Situated in the laid back village of Kuaotunu, Luke’s Kitchen is a rustic seaside restaurant with the café & art gallery adjacent creating a hub for locals, tourists and families.
What started with just Luke, a couple of tables and a conventional oven has transformed into a space that has a traditional woodfired pizza oven at its heart, combining good honest food. If pizza doesn’t take your fancy, they have plenty of seafood choices, salads & revolving specials.
With live music, epic sunsets and a laid back atmosphere for all walks of life, Luke's Kitchen is known for its all round good vibes and dining experience like no other!
2. Take an Adventure Trip with Windborne Sailing Charters
Windborne is a 62 ft. gaff-rigged topsail schooner that has been sailing the oceans of the world since 1928. A vessel of great character, charm strength, and comfort, she was rebuilt in New Zealand in 1981 to combine the finest of seafaring traditions with the comfort and safety of the 21st century.
We totally recommend the day trip to Mercury Islands, it is beyond stunning be sure to swim ashore and take a short stroll to the beautiful fresh waterfall and swimming hole!
3. You must go see Cathedral Cove
One of the most stunning beaches you will ever see (in our opinion, you will have to go check it out for yourself!) located at the southern end of Hahei Beach check out all the details here:
https://www.thecoromandel.com/
4. Next up New Chums beach...
Voted as one of the World's top 10 beaches! New Chums will not disappoint, best done on low tide it's about a 20 min -30min walk over some rocks through a jungle path that leads to a beautiful beach, with untouchable beauty, aka no cars, roads, houses etc just the pristine beach with white sand and pohutukawa trees offering shade for a day to set up a picnic and enjoy the slice of paradise.
full details on how to get there here : https://www.thecoromandel.com/
5. Look up Opito Bay!
It's a great beach to head to before you end up at Lukes Kitchen for an arvo session, Otama beach is along the way which is also a well worth beach to stop at for a swim. Head right to the Southern end of Opito Bay (past the boat ramp, park up on the reserve at the end of the road), it is there we love to collect Tuatuas! Yes you heard right! take a bucket, head just offshore approximately knee to thigh deep water, best done on a lower tide) dig with your feet into the sand so you feel the Tuatua moving under your feet, scoop them up into a bucket, and be sure to get enough for a delicious feed! Fill the bucket with Sea water, so as enough to cover the Tuatuas, take them home and leave them somewhere cool in the shade for at least overnight....this allows them to spit all the sand out. Then they are good to cook up for a feed, actually soooo delicious.
This is how we do ours....
Tuatua Pasta
- Pre-cook the pasta.
- Finely dice red onion, fresh garlic, chop lots of fresh herbs like parsley and Coriander. We also love adding cherry tomatoes to ours.
- Sweat the onions, add in a good dollop of butter and the garlic, followed by some cherry tomatoes.
- add the tuatua's into the pot and put the lid on.... as the tuatua's steam all the salty goodness will create a delicious broth for the pasta, once the Tuatua begin to open, add the fresh herbs, more butter, salt and pepper (+ fresh chilli if you like it).
- We like to put the pasta in a big shared dish and pour the Tuatua Broth over top.
Honestly, one of our favourite dishes to eat! Our kids can not get enough, we always eat it outside with them, it gets messy!
So, what do you think? Enough activities here to keep you busy when you visit Coromandel this summer? If you've got other favourites, be sure to let us know!