In the heart of Tauranga, right on a corner on the waterfront where there seems to be an endless line of bars and cafés The Grocer stands out like a shining beacon of really good food. Since opening in early 2026, the excellent approachable cooking of owner chef Ian Harrison has been embraced by locals who come for what is billed ‘the new wave of coastal cuisine – brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks served seaside.’  The dining room is airy and light, there’s a welcoming fireplace and on warm days the crowd spills over outside to outdoor tables. This innovative and generous chef cooks with flair, yet he reinvents classics that the true food lover craves. Everything tastes great. Early in the day the kitchen bakes, so breakfast might be just coffee and the best bun you’ve ever eaten , or you can indulge in other hearty breakfast plates, like his brioche with chocolate ganache, hazelnuts and olive oil or a ‘posh omelette. For dinner bold flavours and bold dishes, like his ‘Best Dish Ever’ – fried Brussels sprouts, horseradish, blue cheese, quince, balsamic and house lardons and the cooking brilliance displayed in the quirky fun dish named ‘Not A Pig’s Head’, and a rendition of surf and turf – scallop and nduja risotto. 

thegrocertga.co.nz