Mangawhai has two café clusters: the Wood Street shops at Mangawhai Heads, a short walk from the surf beach, and the Village on Moir Street by the estuary. The earliest coffee is TOAST on Wood Street from 7am, or the Museum Café from 7am on weekdays. Most cafés here close by 3pm, so plan brunch rather than a late lunch.
Cafés at Mangawhai Heads
- TOAST, Wood Street: Havana coffee and gourmet toasties, with online ordering, plants and homewares. Seven days, 7am to 3pm.
- Brewed As, Wood Street: specialty coffee, brunch and lunch every day 8am to 3pm, with sharing plates and cocktails Wednesday to Saturday evenings. Kids' menu.
- Sandbar Eatery, Wood Street: Atomic coffee, brunch and lunch seven days 9am to 3pm, and dinner Wednesday to Saturday.
- Mangawhai Museum Café, at the museum on Molesworth Drive: weekdays 7am to 2pm, weekends 8am to 2pm. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, 1 and 2 January and Anzac Day.
- Greenview Cafe, at the Mangawhai Golf Club on Molesworth Drive: breakfast and lunch Tuesday to Saturday 8.30am to 4pm, closed Mondays, and Thai in the evenings.
Cafés in Mangawhai Village
- Bennetts Café: breakfast, lunch, fresh pastries and hot chocolate, 8am to 3pm daily, with the kitchen open 8.30am to 2pm. Bennetts Bakery, at the same 52 Moir Street address, does the bread.
- caifewhai: coffee, beans and coffee gear.
- The Local, on the corner of Moir and Molesworth: coffee and brunch from 9.30am, breakfast until 2.30pm, closed Tuesdays.
- The Mangawhai Tavern: weekend breakfast from 9am to 11.30am, Saturday and Sunday.
Pastries and baking
Jen's Pastries does croissants, designer pastries, cookies and celebration cakes, with gluten-free and vegan options on request. On Saturday mornings the Tavern Market has coffee and food stalls too.
Coffee and a walk
The best pairing in Mangawhai is an early Cliffs Walkway loop from the Heads car park, then brunch at Wood Street. A quiet Saturday in Mangawhai builds a whole day around it, and every café, restaurant and bar is on one page.