider, 330ml.
Heineken Silver Low Carb — Low carb lager, 330ml.
Heineken Zero — Zero alcohol Heineken, 330ml.
Export Citrus — Low alcohol citrus brew at 2.0%, 330ml.

Larger Plates & Sides

Grilled Sirloin — Prime beef sirloin steak served with homemade salsa verde. Gluten free, dairy free.
Lamb Rump — Spice rubbed lamb rump served with a masala jus. Gluten free, dairy free.
Fish of the Day — Dukkah crumbed fish, pan fried with a spicy tomato salsa.
Torched Salmon — Miso marinated salmon torched with flame, topped with salmon roe & ponzu sauce.
Chicken Katsu — Crumbed chicken thigh fillet with teriyaki sauce, spicy mayo and homemade slaw.
Cauliflower Steak — Smoky grilled cauliflower with grilled vegetables and crispy fries. Vegetarian.
Cacio e Pepe — Spaghetti pasta tossed with parmesan and black pepper. Vegetarian.
Creamy Mash Potatoes — Potatoes mashed with butter and cream, topped with herbs. Vegetarian.
Rosemary Salt Fries — French fries with rosemary infused salt. Vegetarian.
Fries of Choice — Fries with BBQ or rosemary infused salt. Vegetarian.
Baby Roast Veges — Roasted baby vegetables finished in garlic & herb butter. Gluten free.

Frequently asked questions

How does the all-you-can-eat work?: One fixed price covers unlimited dishes from the all-you-can-eat menu — tapas, larger plates and desserts — with children's rates for ages 3–5 and 6–12, plus an optional bottomless soft drinks & juices add-on. Leftovers are not available for takeaway.
Is there a vegetarian option?: Yes. Silk Road has a dedicated vegetarian all-you-can-eat menu featuring breads and dips, kofta, sambousek, arancini, cauliflower steak, mushroom wraps and more, with vegetarian dishes also marked across the standard menus.
Can we order à la carte instead?: Yes. Alongside the all-you-can-eat format there are à la carte menus covering tapas, mains, sides and desserts, so you can order individual plates at your own pace.
How do I book a table?: Bookings can be made online through Nowbookit via the restaurant's website, or by calling +64 7 222 5522.
What about dietary requirements?: Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options are marked across the menus. The kitchen is small and warns there may be a risk of cross contamination, so let staff know about any concerns.
Where is Silk Road located?: At 1243 Amohia Street, Central, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand. Enquiries can be emailed to [email protected].
What should we drink with dinner?: The drinks list includes themed cocktails like the Watermelon Rosa and Mango Lassi Martini, New Zealand wines by the glass or bottle, beers and ciders, and non-alcoholic choices.

Tips

{"body":"Reserve online through Nowbookit or call +64 7 222 5522 — the all-you-can-eat format is popular with groups and celebrations.","title":"Book ahead"}
{"body":"Plates are cooked to order and made for sharing. Start with a few tapas, then explore other regions as the table goes rather than ordering everything at once.","title":"Order in waves"}
{"body":"The white chocolate mousse served in a homemade pani puri is the dish regulars talk about — pace yourself so there's space for it.","title":"Save room for dessert"}
{"body":"Gluten-free and dairy-free options are marked, but the small kitchen carries cross-contamination risk — mention any concerns to staff when you order.","title":"Flag allergies early"}
{"body":"Guests rave about the Watermelon Rosa; there are also route-inspired serves like The Pharaoh and Mango Lassi Martini alongside NZ wines and craft beer.","title":"Try the themed cocktails"}

Good to know

{"family":"Child rates for ages 3–5 and 6–12, plus an optional bottomless fizzy drinks & juices add-on.","dietary":"Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options marked; small kitchen with cross-contamination risk — tell staff."}