Rosewood Kauri Cliffs

The food was outstanding, with beautiful presentation, remarkable flavours, and flawless technique. A real gastronomic experience. From beginning to end, the service was impeccable, attentive, and professional, and it elevated the whole visit.

For our second special lunch at Rosewood at Kauri Cliff, we had another faultless experience. The food was exceptional, especially the house-cured gravlax, slow-cooked lamb shoulder, range of delicious desserts, and incredible breads. Who knew the bread would be so good? The pastry chef at Kauri Cliffs is truly talented. Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful, with just the right amount of informality. Everyone from management and waitstaff to the kitchen brigade went out of their way to make our double birthday lunch memorable. Maryna and Jane deserve a special thank you. Since our last visit, the access road has gone from being badly corrugated and uncomfortable to a well-maintained gravel road, and there’s now valet parking. We’ll tell our friends and be back!

What a letdown for a special birthday lunch for four. The website raves about locally sourced seasonal produce and the highest-quality cuisine, but the two-course menu felt lazy, with no options that appealed to any of us. We’d booked weeks ahead and driven kilometres along their badly corrugated, poorly maintained gravel road, so we decided to stay for lunch and hoped the food would be much better than the menu. It wasn’t. One dish came with potato crisps that were clearly straight from a packet. The baked cheesecake was a tiny piece for $25, with crumbs that tasted crisp but stale, and a gel described as strawberry that didn’t taste of much at all. We all laughed when the very nice waitress left the table. We’d ordered the cheesecake because there weren’t any interesting choices and we were still hungry after the first course. Not what we expected. We all have backgrounds in food and hospitality, so we were particularly disappointed by the overpromising and under-delivery. It’s no wonder they don’t publish menus on the website or tell you what’s on offer when you call to ask. I should have known better. Kauri Cliffs, please do better. The venue is beautiful, with stunning views, but the menus need to be more interesting and the food needs to live up to the setting and what the website promises.

The staff and management really make this place stand out. It’s a beautiful, peaceful spot, and I’m already looking forward to coming back.