Smoked barbecue and Asian street food come out of the same small kitchen on Putiki Road in Ostend, which is the sort of pairing that makes you build a stop into your Waiheke day rather than grabbing whatever's closest. The chef behind it works as a private fine dining chef too, and this pop-up is your chance to eat that cooking without booking a private dinner, whether you sit down in the relaxed room or take the lot away. Either way the menu features wood-smoked meats alongside street food classics she's twisted into her own thing.
Start with the tacos, because that's what this kitchen is known for, and the smashed cheese burger taco is the one to order first, sitting alongside crumbed snapper tacos, duck tacos, pork belly bao buns and a bang bang chicken with vermicelli. The smoked BBQ beef fillet burger is the other big order, and the tempura onion rings are what you want on the side.
It's a pop-up, so nights go up rather than stay fixed, with a 5pm Thursday start for the last one of the year, so it pays to check before you drive over. Locals and visitors end up here in equal measure.
Written from 12 Google reviews, every one we could get, on 12 November 2026. Rated 5.0 from 12 Google reviews.
Twelve reviews and every one of them gives five stars, which is about as clean a record as a small pop-up kitchen gets. Order your way across the menu and nothing disappoints, from the tacos to the bao buns to the smoked beef fillet burger. It's the kind of place where a quick Waiheke stop becomes a proper feed.
The cheese burger taco is the one to order first, a smashed patty in a shell that really is the best taco you'll have had. Crumbed snapper tacos, duck tacos and pork belly bao buns are all worth ordering, and the bang bang chicken with vermicelli is just as good. Go the smoked BBQ beef fillet burger if you want something bigger, with tempura onion rings on the side.
Friendly staff run the room, and the service has that easy local feel that has you settled in and eating without much fuss. The chef's passion and energy come through in what arrives at your table, and the crew are happy to point you at the right taco if you can't decide.
The neat little spot on Putiki Road in Ostend has a cool, casual feel that suits a sit-down meal just as much as a takeaway bag. You can settle in for a relaxed dinner rather than rushing off, and it's the sort of place where you linger a while.
It works for locals popping in for takeaway and for visitors looking for something a bit different on the island. Bring a group and order across the menu, or grab it to go if you're eating elsewhere.
There's nothing to warn you off where the food is concerned, since five stars from every reviewer leaves little to grumble about. Do check the pop-up schedule before you head out to Putiki Road, because nights get announced rather than staying fixed, and the last one of the year starts at 5pm on a Thursday.
Every fact on this page was checked on 8 November 2026 against Google, Wai Kai Kitchen's own website and 12 of its Google reviews. The photo is an illustration made for eatout, not taken here, and no venue pays to be listed or ranked. Something out of date? Tell us
Fish and chips · Ostend · $
★ 5.0 from 104 Google reviews
A walkway slips through beside the Woolworths in Ostend and comes out on Putiki Road, where a small kiosk has built a serious reputation for fish and chips, the best on the island and, for plenty of eaters, the best they've had anywhere from England to Melbourne.
Chinese · Ostend · $
★ 5.0 from 62 Google reviews
The dumplings at this little Ostend counter are made by hand and steamed to order, which is why they arrive with soft skins and fillings that still taste fresh, and why there's a steady stream of people who've been told about the place by a friend.
Barbecue · Ostend · $
★ 4.8 from 27 Google reviews
The smell of smoke along Putiki Road is the first sign you've found this Ostend takeaway, and it's worth following if you're after proper low and slow barbecue on Waiheke Island without any fuss.
Takeaways · Ostend · $
★ 5.0 from 7 Google reviews
Fresh pasta is made daily at this small takeaway kitchen in Ostend, and the menu keeps things simple with sauces like short rib ragu, carbonara and creamy fettuccine, all tossed through pasta that arrives properly cooked.
Burgers · Ostend · $
★ 4.9 from 223 Google reviews
A little burger caravan sits on Putiki Road in Ostend, right beside the RAW market, with outdoor tables and a menu that runs from smash burgers to tacos, chips and thick shakes.
Cafes · Ostend · $
★ 5.0 from 67 Google reviews
Argentinian baking is what brings you down Putiki Road in Ostend, where a small food truck café turns out buttery croissants, cheesy scones, sugar-dusted palmeritas and facturas, all made by the two people serving them.
