Thames Restaurants: Where to Eat and Drink in Thames, NZ
The best restaurant in Thames, NZ, for a sit-down dinner is Gastronomics Restaurant & Bar on Pollen Street. For Thai, book Nakontong Thai Restaurant; for curry, go to Royal Kitchen Indian; and for a pub meal in a heritage hotel, try the Grahamstown Inn.
Almost all Thames restaurants sit on or just off Pollen Street, the two-kilometre main street, so you can walk between most of them. This guide ranks ten places to eat, then covers takeaways, pubs, cafes and the Saturday market. Opening hours come from each business's listing with the Thames Business Association, checked in October 2026. Hours change with the seasons, so phone ahead if you are cutting it fine.
Key takeaways
- Dinner: Gastronomics, Nakontong Thai, Royal Kitchen Indian and the Grahamstown Inn are the four main dinner options in town.
- Mondays: the Grahamstown Inn and Royal Kitchen are closed. Sundays: Gastronomics is closed.
- Takeaways: Thai, Indian, kebabs, pizza and sushi are all available, with pies from three bakeries.
- Latest kitchens: Royal Kitchen serves until 10pm, and the Rocker Box bar runs to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Daytime: see our separate guide to the best cafes in Thames.
Thames restaurants at a glance
| # | Restaurant | Type | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gastronomics Restaurant & Bar | Restaurant and bar | Mon to Sat: lunch 12pm to 2pm, dinner from 5pm | A proper dinner out |
| 2 | Nakontong Thai Restaurant | Thai | Lunch Mon to Fri from 11am, dinner daily 5pm to 9pm | Thai food, dine in or takeaway |
| 3 | Grahamstown Inn | Pub restaurant | Tue to Sun 12pm to 8pm, closed Mon | Pub meals in a heritage hotel |
| 4 | Royal Kitchen Indian Restaurant & Bar | Indian | Tue to Sun 11am to 2pm and 4:30pm to 10pm, closed Mon | Curry, late dinners, takeaway |
| 5 | Cafe Melbourne | Licensed cafe | Mon to Thu 8am to 4pm, Fri 8am to 5pm, Sat and Sun 9am to 4pm | Brunch and a long lunch |
| 6 | The Wharf Coffee House & Bar | Waterfront cafe and bar | Open 9am to 8pm | Water views, fish and chips |
| 7 | The Rocker Box | Bar and bistro | Mon 9am to 7pm, Tue 9am to 9pm, Wed and Thu 9am to midnight, Fri and Sat 9am to 1am, Sun 11am to 8pm | A late drink and live music |
| 8 | Midami Sushi | Japanese | Mon to Fri 9am to 4pm, Sat 9am to 2pm | A light, quick lunch |
| 9 | Kebab Express | Kebabs | Daily 10:30am to 9pm | A fast, cheap meal any day |
| 10 | The Royal Oak Hotel | Family bar and restaurant | Mon and Tue 4pm to 8pm, Wed and Thu 11am to 8pm, Fri and Sat 11am to 9pm, Sun 11am to 8pm | A meal on the coast road |
How we picked
- Only places currently listed by the Thames Business Association, the town's own business group.
- Hours and phone numbers taken from each business's listing, not from review sites.
- Ranked for a visitor looking for dinner first, then daytime, quick meals and the coast.
- One honest drawback each, so you can plan around closed days.
1. Gastronomics Restaurant & Bar
Gastronomics Restaurant & Bar is the best restaurant in Thames for a sit-down dinner, a main-street restaurant known for fresh food and a considered drinks list.
- Where: Pollen Street, central Thames
- Hours: Mon to Sat: lunch 12pm to 2pm, dinner from 5pm
- Winner of the 2021 Hauraki Coromandel Business Award for hospitality.
- Open for both lunch and dinner, six days a week.
- Takes group bookings and events. Phone 07 868 9406.
Best for: A proper dinner out. Watch out: Closed on Sundays.
2. Nakontong Thai Restaurant
Nakontong Thai Restaurant is the Thai restaurant in Thames: a long-running kitchen with Thai chefs, open for dinner seven nights a week.
- Where: Pollen Street, Thames
- Hours: Lunch Mon to Fri from 11am, dinner daily 5pm to 9pm
- Dine in or take away, with a children's menu.
- Fully licensed, and BYO for wine.
- Takes reservations, with outdoor seating and room for groups.
Best for: Thai food, dine in or takeaway. Watch out: Lunch is listed for weekdays only, so plan on dinner at the weekend.
3. Grahamstown Inn
The Grahamstown Inn is the pick for a pub meal: a bar and restaurant in the historic Grahamstown quarter that many locals still call the GBD, after its years as the Grahamstown Bar and Diner.
