Grill & Green

About Grill & Green

Grill & Green is a fully licensed, Mediterranean-inspired cafe and restaurant in the Excelsa Complex in Papamoa East, Tauranga, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The team describes it as 'a relaxed and welcoming dining experience', built around delicious, healthy food cooked fresh on the grill and freshly made salads created to your liking.

The menu leans into Turkish and Greek flavours. Meze like sigara borek, halloumi saganaki, dolmades and steamed mussels start the table, before the best-selling open souvlaki, slow-cooked kleftiko or generous share platters made for two. Brunch is a real highlight too, with Turkish eggs, Turkish Benny and the Big Kiwi Breakfast served until 2pm alongside barista-made coffee.

The bar is just as considered: a wine list featuring Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, Central Otago and Greek pours, beers on tap, Mythos Greek beer, ouzo and a full non-alcoholic line-up, with Happy Hour every day from 3pm to 6pm. Free WiFi, online takeaway ordering, gift cards and table reservations round out a genuinely handy local all-rounder.

You'll find Grill & Green at 4 Golden Sands Drive, Papamoa Beach — open 11am to 9pm Tuesday to Friday and 9am to 9pm on weekends, closed Mondays.

Grill & Green Papamoa: Mediterranean Meze, Souvlaki and Brunch by the Beach

Head to the eastern end of Papamoa Beach and you'll find Grill & Green in the Excelsa Complex on Golden Sands Drive — a fully licensed, Mediterranean-inspired cafe and restaurant that covers the whole day, from flat whites over breakfast to slow-cooked lamb at dinner. The team calls it 'a relaxed and welcoming dining experience', and the idea is simple: delicious, healthy food cooked fresh on the grill, alongside salads made to your liking. It's the kind of place that can handle a long brunch, a group dinner or a quick online-ordered takeaway with equal ease.

From Turkish Eggs to the Big Kiwi

Brunch is where the kitchen shows its personality. Breakfast runs until 2pm and stretches well past bacon and eggs: the Turkish Benny layers poached eggs, baby spinach, pesto and hollandaise on Turkish bread with bacon, mushrooms or halloumi; Galata Tower stacks hash brown, vegie fritter and beetroot dip; and the Turkish Eggs pair poached eggs and halloumi with garlic yoghurt and a homemade passata. Traditionalists get the Big Kiwi Breakfast, or the Mini Kiwi for smaller appetites, plus creamy mushrooms for vegetarians.

Lunch follows from 11am to 2.30pm with gyros in pita, a falafel burger with sweet chilli, and generous salads topped with Turkemen chicken, garlic prawns, Turkish kofte or Cyprus halloumi.

Meze, Mains and Platters for Two

When evening comes, the meze table takes over. Warm olives with herbs, sigara borek (cigar-shaped fried filo filled with spinach and feta), grilled halloumi saganaki, dolmades and steamed mussels in creamy garlic are all built for sharing, and the Turkish Meze for two gathers falafel, halloumi, dips and Turkish bread into a single spread. It's a menu that rewards ordering broadly and eating family-style.

The kitchen's best seller is the open souvlaki: tender chunks of juicy chicken, lamb or a mix of both, served with Mediterranean salad, onions, dips, rice and oregano bread. For something slower, order the kleftiko — a lamb shank cooked down with capsicum and eggplant puree. Hungry pairs can take on the share platters: the Ottoman, with lamb, chicken and kofte alongside rice, halloumi and dips; the Surf & Turf with prawn, calamari and smoked salmon; or the seafood-led Miss Santorini. Let the team know about any allergies or dietary requirements — thanks to falafel and halloumi, there are meat-free paths all over the menu.

Coffee All Day, Happy Hour from Three

Barista-made coffee runs from open to close, backed by a tea list that travels from English breakfast and earl grey to Turkish apple tea and honey, lemon and ginger. Being fully licensed, the bar pours New Zealand wines — Mills Reef, The Ned and Fickle Mistress among them — alongside Greek drops like Ionos, with Mythos Greek beer and ouzo for the full Mediterranean mood. Beers and cider flow on tap, RTDs and juices fill the gaps, and Happy Hour runs every day from 3pm to 6pm.

