Local Talent Taverna

We’re on! Come celebrate Matariki at the Tav this Friday. Open from 5pm. Save your spot at localtalenttav.com 💫

Drizzle is not normally good news. Not when it’s falling from the sky, not when it’s replacing a decent helping of sauce, and especially not when it’s found on a menu in close proximity to the words “balsamic vinegar”. Deliciously sticky, sweet and sour lemon drizzle cake is the one, and a very honourable, exception.

Everything sounds better on vinyl! What’s better than an arvo at the Tav with x1 DJ? An arvo at the Tav with 2x DJs. Join us on Saturday 6th July from 2:30 - 5pm for an afternoon of fab music brought to you by .1’s Kim Town and Chris Foot, of . Wait, it gets better, we’ll be serving up our full lunch menu until 5pm. Come one, come all. The more the merrier! Walk-ins only.

Our dish for Puanga on a Plate. Smoked duck breast pastrami, preserved fig, kohlrabi kraut, red wine currants. It’s all about preservation, preparation and celebration. On from 5pm until sold out, all month.

Rainbow carrot ménage à trois - blanched, roasted & mochi. Feta, pistachio & dill have come to the party, too.

How good! We're in great company here, alongside Hello Pickle & All You Knead. Thanks for coming by, Chasing a Plate.

Whangārei Food Tour | Whangārei's hottest new opening- where to eat in Northland We visit a few of Whangārei's best spots to grab some food including smoked meat pies, delicious European bread and the city's hottest opening in recent time...

It’s soup season. Here’s ours! Greek fisherman’s soup — snapper, tomato, potato, leek & fennel. On our lunch menu, from 12pm, Thursday - Saturday 🔥

Our sodas are where it’s at! Like everything, we like to keep them seasonal — so, here’s our latest, table grape & fennel 🫧 keep it clean or spike it with your poison of choice.

Absolutely chuffed to be included in Stuff's hit list of things to do in regional NZ.

5 new gems worth visiting in New Zealand’s regions Air New Zealand Regional Affairs Manager Jason Dawson shares his latest discoveries in the regions.

Got what it takes to don this apron? We’re looking for a couple of people to join our front of house team. A positive-attitude and the ability to work in a team are must-haves, and while experience is ideal, it’s not crucial. So, if the idea of working with a lovely group of people, fresh produce and delicious drinks excites you, we’d love to hear from you. Shoot us a message on here, or email us at [email protected]. Part and full time roles available.

Organic chicken schnitty, cos, green bean, anchovy, caper aioli. What dreams are made of.

UPDATE: we’re fully booked, but now we know everyone loves a quiz, we’ll make them a more regular thing. Watch this space 👀

Meat packs, niche NZ sport trivia, vouchers for the Tav — oh wait, it is just like every other pub quiz. But, nonetheless, it’ll be a hoot. The Tav’s inaugural pub quiz is locked in for Thursday 25th April. With sweet prizes, donning his quiz master hat & our full food and drinks menu on offer, you can bet it’s going to be a good time.

The details —
* Quiz starts at 6:30pm sharp
* Teams can be 2-6 people
* Bookings essential (leave a note in the booking system that you’re in for the quiz). Pop your name on the standby list if we’re fully booked and we’ll work our magic.
* Our kitchen will be open from 5pm until late, so feel free to come in and eat before/during/after the quiz.

So, what’re ya waiting for? Grab your smartest friend/sibling/neighbour and follow the link below to save your spot —

https://localtalenttav.com/pages/book

Dessert is served! Almond & peanut baklava, cardamom custard, saffron poached feijoa.

Even eggplants have a season in the winterless north. Come and get the last of them — roast red pepper & walnut “eggplant rolls”, tahini, pomegranate molasses. Avail on our lunch, snack & dinner menu.

It’s a short week for most of you lucky souls. Maybe you’re hanging tight and having a — dare we say it — “staycation” or maybe you’re escaping the rat race and heading north for the weekend, either way, come to the Tav! We’ll be open for our normal hours, 12pm until late both Friday and Saturday. Book online at localtalenttav.com or walk-in.

We have had a small, but very delicious delivery of figs courtesy of Nadia from 🌱. On this week while stocks last 👍

“Eggplant parm” w kasundi & a green bean rocket pesto situation.

Made tiramisu, took an artsy photo of it.

Have wanted to put this on since we kicked the doors open. BBQ pork fillet souvlaki - all the flavour, none of the weird fluorescent redness. 🗡️ 🗡️🗡️

Sometimes simple is better - fresh crumbed snapper, cheddar, tartare, all on a brioche bun.

Today being Valentine’s Day, feels like the perfect day to lean into a lil self promotion. So Whangārei, meet , your one-stop shop for sharpening. Knives, scissors, axes, tools, you name it — we’ll sharpen it. Drop your dull utensils into the Tav, and we’ll get them right. Give the gift of a laser-sharp filleting knife this Valentine’s Day.

Squad. 👌

House sodas are where it’s at! As the name would suggest, they’re made in-house and we’ve always got a couple of seasonal flavours on the go. At the mo, take your pick from lime, turmeric & ginger or strawberry & rhubarb 🫧

Valentine’s Day at the Tav? Who would’ve thought! Wednesday 14th Feb, alongside our classic dinner menu, we’ll also be offering a special 3-course set menu for $50 pp. This isn’t limited to groups of two, so gather your gals and your pals, and book a table. Simply add a note to your booking that you’re in for the set menu. Easy as. If this is your worst nightmare, no sweat — the love ballads will be kept to a minimum.

Yeah the beach is great, but have you ever tried halloumi wrapped in filo with pomegranate molasses drizzled on top? 🤷🏼‍♀️ we’ve got that, plus these totes at the Tav. You know what to do.

Peach, mozza, dill, hazelnut 🍑🍑🍑

We’ve got a bit of space up for grabs this weekend. So, if you're into fresh, seasonal food and washing down said food with a cold, refreshing, thirst-quenching drink… You know what to do. Open from 12pm, right through ⚓️

This heat’s no joke, but this one’s got your name on it.

Honeydew, prosciutto, pistachio 🐐

Bitta this going on today, all in preparation for our first night back tomorrow. Yip, the deliveries are rolling in, the lamb’s braising, the frozen yoghurt’s churning, and you better believe the beer’s coming down to arctic temps. Open from 5pm on Weds, we’ve missed ya!