Rotorua hosts a tantalizing selection of cafes. Most cafes are very central, within walking distance of the CBD and many backpackers, motels and hotels.
Café Culture is Alive and Well in Rotorua New Zealand – Zippy’s and Ciccio’s are Popular Choices
Sensational coffee, great food, central location and friendly service are common threads running through reviews of Zippy Central Café’s Facebook fan page. Zippy’s has a quirky, colourful ambience and is a great casual option for café meals and snacks. Zippy Central Café: 1153 Pukuatua Street, Rotorua NZ. Zippy’s is open daily 9:00am-9:00pm.
Ciccio Italian Café has a lovely candle-lit ambience. Besides the menu which features authentic Italian favourites (think Carbonara, Puttanesca and Napoletana), Ciccio features a mouth-watering selection of cakes and desserts to eat in the café or take away. Ciccio’s caters for summer diners at outside tables. In colder weather it’s especially pleasant to relax on one of the couches beside the fire and enjoy a drink before your meal. Ciccio’s is operated by two generations of the same family. Ciccio Italian Cafe: 1262 Fenton St, Rotorua, New Zealand. A selection of delicious Ciccio recipes can be found on www.ciccio.co.nz .
Fat Dog Café and Bar in Rotorua is a Landmark Café
Situated just around the corner from the Rotorua Information Centre, the Fat Dog Café and Bar is fully licensed and has become something of an icon for Rotorua café culture. Besides the extensive blackboard menu, one of the coolest things about the Fat Dog is the mismatched furniture along with the poetry, prose, witticisms and irrelevancies written over the backs of chairs and in waving lines along the walls.
The surroundings are made even more interesting with displays of work from local artists. Fat Dog is popular with tourists and locals alike and has been featured Lonely Planet, although reviews on Trip Advisor are mixed. A healthy appetite is a must, as huge portions are a feature often commented on by Trip Advisor reviewers. Recommended: the raspberry panacotta is a smooth mix of sweet and sharp. Fat Dog is open every day from 7:00am till late. Fat Dog Café and Bar 1161 Arawa St, Rotorua NZ.
