Stoked Public House

About Stoked Public House

Stoked Public House sits at 19 The Esplanade, right on the Whitianga waterfront, with unobstructed views out across Mercury Bay. The shanty-styled restaurant and bar began life as a three-bedroom bach; when Andy and Bex Driscoll, owner-operators originally from England, bought the property, they converted it into the restaurant they had long dreamed of running. With a combined fifty years of hospitality experience behind them, they opened Stoked in 2016.

The kitchen cooks in a style all its own, built around a chargrill oven and an offset smoker. Meats, seafood and vegetables all come off the fire with a charred finish and smoky aroma, and the team smokes its own seafood and cheese alongside low-and-slow cooked cuts. Chef Andy's promise is simple: only work with providers who deliver fresh and sustainable products, following a holistic approach from source to table.

The menu runs from bar snacks and entrees like kinilaw — a Filipino-style raw fish dish — through burgers, pizzas and large plates featuring Coromandel mussels, Ora King salmon, Scotch fillet and grilled snapper in Thai yellow curry sauce. There's a kids menu, a short dessert list, and vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options throughout.

To drink there's craft beer and cider on tap, a selection of local wines, fusion coffee and cocktails, best enjoyed on the open or covered decks. Walk-ins are welcome for tables of eight or fewer, with group bookings and set menus arranged by enquiry — a relaxed, family-run spot that aims to make every visit feel like coming home.

Stoked Public House: Chargrilled and Smoked Coastal Dining on Whitianga's Esplanade

On the Whitianga waterfront, where The Esplanade runs along the edge of Mercury Bay, Stoked Public House occupies a spot most restaurants would envy. What is now a shanty-styled restaurant and bar began life as a three-bedroom bach. When Andy and Bex Driscoll — owner-operators originally from England, with a combined fifty years in the hospitality industry — had the chance to buy the waterfront property, they converted it into the restaurant and bar they had long dreamed of running. Stoked opened its doors in 2016.

Cooking with Fire and Smoke

The kitchen here doesn't cook like most kitchens. At its heart are two pieces of equipment: a chargrill oven and an offset smoker. Everything that comes off them — meats, seafood and vegetables alike — carries the charred finish and smoky aroma that define the menu. The team smokes its own seafood and cheese, and gives selected cuts of meat the low-and-slow treatment.

Chef Andrew 'Andy' Driscoll sums up the kitchen's promise simply: they only put their trust in providers who deliver fresh and sustainable products. That holistic approach, from source to table, shows most clearly in the seafood. Coromandel mussels, oysters and fresh local fish appear throughout the menu, and the team makes a point of supporting the region's food suppliers, brewers and wineries.

From Bar Snacks to Big Plates

The menu is broad without losing focus. It opens with bar snacks and sides — pork and vegetable spring rolls, tempura pickles with sriracha mayo, kumara fries, and the Stoked Nachos piled with mozzarella, sour cream, chilli con queso and tomato salsa. Entrees range from kinilaw, a Filipino-style raw fish dish dressed with coconut cream, ginger and chilli, to salt and pepper squid, tempura king prawn and buffalo chicken wings.

Burgers cover familiar ground with care. The Stoked Burger stacks two smashed patties with bacon, American cheese and BBQ sauce, while a tempura aubergine burger gives vegetarians a proper option of their own. The pizza list runs from a classic Margherita to Italian Meat and a King Prawn pizza with confit garlic oil.

The large plates are where the chargrill and smoker do their best work: a Scotch fillet with cafe de Paris butter, chargrilled Ora King salmon over charred broccoli and kumara, lamb rump with rustic ratatouille, and steamed Coromandel mussels in Thai yellow curry sauce. Grilled snapper — served as an entree or a main — and a grilled tofu dish share the same Thai yellow curry treatment, and tempura fish and chips is there for the traditionalists. A kids menu and a short dessert list of coconut panacotta, apple crumble sundae and chocolate brownie round things out, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options running throughout.

The Deck Is the Point

The view does a lot of the talking here. Stoked looks out, unobstructed, across Mercury Bay, and guests are invited to start with a cocktail, wine or beer on the open or covered decks before settling in for a memorable meal. Behind the bar there's a range of craft beers and cider on tap, local wines and fusion coffee.

The vision Andy and Bex describe is a relaxed waterfront hospitality experience, and the practicalities match it. Walk-ins are welcome for tables of eight or fewer, while groups can book subject to the time of year and party size — pre-orders are required for groups of ten or more, with set menus available on request. In summer, Stoked opens seven days a week from midday until close.

It's an owner-operated place in the truest sense. Andy and Bex have built the maritime, shanty-styled character they imagined on that Whitianga waterfront bach, and their team aims to make a visit the best experience you'll have in Whitianga. Come for smoked seafood off the grill, a pot of Coromandel mussels, or simply a cold drink with the bay in front of you — the idea is the same: every meal a melody, every visit something like coming home.