- Where: 700 Pollen Street, Grahamstown
- Hours: Tue to Sun 12pm to 8pm, closed Mon
- Menu built around New Zealand produce and seafood.
- Relaxed bar where locals and visitors mix.
- Hotel rooms upstairs. Phone 07 868 6008.
Best for: Pub meals in a heritage hotel. Watch out: Closed on Mondays, and listed hours end at 8pm.
4. Royal Kitchen Indian Restaurant & Bar
Royal Kitchen Indian Restaurant & Bar is the Indian restaurant in Thames, and the latest dinner service on Pollen Street.
- Where: 620 Pollen Street
- Hours: Tue to Sun 11am to 2pm and 4:30pm to 10pm, closed Mon
- Eat in or take away.
- Open until 10pm, later than most Thames kitchens.
- Phone 07 868 8122.
Best for: Curry, late dinners, takeaway. Watch out: Closed on Mondays.
5. Cafe Melbourne
Cafe Melbourne is the best daytime option: a licensed cafe in the restored Depot building, serving breakfast through lunch.
- Where: 715 Pollen Street (in the Depot, Grahamstown)
- Hours: Mon to Thu 8am to 4pm, Fri 8am to 5pm, Sat and Sun 9am to 4pm
- Seasonal menus, in-house baking and Allpress coffee.
- Fully licensed, so lunch can come with a glass of wine.
- Phone 07 868 3159.
Best for: Brunch and a long lunch. Watch out: Daytime only, and busy at weekend brunch.
6. The Wharf Coffee House & Bar
The Wharf Coffee House & Bar is the place to eat with a view, on historic Shortland Wharf looking over the water.
- Where: Shortland Wharf, southern end of town
- Hours: Open 9am to 8pm
- Coffee, drinks and food from morning into the evening.
- Thames Wholesale Fisheries next door sells fish and chips.
- Phone 07 868 6528.
Best for: Water views, fish and chips. Watch out: A short drive or a walk from the Pollen Street restaurants.
7. The Rocker Box
The Rocker Box is a bar, bistro and music venue, and the latest-opening spot in town at the end of the week.
- Where: Central Thames
- Hours: Mon 9am to 7pm, Tue 9am to 9pm, Wed and Thu 9am to midnight, Fri and Sat 9am to 1am, Sun 11am to 8pm
- Bistro meals alongside the bar.
- Live music venue.
- Phone 07 868 6200.
Best for: A late drink and live music. Watch out: A bar and music venue first, so expect it to be lively late in the week.
8. Midami Sushi
Midami Sushi serves Japanese food and sushi to eat in or take away, and is the lightest lunch in town.
- Where: Central Thames
- Hours: Mon to Fri 9am to 4pm, Sat 9am to 2pm
- Eat in or take away.
- Phone 021 165 2229.
Best for: A light, quick lunch. Watch out: Daytime only, and closed on Sundays.
9. Kebab Express
Kebab Express is the reliable quick meal, open from mid-morning to 9pm every day of the week.
- Where: Central Thames
- Hours: Daily 10:30am to 9pm
- Open seven days.
- Phone 07 868 9683.
Best for: A fast, cheap meal any day. Watch out: A quick bite more than a night out.
10. The Royal Oak Hotel
The Royal Oak Hotel is the best stop on the Thames Coast: a family bar and restaurant with a garden bar and a view of the beach.
- Where: Thames Coast, north of town
- Hours: Mon and Tue 4pm to 8pm, Wed and Thu 11am to 8pm, Fri and Sat 11am to 9pm, Sun 11am to 8pm
- Garden bar, with food and drinks for all ages.
- A natural stop on the drive north to Coromandel Town.
- Phone 027 741 0391.
Best for: A meal on the coast road. Watch out: You need a car, and it opens at 4pm on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Thai restaurants in Thames
Thames has one dedicated Thai restaurant, Nakontong Thai Restaurant on Pollen Street. It is listed as open for dinner every night from 5pm to 9pm, with weekday lunches from 11am. It takes reservations, does takeaway and is BYO for wine, which makes it an easy choice for a group. For other Asian food, Midami Sushi covers Japanese at lunchtime and Royal Kitchen serves Indian until 10pm.
