Turangi Tavern

restaurant — Turangi · Tūrangi

About Turangi Tavern

Turangi Tavern sits in the heart of Turangi, just a stone's throw from State Highway One at the southernmost tip of Lake Taupo, bustling with both locals and travellers. It's described as an honest-to-goodness Kiwi pub, a favourite watering hole for watching the big game, having a punt on the horses in the TAB, and gathering with family for an evening meal.

Turangi sits central to activities like trout fishing, river rafting, skiing and snowboarding, and the tavern serves as a refuelling stop for weary travellers and adventurers, with generous portion sizes and reasonable prices. The kitchen serves appetisers, tavern salads, burgers and sandwiches, pizzas, pasta, steaks and seafood, plus a dedicated kids menu, alongside desserts to finish.

Beyond the kitchen, the tavern offers a space for everyone - pool tables, darts, a TAB, pokies, a bar, and a deck outside to relax on. The bar and wine list covers sparkling wines, whites, reds, champagne, cider, tap and bottled beer, RTDs and a range of spirits and liqueurs.

Turangi Tavern: An Honest Kiwi Pub on the Southern Tip of Lake Taupo

In the heart of Turangi, just off State Highway One at the southernmost tip of Lake Taupo, the Turangi Tavern has built a reputation as an honest-to-goodness Kiwi pub. It's a proud favourite watering hole for locals watching the big game, having a punt on the horses in the TAB, or gathering with family for an evening meal, while also welcoming travellers pulling in off the main road for a hearty feed.

More Than Just Pub Food

Turangi sits central to a wide variety of activities, from trout fishing and river rafting through to world-class skiing and snowboarding, and the tavern positions itself as a haven for weary travellers and adventurers looking to refuel. Generous portion sizes and reasonable prices are the promise, with the tavern pointing to its double beef burger and famous Venison Pizza, shared between friends, as standouts.

A Full Kitchen Menu

The food menu runs from appetisers like salt and pepper squid and nachos through to the tavern's famous salads, a full range of main meals including pork belly, lamb shank, rump and sirloin steak, and a seared salmon fillet with hollandaise. Burgers and open sandwiches, house pizzas from Meat Lovers to Smoked Salmon, and a pasta selection round out the savoury side, while desserts like sticky date pudding and chocolate brownie finish the meal. A dedicated kids menu covers pizza, mini hotdogs, fish bites, chicken nuggets and grilled chicken tenderloins.

A Space for Everyone

Beyond the kitchen, the Turangi Tavern offers pool tables, darts, a TAB for a flutter on the horses, pokies, and a deck outside for relaxing with a drink. The bar covers a full range of sparkling, white and red wines, champagne, cider, tap and bottled beers, RTDs and spirits, giving regulars and travellers alike plenty of reasons to settle in.

Visiting Turangi Tavern

Turangi Tavern is located at 277A Te Rangitautahanga Road, Turangi, and can be reached by phone at 07-386 6071 for bookings and enquiries. Whether it's fuelling up before a day on the water or the slopes, or settling in to watch the game with mates, Turangi Tavern positions itself as the warmest welcome on the mountain.

Signature items

  • Famous Venison Pizza
  • Double Beef Burger
  • Pork Belly
  • Lamb Shank
  • Surf 'n' Turf
  • Salmon Fillet

Menu

Pasta

  • Vegetarian Pasta — Olives, red onion, capsicum, mushroom, cherry tomatoes and spinach in tomato and basil pesto sauce
  • Penne Pasta — Smoked chicken, mushroom, bacon and spinach in a white wine sauce

Pizzas

  • Meat Lovers — Beef, pepperoni, ham and bacon with BBQ sauce
  • Hawaiian — Ham and pineapple
  • BBQ Chicken — Chicken, bacon, red onion and BBQ sauce
  • Supreme — Red onion, mushroom, capsicum, ham, beef, pepperoni and pineapple
  • Smoked Salmon — Salmon, cream cheese, capers, red onion and basil pesto
  • Vegetarian — Red onion, capsicum, mushroom, tomato and olives, topped with aioli and spinach

Desserts

  • Ice Cream Sundae — Chocolate, strawberry or caramel
  • Chocolate Brownie — Served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce
  • Sticky Date — Served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and caramel sauce

Appetizers

  • Fries — Served with aioli
  • Garlic Bread — Oven baked garlic bread
  • Basket of Curly Fries — Served with sweet chilli
  • Corn Nuggets — Served with aioli and plum sauce
  • Spring Rolls & Samosa — Served with sweet chilli and soy sauce
  • Salt & Pepper Squid — Served with tartare and lemon
  • Shrimp Cocktail — Classic shrimp cocktail
  • Buffalo Wings — Served with a blue vein sauce
  • Nachos — Crispy corn chips, nacho mince and cheese, topped with sour cream and jalapenos
  • Seasoned Wedges — Served with bacon, grated cheese, sour cream and sweet chilli

Kids Meals

  • Ham & Cheese Pizza — Served with curly fries
  • Mini Hotdogs — Served with curly fries
  • Fish Bites — Served with curly fries
  • Chicken Nuggets — Served with curly fries
  • Grilled Chicken Tenderloins — Served with vegetables