Signature items

• Chargrilled Ora King Salmon
• Steamed Coromandel Mussels
• Scotch Fillet
• Kinilaw
• Stoked Burger
• Stoked Nachos

Menu

Pizzas

• Margherita — Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and oregano
• Pork Adobo — Red onion, sisi mayo and mozzarella
• Italian Meat — Salami, parma ham, pepperoni, parmesan and roquette
• Veggie — Roast veggies, feta, mozzarella, roquette and parmesan
• King Prawn — Confit garlic oil, red onion, peppers, roquette and parmesan
• Hawaiian — Ham, pineapple and mozzarella cheese
• Garlic Pizza Bread — Garlic oil, mozzarella and oregano
• Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Option — Available on request for pizzas

Burgers

• Stoked Burger — Two smashed patties, bacon, American cheese, lettuce, aioli, BBQ sauce and chips
• Tempura Prawn Baguette — Pickled cabbage, iceberg lettuce, sweet chilli mayo and chips
• Steak Sandwich — Caramelized onion, roquette, red onion and sundried tomato and parmesan salad, with chips
• Grilled Chicken Burger — Swiss cheese, bacon, Caesar dressing, lettuce and chips
• Tempura Aubergine Burger — Iceberg lettuce, red onion, tzatziki, tomato salsa and chips
• Gluten Free Option — Available on request for burgers

Entrees

• Kinilaw — Filipino raw fish with coconut cream, cucumber, tomato, ginger, coriander, spring onion and chilli
• Tempura King Prawn — Slaw and sriracha mayo
• Salt and Pepper Squid — Pickled red cabbage and miso mayo
• Buffalo Chicken Wings — With ranch dressing
• Caesar Salad — Cos lettuce, boiled egg, croutons, parmesan and Caesar dressing; add chicken, bacon or anchovies
• Roast Veggie Salad — Spinach, charred broccoli, kumara, pumpkin, onions, feta and tzatziki
• Chicken Liver Pate — Homemade chutney and toasted bread

Desserts

• Coconut Panacotta — With berry and mint
• Apple Crumble Sundae — Vanilla ice cream and Granny Smith apple
• Chocolate Brownie — Vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce
• Indulge Ice Cream — Chocolate sauce and toasted almonds

Kids Menu

• Kids Tempura Fish — With fries
• Kids Ham or Cheese or Pineapple — Ham, cheese or pineapple option
• Kids Chicken Nuggets — With fries
• Kids Beef Burger — Cheese, iceberg lettuce and fries
• Kids Sundae — Vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, wafers and rainbow sprinkles

Large Plates

• Scotch Fillet — Fries, sundried tomato, roquette and parmesan salad, cafe de Paris butter
• Pork Adobo — Jasmine rice, fried egg and sisi mayo
• Chargrilled Ora King Salmon — Charred broccoli, kumara, spinach and miso butter
• Grilled Snapper Entree — Jasmine rice, Thai yellow curry sauce, green beans, coriander and spring onions
• Grilled Snapper Main — Jasmine rice, Thai yellow curry sauce, green beans, coriander and spring onions
• Lamb Rump — Sauté potatoes, rustic ratatouille and salsa verde
• Grilled Tofu — Jasmine rice, Thai yellow curry sauce, green beans and coriander
• Tempura Fresh Fish & Chips — Slaw and tartare sauce
• Steamed Coromandel Mussels — Thai yellow curry sauce, coriander, spring onions, chilli and toasted bread

Bar Snacks & Sides

• Pork & Vegetable Spring Rolls — Served with sweet chilli sauce
• Tempura Pickles — With sriracha mayo
• Chunky Fries — Ketchup or garlic aioli
• Housemade Jalapenos — Cream cheese, mozzarella and tzatziki
• Kumara Fries — With garlic aioli
• Flat Bread — With tzatziki
• Stoked Nachos — Mozzarella, sour cream, chilli con queso, tomato salsa; add nachos beef
• Spice Bag — Fries, grilled chicken, peppers, onion, seasoning and chip shop curry sauce

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a booking at Stoked Public House?

Walk-ins are welcome for tables of eight or fewer. Group bookings are available subject to the time of year and party size, and pre-orders are required for groups of ten or more, with set menus available on request.

What are the opening hours?

Summer hours run seven days a week, from 12 pm until close.

Are there vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?

Yes. The menu includes vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options, and the team does its best to cater for special dietary requirements. Gluten-free is available on request for burgers and pizzas.

What is Stoked known for?

Chargrilled and smoked cooking. Dishes come off a chargrill oven and offset smoker for a charred finish and smoky aroma, and the team smokes its own seafood and cheese.

Where is Stoked and what are the views like?

The restaurant is at 19 The Esplanade, Whitianga 3510, on the Coromandel Peninsula, with unobstructed views out to Mercury Bay from the open and covered decks.

Is there a kids menu?

Yes — options include kids' tempura fish, chicken nuggets, a beef burger and a sundae with ice cream, chocolate sauce and rainbow sprinkles.

How do I get in touch?

Phone (07) 866 0029 or mobile 021 177 4075, or email info@getstoked.co.nz.

Tips

• {"body":"The open and covered decks look straight out to Mercury Bay. Doors open at midday in summer — arriving early helps for walk-in tables.","title":"Bag a deck seat"}
• {"body":"Groups of ten or more need pre-orders, and set menus are available on request. Call or email ahead to arrange.","title":"Feeding a crowd"}
• {"body":"The team smokes its own seafood and cheese and cooks low and slow — worth asking what's come off the smoker.","title":"Ask what's been smoked"}
• {"body":"Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options run through the menu, and gluten-free is available on request for burgers and pizzas.","title":"Dietary needs? Just say"}
• {"body":"The Filipino-style raw fish entree with coconut cream, ginger and chilli is a distinctive way to begin a meal by the bay.","title":"Start with the kinilaw"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Kids menu with fries-and-sundae favourites; walk-ins for tables of eight or fewer","dietary":"Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options; gluten-free available on request"}