Takeaways in Thames
These are the takeaways in Thames listed by the Thames Business Association, with their listed hours.
| Takeaway | Food | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Nakontong Thai Restaurant | Thai | Dinner daily 5pm to 9pm |
| Royal Kitchen Indian Restaurant & Bar | Indian | Tue to Sun 11am to 2pm and 4:30pm to 10pm |
| Kebab Express | Kebabs | Daily 10:30am to 9pm |
| Domino's | Pizza, takeaway and delivery | Daily from 10:30am, to 10pm Sun to Thu and 11pm Fri and Sat |
| Midami Sushi | Sushi and Japanese | Mon to Fri 9am to 4pm, Sat 9am to 2pm |
| Olivers Deli Bakery | Pies, artisan bread, pastries | Daily 4:30am to 4pm |
| The Bakehouse Cafe | Pies and bakery food | Daily 5am to 5pm |
| Food for Thought | Pies and sandwiches | Mon to Fri 6am to 3:30pm, Sat 6am to 2pm |
For fish and chips, Thames Wholesale Fisheries sells them on Shortland Wharf, next door to the Wharf Coffee House & Bar. On market days, look for Mussel Madness, a local vendor known for mussel fritters.
Pubs and bars
The Grahamstown Inn and the Rocker Box are the two main places for a drink with food. Beyond those:
- Punters Sports Bar: a sports bar listed as open daily from 10am, to 10pm Monday to Thursday, 11pm Friday and Saturday and 9pm Sunday.
- Thames Workingmen's Club: the "workies", in the former Cornwall Arms Hotel on the corner of Pollen and Cochrane Streets. Its kitchen serves lunch from 11:30am and dinner from 5:30pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
- Awildian Gin: a distillery and tasting room at the back of the Depot at 715 Pollen Street, behind Cafe Melbourne.
Cafes and brunch
Thames is a strong coffee town. Cafe Melbourne is the best all-rounder, Belle & Bean on Mary Street opens at 6:30am six days a week, and Bite Cafe at 601 MacKay Street, opposite Thames Hospital, is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Our Thames cafe guide ranks nine of them with hours and addresses.
Markets and local produce
The Thames Market runs on Saturday mornings from 8am to 12pm at the top of Pollen Street, and is the best place for fresh Coromandel produce, baking and food stalls. For local food to take home, Savour and Spice blends its own spices and curry mixes in the Depot at 715 Pollen Street, and Blackbeards Smokehouse in Kopu smokes Hauraki Gulf mussels over manuka.
How to choose where to eat in Thames
- A special dinner: Gastronomics, Monday to Saturday.
- Sunday night: Nakontong Thai, Royal Kitchen or the Grahamstown Inn.
- Monday night: Gastronomics or Nakontong Thai.
- With kids: Nakontong Thai has a children's menu, and the Royal Oak Hotel has a garden bar.
- After 9pm: Royal Kitchen until 10pm, or the Rocker Box later in the week.
- On a budget: Kebab Express, or a bakery pie.
- With a view: the Wharf Coffee House & Bar in town, or the Royal Oak Hotel on the coast.
Find it on the map
Plan the rest of your visit
Line up the rest of your trip with our guides to the best things to do in Thames and Thames accommodation, browse every local business in the Thames business directory, or head back to the Visit Thames overview. Listings are sourced from the Thames Business Association eat and drink directory.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best restaurant in Thames, NZ?
Gastronomics Restaurant & Bar on Pollen Street is the best restaurant in Thames for a sit-down dinner, and won the 2021 Hauraki Coromandel Business Award for hospitality. Nakontong Thai and Royal Kitchen Indian are the other main dinner restaurants, and the Grahamstown Inn is the pick for a pub meal.
Is there a Thai restaurant in Thames?
Yes. Nakontong Thai Restaurant on Pollen Street is the Thai restaurant in Thames. It is listed as open for dinner every night from 5pm to 9pm and for lunch on weekdays, and you can dine in or take away. It is fully licensed and BYO for wine.
Where can I get takeaways in Thames?
Nakontong Thai, Royal Kitchen Indian, Kebab Express, Domino's and Midami Sushi all do takeaways in Thames. Olivers Deli Bakery, the Bakehouse Cafe and Food for Thought sell pies and bakery food, and Thames Wholesale Fisheries on Shortland Wharf sells fish and chips.
Which Thames restaurants are open on Monday?
Gastronomics, Nakontong Thai, Kebab Express, Domino's and the Rocker Box are listed as open on Mondays. The Grahamstown Inn and Royal Kitchen Indian are closed on Mondays, and the Royal Oak Hotel opens at 4pm.
Which Thames restaurants are open on Sunday?
Nakontong Thai, the Grahamstown Inn, Royal Kitchen Indian, Kebab Express and the Royal Oak Hotel are listed as open on Sundays. Gastronomics and Midami Sushi are closed on Sundays.
Where can I eat late in Thames?
Royal Kitchen Indian serves until 10pm from Tuesday to Sunday, and Domino's is open until 10pm, or 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The Rocker Box bar and bistro stays open to midnight on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Is there a food market in Thames?
Yes. The Thames Market runs on Saturday mornings from 8am to 12pm at the top of Pollen Street in Grahamstown, with fresh produce, baking and local food stalls.