Main Meals

  • Bangers & Mash — Sausages, mash potato, peas and gravy
  • Fish & Chips — Two fish, fries and salad
  • Pork Belly — Served with mash potato, seasonal vegetables, apple sauce and gravy
  • Lamb Shank — Served with mash potato, seasonal vegetables and gravy
  • Rump Steak — Rump steak, fries, salad, eggs and gravy
  • Sirloin Steak — Sirloin steak, fries, salad and gravy
  • Salmon Fillet — Seared salmon fillet on potato rosti and seasonal vegetables, topped with hollandaise
  • Surf 'n' Turf — Sirloin steak, fries, salad with a creamy shrimp sauce

Beer, Wine & Spirits

  • Sparkling Wines — Lindauer Brut, Lindauer Sauvignon Blanc, Lindauer Fraise, Aronui Rose
  • White Wines — Kopiko Bay, Lake Chalice, Oyster Bay and Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay
  • Red Wines — Oyster Bay, Villa Maria, Kopiko Bay Pinot Noir; Ti Point, Oyster Bay, Villa Maria Merlot; Oyster Bay, Taylors, Barossa, Villa Maria Shiraz
  • Champagne — Moet & Chandon Champagne Brut 750ml
  • Bottled Cider — Monteiths Apple, Rekorderlig Strawberry & Lime, Rekorderlig Passion Fruit & Lime
  • Tap Beers — Tui, Export Gold, Export 33, Waikato, Tui 2.5%, Monteiths Black, Original, Pale Ale, Pilsner, Golden, Magners Cider, Tiger Beer
  • Bottled Beer — Steinlager, Steinlager Pure, Heineken, Stella Artois, Sol, Lion Red, Monteiths Radler and Summer
  • Bottled Light Beer — Export Citrus Lemon, Export Citrus Grapefruit, Amstel Light, Heineken Light
  • RTDs — Coruba & Cola, Smirnoff Black, KGB Lemon, Woodstock and Cruisers, Gordons Gin, Canadian Club & Dry, Jim Beam & Cola, Jack Daniels & Cola
  • Single Malts — Glenlivet Founder's Reserve, Glenfiddich 12yrs, Aberlour 12yrs, Glenmorangie
  • Premium Spirits — Black Label, Chivas Regal, Absolut Vanilla, Appleton Rum, Baileys, Canadian Club, Cointreau, Drambuie, Jagermeister, Jameson, Jack Daniels, Kahlua, Malibu, Midori, Opal Nera, Southern Comfort
  • House Spirits — Smirnoff Vodka, Bacardi, Coruba Rum, Gordons Gin, Grants Whiskey, St Remy Whiskey
  • Tequila — Pepe Lopez and Jose Cuervo Tequila
  • Liqueurs — Advocaat, Apple Sours, Blue Curacao, Butterscotch, Chambord, Banana, Frangelico, Lychee, Peach Schnapps, Strawberry, Alize Blue, Tia Maria

Burgers & Sandwiches

  • Beef Burger — 180g beef patty, cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, red onion, beetroot and egg, served with fries
  • Chicken Burger — Crumbed chicken patty, mayo, lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickle and red onion, served with fries
  • Fish Burger — Hoki fish, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, cheese and tartare sauce, served with fries
  • Bacon Lover Burger — 180g beef patty, cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle and bacon, served with fries
  • Open Chicken Sandwich — Chicken tenderloins, lettuce, red onion, tomato, camembert, plum sauce and aioli, served with fries
  • Open Steak Sandwich — Steak, lettuce, mushroom, tomato, onion jam and aioli, served with fries

Famous Tavern Salads

  • Falafel Salad — Lettuce, red onion, capsicum, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and cashew nuts in balsamic vinaigrette
  • Calamari Salad — Lettuce, red onion, capsicum, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and cashew nuts in balsamic vinaigrette
  • Grilled Moroccan Chicken and Bacon Salad — Lettuce, red onion, capsicum, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and camembert in balsamic vinaigrette
  • Thai Beef Salad — Lettuce, red onion, capsicum, cucumber, cherry tomatoes in balsamic vinaigrette

Frequently asked questions

Where is Turangi Tavern located?
At 277A Te Rangitautahanga Road, Turangi, New Zealand, just off State Highway One.
Is there a kids menu?
Yes, including pizza, mini hotdogs, fish bites, chicken nuggets and grilled chicken tenderloins.
What is the tavern known for?
Its double beef burger and famous Venison Pizza, alongside generous, reasonably priced pub meals.
What else is there to do at the tavern besides eat?
Pool tables, darts, a TAB, pokies, and a deck outside for relaxing with a drink.
Does the tavern have a drinks menu?
Yes, covering sparkling, white and red wines, champagne, cider, tap and bottled beers, RTDs and spirits.
How do I contact Turangi Tavern?
By phone on 07-386 6071.

Tips

  • {"body":"Described by the tavern as a signature dish, best shared with a friend.","title":"Try the famous Venison Pizza"}
  • {"body":"The tavern has long been a local spot to watch the races and place a bet.","title":"Take a punt in the TAB"}
  • {"body":"Turangi is central to trout fishing, river rafting, skiing and snowboarding - the tavern serves generous portions for hungry travellers.","title":"Refuel after outdoor adventures"}
  • {"body":"Outdoor deck seating is available alongside pool tables and darts inside.","title":"Relax on the deck"}

Good to know

  • {"family":"Dedicated kids menu available"}