Plan Your Visit

Grill & Green is at 4 Golden Sands Drive, Papamoa Beach, and keeps easy hours: closed Mondays, open 11am to 9pm Tuesday through Friday, and from 9am on Saturday and Sunday — which makes a 9am weekend brunch a genuinely local pleasure. Free WiFi is available if you want to linger over one more coffee, takeaway can be ordered online, and gift cards are sold through the same platform.

Large groups and parties are welcome with advance booking, and the team can even cater your event at your own location. Tables can be reserved through the booking page on the website — worth doing if you're planning a celebration around one of those platters for two.

Signature items

• Open Souvlaki
• Kleftiko
• Turkish Eggs
• Ottoman
• Halloumi Saganaki
• GnG Burger

Menu

Wine

• Sauvignon Blanc — The Ned and Mills Reef, both from Marlborough.
• Chardonnay — Mud House (Marlborough) or Mills Reef (Hawkes Bay).
• Pinot Gris — The Ned (Marlborough) or Roaring Meg (Central Otago).
• Rosé — Leveret Estate from Hawkes Bay.
• Pinot Noir — Mills Reef Reserve (Marlborough) or Fickle Mistress (Central Otago).
• Merlot — Tohu or Mills Reef Reserve, both Hawkes Bay.
• Syrah — Mills Reef Reserve from Hawkes Bay.
• Greek Wine — Ionos — Cabernet Merlot (red) or Roditis Moschato (white).
• Sparkling & Bubbles — Lindauer Fraise or Brut, Prosecco, Mimosa and Mills Reef Methode Traditionelle.
• House Wine by the Glass — Hawkes Bay pours of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot gris, merlot, syrah, pinot noir or rosé.
• House Wine by the Bottle — Mill Road wines.

Sides

• Bowl of Salad
• Fries — Served with aioli and tomato sauce.
• Rice
• Brunch Extras — Smoked salmon, bacon, sausage, hash browns, mushrooms, eggs, GF bread, hollandaise or Turkish bread.

Salads

• Mediterranean Salads — Mixed lettuce, carrots, red onion, corn, feta and mixed seeds with hummus and beetroot dips; topped with Turkemen chicken, garlic prawns, falafel, Turkish kofte or Cyprus halloumi; add rice, fries or bacon.

Breakfast

• Creamy Mushrooms — Pickled onion, baby spinach and pesto served on Turkish bread.
• Turkish Benny — Poached eggs, baby spinach, pesto and hollandaise on Turkish bread, with bacon, mushrooms or halloumi.
• Galata Tower — Hash brown, two poached eggs, vegie fritter, baby spinach, beetroot dip and hollandaise.
• Turkish Eggs — Two poached eggs, halloumi and Turkish bread with garlic yoghurt and homemade passata.
• Big Kiwi Breakfast — Two eggs your way with sausage, bacon, mushrooms, hash browns, relish, baby spinach and Turkish bread.
• Mini Kiwi Breakfast — Eggs your way with bacon, relish, baby spinach and Turkish bread.

Lunch & Mains

• Open Souvlaki — Best seller — tender chunks of juicy chicken, lamb or a mix with Mediterranean salad, onions, dips, rice and oregano bread.
• Kleftiko — Slow cooked lamb shank with capsicum, eggplant puree and jus.
• Creamy Calamari — Capers, onions, capsicum, corn and cream, served with Turkish bread or rice.
• GnG Burger with Fries — Lettuce, relish, pickles and cheese in a grilled bun with BBQ sauce; beef, chicken or halloumi.
• Falafel Burger — Lettuce, relish and pickles with sweet chilli sauce.
• Gyros — Hummus, lettuce, onions, capsicum, pita bread and aioli; chicken, falafel or halloumi.

Tea Selection

• Classic Teas — Green tea, English breakfast, mint, earl grey or berry tea.
• Detox Tea
• Turkish Apple Tea — A Turkish favourite, served warm.
• Honey, Lemon & Ginger
• Pot of Black Tea for Two

Starters & Meze

• Warm Olives — Olives warmed with herbs, served with Turkish bread.
• Turkish Bread — Served with hummus and beetroot dip.
• Honey Brie — Brie served with dates and Turkish bread.
• Sigara Borek — Cigar-shaped fried filo filled with baby spinach and feta, with Greek tzatziki.
• Halloumi Saganaki — Grilled halloumi with hummus and Turkish bread.
• Twist Calamari — With mesclun, sundried tomatoes, capers and aioli.
• Steamed Mussels — Creamy garlic and onion with white wine sauce, fresh herbs and Turkish bread.
• Dolmades Grape Leaves — Four bite-size vine leaves stuffed with rice, with tzatziki, garnish and lemon.
• Turkish Meze (For 2) — A selection of mezes with falafel, halloumi, dips and Turkish bread.

