Pātaka Kai is the restaurant at Te Puia, on Hemo Road in Rotorua. It overlooks the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley and Pōhutu Geyser, and guests can dine on the balcony or indoors beside floor-to-ceiling windows.
Food
The menu is Māori-inspired and uses fresh, locally sourced produce. Its buffets blend Māori and international flavours, with seafood and kai moana featured. A hāngī, the traditional Māori method of cooking food with heated stones buried in the ground, is prepared at the restaurant, and hāngī chicken and lamb are served at the buffets. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options are listed.
Sessions
The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner. The Hāngī Buffet Lunch starts at 11:30am and the Hāngī Buffet Dinner at 5:30pm, and a Buffet Brunch is also offered. Bookings are essential.
Groups and functions
Te Puia's website refers to a separate Functions & Venues page for event services. Seating capacity for the restaurant is not stated on the food page, so group numbers should be confirmed with Te Puia directly.
The combination of a buffet format and a cultural-site setting suggests it may suit visiting groups, subject to confirmation of availability and numbers.
Capacity