Picnicka Bar & Grill is a wood-fired bar and grill on Level 2 of Elizabeth Towers at 38 Elizabeth Street, right in the Tauranga CBD. It is the latest concept from Kim and Noel Cimadom, the couple behind Clarence in the city and Alpino in Mount Maunganui, and it continues their tradition of creating delightful spaces to bring people together over food and drinks worth savouring. Whether you are a steak enthusiast, a food lover or just thirsty, the idea is simple: Picnicka is your place.
The kitchen centres on open-flame cooking, with BBQ dishes perfectly cooked over fire for a delectable chargrilled flavour. Graze on Pacific oysters and other fresh treats, share the best bites across the table and work through a menu that spans lunch, happy hour, dinner, dessert and drinks. There is a dry aged meat locker for those who take their beef seriously, alongside wagyu burgers, snapper, lamb shank and more.
The bar holds its own too, pouring cocktails, boutique New Zealand wines and craft beers, with a daily happy hour that makes Picnicka a natural spot for afterwork drinks. Open every day from 12pm until late, with three hours of free parking, special dietaries catered for on request, and event and group bookings available, it is built for everything from long lunches to evenings that stretch on.
Perched on Level 2 of Elizabeth Towers at 38 Elizabeth Street, Picnicka Bar & Grill brings a little extra life to the heart of Tauranga's CBD. It is the latest concept from Kim and Noel Cimadom, the hospitality couple already known for Clarence in the city and Alpino in Mount Maunganui, and with Picnicka they continue a tradition of creating delightful spaces to bring people together with food and drinks worth savouring — this time with an open flame at the centre of it all.
The philosophy is stated right on their site: embracing the good life, for the people, by the people. Whether you arrive as a dedicated steak enthusiast, a curious food lover or someone who is simply thirsty, Picnicka positions itself as your place — somewhere to make yourself at home, graze on good things and stay a while.
Picnicka's kitchen is built around BBQ dishes cooked over an open flame for a delectable, chargrilled flavour. The starters set the grazing tone: Pacific oysters served natural with lemon and shallot mignonette or blood orange granita, or tempura battered with chipotle mayo, followed by plates meant for sharing — kingfish crudo with black rice and chili yuzu mayo, duck liver parfait with bacon jam and brioche, halloumi with fennel, lemon and honey, buttermilk fried chicken with honey and tabasco, and tempura oyster mushroom with BBQ spice.
The woodfire section is where the grill takes centre stage. Steaks include pasture-fed eye fillet and scotch fillet alongside a speckled beef bavette. Beyond the beef there is snapper with citrus kosho and kale, lamb shank with butternut, dukkah, hazelnut and sumac, barbecued chicken with lime, guindillas and yoghurt, a barley risotto with mushroom, miso and parmesan, and a wagyu burger loaded with house BBQ sauce, cheddar, bacon and an onion ring. Sides are built for the table too: fries with chipotle mayo and chicken salt, gem lettuce salad with green goddess dressing, broccolini with lemon ricotta and chili oil, and Brussels sprouts with bearnaise and prosciutto pangrattato.
One of Picnicka's signatures is its dry aged meat locker, with a daily cut served alongside salad or fries. The week has its own rituals beyond the a la carte menu: a Workers Lunch runs Monday to Friday from 12pm to 2.30pm, a Three Course Menu is on offer for a longer sit-down, and Tuesday belongs to Butcher Night. Happy hour bridges the afternoon every single day from 2.30pm to 5.30pm, making the bar a handy landing spot between lunch and dinner.
The drinks list holds its own against the kitchen: cocktails, boutique New Zealand wines and craft beers, with Picnicka billing itself as your place for afterwork drinks. Whether that means a quick glass of wine when the office closes or a round of cocktails before dinner, the bar is clearly part of the draw rather than an afterthought to the grill.
Open Monday to Sunday from 12pm until late, Picnicka moves easily between long lunches and evening dinners. Reservations can be made online, and the team also handles event and group bookings, so it suits everything from a midweek catch-up to a bigger celebration. Gift vouchers are available for gifting a meal out, and a newsletter keeps regulars in the loop.
Practicalities are covered as well: three hours of free parking makes a visit simple, and the kitchen can cater for special dietaries — the standing advice is simply to speak to staff about your requirements.
All told, Picnicka does what its name promises: a place to graze and play. Fire-cooked plates made for sharing, a serious steak programme backed by a dry ageing locker, cocktails, boutique wines and craft beers, and an easy, make-yourself-at-home attitude above Elizabeth Street — a natural pick for Tauranga locals and visitors alike.