Beer, Cider & More

• Tap Beer & Cider — Monteiths Apple Cider, Monteiths Golden Lager and DB Export 33 low carb, by the glass or jug.
• Bottled Beers — Monteiths Golden Light, Corona, Heineken, Heineken Zero and Mythos Greek beer.
• RTDs — Gordon's Gin & Tonic, Long White, Coruba Cola or Canadian Club.
• Greek Ouzo — Served by the shot.

Coffee & Hot Drinks

• Barista Coffee — Americano, short black, long black, mochaccino, cappuccino, flat white or latte.
• Hot Chocolate
• Chai Latte — Classic, spicy, or turmeric chai latte and turmeric spicy chai latte.
• Coffee Extras — Extra shot, decaf, caramel, hazelnut or vanilla syrup; almond, coconut, oat or soy milk; cream or honey.

Cold & Non-Alcoholic

• Fizzy Soft Drinks — Coke, Coke Zero, L&P, Sprite, lemon lime & bitters, and ginger beer or diet ginger beer.
• Juices — Apple, cranberry or orange, plus apple & peach, apple, orange & mango and apple & feijoa.
• Iced Drinks — Iced coffee or iced chocolate with whipped cream; lemon or peach iced tea.
• Kombucha — Feijoa, pineapple mango or raspberry.
• Sparkling Water

Share Plates For Two

• Ottoman — Lamb, chicken and kofte (beef meatball) with rice, halloumi, dips, mini salad, oregano and Turkish bread.
• Surf & Turf — Lamb, chicken, kofte and seafood — prawn, calamari and smoked salmon — with rice, dips, mini salad and Turkish bread.
• Miss Santorini — Mussels, prawns, smoked salmon and calamari with rice, dips, oregano and Turkish breads.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Grill & Green located?

In the Excelsa Complex at 4 Golden Sands Drive, Papamoa Beach, Tauranga 3118.

What are the opening hours?

Closed Mondays. Tuesday to Friday 11am to 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 9pm.

Can I book a table?

Yes — reservations can be made through the booking page on the website. Large groups and parties should contact the restaurant in advance to secure a spot.

Is there takeaway or online ordering?

Yes — you can order online for takeaway via Grill & Green's Order Meal page, and gift cards are available through the same platform.

Is Grill & Green licensed?

Yes, it's fully licensed, pouring New Zealand and Greek wines, tap and bottled beers, RTDs, ouzo and a full range of non-alcoholic drinks. Happy Hour runs every day from 3pm to 6pm.

Are there vegetarian or dietary-friendly options?

Yes — falafel and halloumi appear across the meze, burgers, gyros and salads. The team asks that you advise them of any allergy or dietary requirements.

Does Grill & Green cater events?

Yes — the restaurant welcomes large groups and parties (book in advance) and can also cater your event at your own location. Email [email protected] for queries.

Tips

• {"body":"Drinks Happy Hour runs every day from 3pm to 6pm — an easy excuse to turn dinner into a longer evening.","title":"Happy Hour 3-6pm"}
• {"body":"Doors open at 9am on Saturday and Sunday for brunch; breakfast is served until 2pm (weekday service starts at 11am).","title":"Weekend brunch from 9am"}
• {"body":"Grill & Green is closed Mondays, so plan visits between Tuesday and Sunday.","title":"Mind the Monday"}
• {"body":"Large groups and parties should get in touch in advance to book; the team can also cater your event at your own location.","title":"Book for groups"}
• {"body":"The Ottoman, Surf & Turf and Miss Santorini platters are designed for two people — ideal for a share-and-pick dinner.","title":"Order a platter to share"}

Good to know

• {"wifi":"Free WiFi for guests.","dietary":"Advise staff of any allergies or dietary requirements; plenty of vegetarian choices like falafel and halloumi."}