Barrel & Co.

On Arawa Street in the heart of Rotorua City Centre, Barrel and Co. is a modern, cosmopolitan brasserie where the intimate open kitchen brings a flourish of theatre to every service. Warm and inviting from casual snack to hearty breakfast and dinner, it is the sort of room that wraps guests in bustle and glow, while the chefs’ craft takes centre stage.

The menu nods to provenance and flame. Begin with comfort and clarity: a changing soup of the day alongside grilled kūmara sourdough, or a precise hand-cut eye fillet tartare lifted with kawakawa oil, cured egg yolk and a crunch of tortilla. The grill is the heartbeat, showcasing Savannah Angus beef from Whakatāne and Coastal Lamb from the North Island, cooked with confidence and restraint to let honest flavours speak.

Elsewhere, a free-range chicken breast meets fresh corn polenta, charred kernels and a whisper of chilli under a glossy red wine jus. Harmony free-range pork belly is slow-cooked with Manuka honey, balanced by fennel and citrus purée and bright Granny Smith apple. Sides are thoughtfully composed, from heirloom tomato salad with buffalo mozzarella and pickled red onion to the silky Agris Potato Purée with confit garlic and caramelised onion gravy.

For the carnivorously inclined, a mighty Savannah Angus tomahawk (1.2 kg) invites feasting, flanked by sauces and infused mustards like kawakawa chimichurri, beer and thyme mustard and Manuka honey mustard. Book a table, savour the show, and let dinner take a bow.