Grace O'Malley's Irish Inn sits on the Esplanade in Whitianga, directly opposite the Ferry Landing, serving good food, great beer and what the team calls the best Guinness on tap — along with wine and one of the best views in town. It's a traditional Irish inn in the true sense: old world charm inside, harbour views out, and a deck made for long afternoons.
The setting does a lot of the work. Relax in the sunshine with waterfront views over Whitianga Harbour, or cosy up to the open outside fireplace on the alfresco deck — dogs are welcome out there. Add good music and a team of friendly, obliging staff, and it's easy to see why couples, families and groups keep coming back.
The kitchen keeps things tasty and wholesome: pizza, seafood, steaks and desserts, plus burgers, a hearty stew and decadent desserts — succulent steaks, the biggest burgers and the best pizzas, all under one roof. Menus change seasonally, with the summer menu carrying plenty of gluten-free options, and staff are happy to help with any allergies or dietary requirements. On the bar, Grace O'Malley's pours the only Guinness and Kilkenny on tap in town, alongside beer and New Zealand wines.
Open daily from 11am and closed annually on 25 December, with bookings taken on 07 866 4546 (option 2) and The Rockfleet Room available for private functions. Grab a menu, take a seat, and order at the bar in your own time.
On Whitianga's Esplanade, directly opposite the Ferry Landing, Grace O'Malley's Irish Inn does what the best pubs have always done — a warm room, a good pour and a plate of honest food — and adds the one thing most pubs can't: a front-row view of the water. From the alfresco deck you can watch the world go by over Whitianga Harbour, and when the sea breeze picks up there's an open outside fireplace to cosy up beside. Dogs are welcome on the deck, which tells you a fair bit about the welcome inside.
Step through the door and you meet the Old World Charm the team talks about: a blend of alfresco waterfront dining, fireside corners, good music and staff whose smiles seem entirely genuine. That mix of sunshine on the deck, warmth by the fire and good people is what they credit for becoming one of Whitianga's favourites. Couples, families and groups all find their spot, whether it's a long lunch in the sun or a snug table for dinner.
There's a philosophy behind it too. Wholesome and flavoursome food is vital to the establishment, the team says, but it always tastes better when it's delivered with a smile — so the friendly, obliging staff are treated as part of the experience, not an afterthought. Service is deliberately unhurried: grab a menu, take a seat, and order at the bar in your own time. If the menu has you torn, the bar staff will happily recommend something fresh and tasty for you and your party.
The kitchen cooks in the traditional Irish inn register — tasty, wholesome and generous. The menu page sums up the headliners plainly: succulent steaks, the biggest burgers and the best pizzas, all under one roof. Around them sit gourmet pizzas, seafood dishes, a hearty stew and decadent desserts, with the emphasis on flavour over fuss. There's enough range that the inn can honestly say it caters to a wide range of tastes.
The menu changes seasonally, so there's a reason to return as the months turn — the summer menu, for one, comes with plenty of gluten-free options. The Head Chef has put together an extensive menu designed to cater for everybody's tastes, and anyone with allergies or dietary requirements is asked to flag it so staff can help with the order. That, they reckon, is part of why dining out here reminds people just how enjoyable eating out can be.
For many regulars, the tap is the point. Grace O'Malley's pours the only Guinness and Kilkenny on tap in Whitianga, and makes no small claim about quality: the best Guinness on tap, in their own words. A pint of the black stuff with a harbour view is about as Whitianga as an afternoon gets. Alongside the taps there's beer and a lineup of sublime New Zealand wines, so wine drinkers are well looked after too.
Practicalities are easy. The inn opens daily from 11am and closes just once a year, on 25 December. Bookings can be made by phone on 07 866 4546, option 2, and larger gatherings have The Rockfleet Room, a private-function space you can enquire about with staff or by emailing [email protected]. Menus change with the seasons, so what's on the plate in summer won't be quite what's on it in winter. Whether you step off the ferry for a long lunch on the deck or drift in on a cool evening for stew and a pint by the fire, the formula stays the same: wholesome food, a proper pour, harbour views and service delivered with a smile.