On Fire Waiheke
Surfdale · $$
★ 4.1 from 21 Google reviews
Smoke and open flame are the whole idea at this Surfdale steakhouse, where the meat is cooked over a wood fire and arrives at your table simple and full of flavour.
- Dog-friendly
- Kid-friendly
About HR SIXTEEN
There's a little cabin on Hamilton Road in Surfdale where the menu is short and clear: Island Coffee and toasties made on organic local sourdough.
It's a short stroll up from Surfdale beach, so you can swim first and then walk up for a flat white, and it's a proper morning spot: 7am Monday to Friday, 8am on Saturday, shut by noon every day, and closed all day Sunday.
The three cheese toastie is the one to get, a generous melt of cheese between two slices of grilled sourdough with a good sprinkle of sea salt, and you can add pickle or jalapeños for a bit of bite. The tuna melt is the other one people order most, and there are pastries if you'd rather have something sweet. The coffee is Island Coffee, pulled nice and bold and smooth, and there's oat milk, decaf and an iced latte if that's your thing, and the morning suntrap out front, with a bit of jazz playing, makes it an easy place to sit for ten minutes before the beach.
- Dog-friendly
- Kid-friendly
- Outdoor seating
What diners say
Written from 37 Google reviews, every one we could get, on 12 November 2026. Rated 4.9 from 37 Google reviews.
Overall verdict
This tiny Surfdale cabin is known for two things done properly, espresso and toasted sandwiches, and both are better than you'd expect from a place this size. The coffee is the sort you compare everything else to for the rest of the trip, and the toasties are worth planning a morning around.
Dishes people recommend
Get the three cheese toastie, a stringy, melty mix of cheese on grilled sourdough with a proper sprinkle of sea salt, and add pickle or jalapeños if you want some bite. The tuna melt is the other one worth ordering, and the pastries cover you if you're not in a sandwich mood. Order a flat white alongside, or an iced latte when it's warm, and there's oat milk and decaf if you need them.
Service
Service is fast, friendly and full of good banter, and the baristas clearly know what they're doing behind the machine. They'll sort you out with a smile even when they're packing up at closing time, which tells you plenty about the attitude here.
Atmosphere and setting
It's a compact little cabin with a morning suntrap out front and jazz on the stereo while you wait for your coffee. Surfdale beach is only a short stroll down the road, so it fits easily into a morning at the beach, and it's a relaxed place to sit for ten minutes.
Value for money
Prices sit at the inexpensive end, especially for coffee made this well, so you'll come away feeling like you got a bargain. It's the kind of place where you can add a toastie and a second coffee without thinking twice about the bill.
Best for
This is best for a quick breakfast, an early coffee before the beach, or a low-key catch-up over toasties. The pace is fast enough to fit into a busy morning, and the suntrap makes it easy to stay longer than you planned.
Common complaints
Watch the clock, because everything closes at noon every day and the place is shut altogether on Sunday, so an afternoon coffee run will leave you disappointed. The menu is short and built around toasties, so don't turn up expecting a full brunch plate.
How we checked this
Every fact on this page was checked on 8 November 2026 against Google and 37 of its Google reviews. The photo is from the eatout library, not taken here, and no venue pays to be listed or ranked. Something out of date? Tell us
More places to eat near HR SIXTEEN
The Middle Restaurant and Bar Waiheke Island
Pubs and bars · Surfdale
★ 4.3 from 290 Google reviews
This family-run spot on Hamilton Road in Surfdale does thin-crust pizzas and slow-cooked curries, and that combo is exactly why you'll want to stop in on your way through.
- Gluten-free options
- Kid-friendly
- Vegan options
SURFDALE BAKERY & CAFE
Fish and chips · Surfdale · $
★ 4.2 from 140 Google reviews
On Miami Avenue in Surfdale, a couple of minutes' walk up from the beach, this bakery opens at six on weekday mornings and seven on weekends, and shuts by mid-afternoon, so it's made for breakfast, smoko and lunch rather than dinner.
Bisou Cafe
Cafes · Surfdale
★ 4.7 from 147 Google reviews
Bisou sits on Miami Avenue in Surfdale, a short drive from the car ferry and about half an hour's walk from Oneroa, and it's the sort of small French-leaning cafe you build a morning around.
- Gluten-free options
Malones Irish Pub
Pubs and bars · Surfdale
★ 3.3 from 180 Google reviews
You know the type: a worn-in Irish pub with a proper Guinness tap, a pool table in the corner, and locals who'll talk to you whether you're from the island or just off the ferry.
Paulie's Kitchen
Oneroa · $
★ 4.9 from 14 Google reviews
Smoky ribs and barbecue coming out of a bowling club kitchen isn't what you'd expect from a quiet Surfdale street, but that's exactly what you get at Paulie's Kitchen.
- Kid-friendly