Huka Falls Kai & Coffee is a proudly local and whānau-owned cafe located right at the heart of Huka Falls Scenic Reserve, serving fresh barista coffee, real fruit ice cream and food to visitors of one of Aotearoa's most visited natural attractions.
The business is run by descendants of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and its story is deeply connected to Te Huka itself — for generations a gathering place where people traded, rested and connected along important travel routes used by hapū and iwi from across the central North Island. The Waikato River was once a major trading pathway, with people travelling through the area to exchange food, pounamu, obsidian, weaving materials, tools, stories and knowledge, and the roar of Huka Falls welcomed travellers long before the falls came into view.
Today, that tradition of manaakitanga (hospitality) continues, with the team welcoming visitors and sharing kai and coffee at the same site that has drawn people together for generations.
Huka Falls Kai & Coffee sits right at the heart of Huka Falls Scenic Reserve, serving fresh barista coffee, real fruit ice cream and food to the crowds who come to see one of Aotearoa's most visited natural attractions.
The business is proudly local and whānau owned, and its story is inseparable from the place it calls home. For generations, Te Huka has been more than a natural attraction — it has been a gathering place where people traded, rested and connected, deeply tied to the traditions and tikanga of Ngāti Tūwharetoa and neighbouring iwi. Located near the north-western corner of Lake Taupō, Te Huka sat at the crossroads of important travel routes used by visiting hapū and iwi from across the central North Island.
The Waikato River was once a major trading pathway, with people travelling through the area to exchange food, pounamu, obsidian, weaving materials, tools, stories and knowledge. The roar of Huka Falls welcomed travellers long before the falls came into view, making Te Huka a well-known meeting place and landmark for generations. As descendants of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, the team behind Huka Falls Kai & Coffee are proud to continue that tradition today, welcoming visitors and sharing kai and coffee at the same site.
The menu centres on real fruit ice cream, including flavours like mango blended with New Zealand vanilla ice cream, banana and caramel, and mixed berry. For something more substantial, there are sourdough toasted sandwiches, including a ham, cheddar and tomato combination and a smoked chicken, brie and cranberry toastie. A rotating cabinet of baked goods — pastries, scones, bagels and muffins — comes from the kitchen daily.
On the drinks side, the cafe serves locally roasted barista coffee, along with a pineapple lump smoothie, made with fresh pineapple and chocolate as a nod to the classic New Zealand treat.
Huka Falls Kai & Coffee is located right at the heart of Huka Falls Scenic Reserve, to the left side of the building at 331 Huka Falls Road, Taupō. The cafe is open daily, with longer hours over summer and shorter hours over winter.
Whether you're visiting for the first time or returning again, the welcome is the same: nau mai, haere mai — welcome to this place, this culture, and this corner of Aotearoa.