Eats Cafe - Hokitika

Absolutely fantastic and friendly funny staff thanks food is reasonably priced we will call in again when passing through

This was a very lamb heavy meal. And I 'd say 4 stars for both entrees, but would skip the lamb wontons. Just because you can fry something in a wonton skin, doesn 't mean you should. It was underwhelming. But the lamb shank was great!! And we choose the potato of the day which was a cheesy, garlicy mess of deliciousness on the plate! The lamb salad had a nice yogurt dressing, lots of good veggies and feta cheese and the lamb was rare as requested. Overall eat lamb as intended here, and you 'll be in good shape. We also both liked our beer and wine selections too.

This popular neighborhood pub offers fantastic gastro pub-style dishes, ensuring there's something for everyone on the menu. Our lamb shanks were outstanding—tender and practically melted in our mouths. The slow-cooked belly pork was flavorful, though it could have been a bit juicier. The sides of potatoes and vegetables were delicious, and the portions were generous. Staying at the Stumpers Hotel made it even better, as we could easily walk next door for dinner, especially with the unpredictable weather on the West Coast.

For our main course, we ordered the Southern Island's finest fish, which was blue cod during our visit. You can choose between a full or half portion, essentially two pieces of blue cod or one. We decided on the full portion for $34 and substituted the fried option for steamed vegetables. It was delicious, especially the accompanying sauce. We also ordered the seafood platter, which I highly recommend for anyone looking to sample a variety of seafood in one dish. Everything on that platter was flavorful. For dessert, we went with the banoffee pie. It was good, though not extraordinary. The ice cream was a bit too frozen, making it challenging to scoop with a spoon.

Stumpers appeared to be a promising spot in downtown Hokitika, but I left feeling somewhat disappointed with the food. As we waited for our table, I had to endure watching Lewis Hamilton win the F1 championship on TV, which I found frustrating since I'm not a fan of him, although I won't blame the restaurant for that. I ordered the lamb backstrap, figuring I should take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy lamb. However, it may not have been the best choice here. The flavor was decent, but the lamb was quite overcooked—leaning towards medium-well in the thinner areas, while the thickest part was more like medium, not the medium-rare I had requested. The sides were good, with tasty potatoes, well-prepared vegetables, and flavorful brown gravy, but when the main component of the meal falls short, it really affects the overall experience. Given the surprisingly large number of dining options in town, I think I'd explore other places before considering a return.