Our Story

Getting Off The Track

Hospitality veteran Rob Hulman bought the restaurant with family just over seven years ago, as the perfect setting to indulge the families culinary passion and create an iconic Hawke’s Bay dining experience.

“We saw the restaurant’s location as the perfect place people could literally step away from the hustle of life and get ‘off the track’. We loved its potential. And the amazing views and privacy were a huge attraction – so relaxing and peaceful,” says Rob.

The restaurant’s impressive size has given scope to develop both group and intimate dining areas. Singles, couples or larger parties can all be hosted simultaneously with ease, and it is a great place for families.

Off The Track is known for its large menu, and that reflects Rob’s desire to offer a wide range of dishes suiting all tastes and budgets.

“People can come in for coffee and cake, drinks and nibbles or a three-course lunch or dinner. There is literally something for everyone to enjoy,” says Rob. “We offer honest cuisine with a modern twist, served by professional and personable staff in a warm, cosy environment.”

Hawke’s Bay is renowned for its boutique producers and much of what the region has to offer features heavily on the menu.

“We have one of the best wine lists in Hawke’s Bay, featuring many of our prominent local wineries,” he says. “Our coffee is roasted by Burton's NZ and prepared by some of the best baristas around, and we like to showcase some of our local brewers.” The restaurant also offers menus for vegetarian and gluten-free dining.

A great place for kids

Seeing a gap in the market for family dining, Rob developed one of Off The Track’s most characteristic features — the outside playground.

Set in a large grassed area separate from diners, it offers kids the chance to be kids while parents relax with a meal or a coffee inside the window-lined restaurant or outside on the deck. It’s a move that has found huge favour with families and proved incredibly popular with the kids.

Situated close enough to enable watchful eyes, but far enough away so that children can enjoy their playtime out of earshot of diners, the playground provides kids with their own space and it works brilliant.

Making it fresh, in-house

It’s important to us that as much of the menu as possible is created on site. On any given day you might find us in the kitchen curing and smoking our own bacon or making pure pork sausages flavoured with fresh herbs straight out of the restaurant’s garden. We make our own bread for the breakfast dishes and sandwiches, and smoke our own salmon.

We also make our own beef patties for the huge range of hamburger meals on the menu and our own brine recipe for our bacon. We love the fact that so many of our menu’s ingredients are made by us right here in the kitchen.

Pork Sausage

Our sausage is made with herbs from our own garden ground together with onions, salt and pepper. No fillers hear! Perfect for those with gluten sensitivity! Held together in a natural casing they are an Off The Track specialty!

Smoked Salmon

We use only the freshest New Zealand salmon direct from Steward Island. We think this is the best salmon avialible we then cold smoke it with manuka just the way we like it and grill it for you.

Cured Bacon

We make our bacon, we took the time to make our own recipee for a flavoursome yummy taste. Then we cold smoke it with manuka to make it even better for that flavour our customers love.