New season deals you'll love! View deals
Where can I eat before my tee time?
It's labeled the most important meal for a reason, and this is especially true for golfers searching for 5-hours of energy while tackling the Taupo region’s many fairways.
Whether you want to load up with a classic English breakfast or are keeping it healthy with a fresh juice and dose of avocado on toast, Taupo's top eats are delivering the goods, and then some. Stomach rumbling already? Our top picks for breaky in Taupo are here.
Lakefront / Taupo town
Cafe Baku
A Taupo constant, sitting opposite Lake Taupo. If your tee time is later, take a seat and enjoy a Kiwi favourite - Egg's benedict. But for a quick bite, the cabinet food rivals some of the best cafes in the country— from decadent salmon croissant sandwiches to banoffee muffins. Cafe Baku is a modern Kiwi cafe, providing delicious food, plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and convenient parking. Oh, and Allpress is the coffee roast; name a better brew?!
Baked With Love
Good Kiwi tucker. A family business, operating for decades and providing a classic menu; options include a big (massive) breaky with all the trimmings, a farmer's omelet, or mince on toast. Can’t forget to mention, Baked with Love serves some of the best donuts in town along with gluten and dairy-free goodies! This is not your place for edible flowers, but if you leaned into a few on your first night, this would cure your cravings.
Espresso Cove
This intimate cafe offers modern breakfast options, and you can enjoy lake views with outdoor seating a stone’s throw away from the water’s edge. A relaxing way to start your day, remember golf is 90% mental. The menu has something for everyone, from granola to a big breakfast. Espresso Cove is located 15 minutes walk from town but is close to famous golf hotels; Sacred Waters, Hilton Lake Taupo, and Millenium Hotel & Resort.
En-route to Kinloch Golf Club
Kinloch is a 20-minute drive from Taupo and is a charming lakeside town. So if you're tackling New Zealand's most challenging course, we recommend enjoying a couple of the local favourites along the way.
Tipsy Trout
It has the pick of the region’s menus, with a wide variety of cafe favourites, corn fritters being the victor! They also use Hamilton's Manuka Brothers' coffee, a unique and rich coffee lovingly roasted over Manuka wood.
L'Arte Cafe & Gallery
It's on the way from Taupo to Kinloch and has an all-day breakfast/menu, incorporating a unique style and blend of old and new; from their homemade wholemeal bread to our gluten-free recipe, there is something here for every palate. L'Arte is a gallery and garden with a whimsical outdoor mosaic living room, so set some time aside, relax and enjoy the lush surroundings.
Fry up at home’
If you stay in a private home or serviced apartment, a home-cooked fry-up is always a favourite. Make your way to M21 Meats and pick up locally farm-sourced free-range eggs and bacon.
So, these may be our favourites, but there are many others to choose from for your pre-round ritual. See our full list of Taupo’s cafes here.
