Smiths Matakana: Food, Drinks, Live Music & Complete Visitor Guide
Last checked: August 2026
There are restaurants you visit because you've booked lunch.
And then there are places where lunch somehow turns into drinks, live music, another round and the realisation that you've been there for three hours.
Smiths Matakana is very much the second kind.
Located inside Matakana Country Park, a few minutes from Matakana Village, Smiths combines relaxed food, Matakana wine, craft beer, cocktails, live entertainment, sport and expansive rural views in one deliberately informal venue.
Smiths describes itself as where “city buzz meets countryside charm”, with global-fusion food, drinks, live music, quiz and bingo nights, live sport and function spaces. It is currently open seven days a week.
It is lively rather than formal.
Social rather than precious.
And for groups, friends, families or visitors who want somewhere to relax in the middle of a Matakana day, we think it fills an extremely useful niche.
It's also our lunch stop on the Vintage Views Matakana Wine Country Discovery.
Smiths Matakana at a Glance
Where: Matakana Country Park
Address: 1151 Leigh Road, Matakana 0985
What: Restaurant, bar, entertainment venue and function space
Food: Yes
Matakana wine: Yes
Craft and tap beer: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Live entertainment: Yes
Live sport: Yes
Groups: Yes
Functions: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Current opening: Seven days, with hours varying by day
Best for: Lunch, drinks, groups, friends, families and relaxed afternoons
Official website: Smiths Matakana
Current published hours are Monday–Thursday 3pm–late, Friday 12pm–late, and Saturday–Sunday 11am–late. Smiths asks groups of ten or more to contact the venue directly so they can be accommodated appropriately.
As always, check directly before making a special trip because hours, entertainment and events can change.
What Is Smiths Matakana?
Smiths sits at the heart of Matakana Country Park, a privately owned 50-acre property on Leigh Road.
The wider Country Park contains a mixture of hospitality, shopping, art, entertainment and family activities, making Smiths particularly useful as somewhere to eat while other members of your group explore the property.
But Smiths isn't simply “the restaurant at Country Park”.
It has developed its own personality.
The current venue combines several different areas including:
Main bar
Dining room
Conservatory
Garden bar
Rock garden
with each offering a slightly different atmosphere.
That flexibility is one of the things we like about it.
You can have a relatively quiet meal.
Or sit outside with friends.
Or watch sport.
Or turn up when live music is playing and end up staying considerably longer than planned.
What's the Atmosphere Like?
Relaxed.
That's probably the most useful word.
Smiths is not trying to be an ultra-formal vineyard restaurant.
The venue describes its food as bold, global-fusion-inspired and designed for sharing, while its bar programme centres around local wine, beers and cocktails.
The setting looks across the surrounding Matakana countryside towards Mt Tamahunga and the horse arena at Country Park.
That combination makes Smiths work particularly well when you're halfway through a Matakana day and don't necessarily want another structured “experience”.
Sit down.
Have lunch.
Have a drink.
Talk.
Then decide what happens next.
Sometimes that is exactly what a good itinerary needs.
Food at Smiths
Smiths describes its food as a global-fusion-inspired menu, with dishes designed for sharing alongside pizzas, grill options and more substantial meals.
The menu changes, and that's precisely why we don't think a visitor guide should copy every dish and price onto another website.
For the current offering, use the:
Official Smiths Menu →
The general style is casual and sociable rather than tasting-menu formal.
That makes it particularly suitable for:
Groups of friends
Families
Casual lunches
Shared plates
Staff outings
Drinks and food
Celebrations
If your idea of Matakana dining requires white tablecloths and a six-course degustation, there are other venues better suited to that.
If you want:
good food + drinks + countryside + atmosphere
Smiths makes a lot of sense.
Drinks at Smiths
This is one of Smiths' strengths.
The venue actively promotes a wine list showcasing Matakana Wine Country, together with tap beer, craft beer and its own cocktail range.
So a group doesn't need to agree that:
“Today is a wine day.”
One person can drink local wine.
Another can order beer.
Someone else can have a cocktail.
And the designated driver can remain admirably responsible.
Matakana Wine at Smiths
If you want to drink local wine without visiting another cellar door, Smiths can be a useful option.
Its current drinks programme specifically highlights wines from the Matakana region.
That's important because Matakana is home to many relatively small wine producers, not all of which operate public cellar doors seven days a week.
If dedicated wine tasting is your main objective, use our:
Best Matakana Wineries Guide →
But if you're already having lunch at Country Park?
Ordering something local makes perfect sense.
Cocktails at Smiths
Smiths takes cocktails surprisingly seriously for somewhere surrounded by horses and paddocks.
The venue currently promotes its bespoke cocktail selection and highlights margaritas on tap in multiple flavours as a specialty.
We don't need to overcomplicate the recommendation.
If margaritas are your thing:
You'll probably be fine here.
Beer at Smiths
Wine doesn't have a monopoly on Matakana.
Smiths maintains both tap and craft beer options alongside its wine and cocktail list.
That helps make the venue particularly useful for mixed groups.
And if beer is actually the main event, we'd also put Sawmill Brewery on your wider Matakana list.
A dedicated Sawmill guide is coming into the Vintage Views Matakana hub shortly.
Live Music & Entertainment
This is where Smiths becomes more than somewhere to eat.
The venue currently promotes entertainment throughout the week including:
Live artists
DJs
Quiz nights
Blingo
Live sport
with live performers advertised on Wednesdays and Fridays, DJs on Saturday evenings and Sunday sessions, alongside other recurring entertainment.
Smiths' own site describes the venue as having entertainment and live music across the week rather than operating purely as a restaurant.
Important:
Entertainment schedules change.
If you're specifically travelling for a band, DJ, quiz or sporting event, check Smiths directly first rather than relying on an old blog post.
Watching Sport at Smiths
Smiths currently promotes its Garden Bar as a live-sport area with large screens and Martin Audio sound, with additional outdoor viewing options during summer.
That can make Smiths useful during:
Rugby
Major tournaments
International sporting events
Weekend games
particularly if your Matakana group contains someone who agreed to the wine weekend only after checking the rugby kickoff time.
Compromise is the basis of successful travel.
The Different Areas at Smiths
One thing worth knowing before booking is that Smiths isn't one uniform dining room.
Conservatory
Smiths describes this as the lively entertainment area, with live music and DJs and a louder atmosphere.
Choose it if:
You want energy.
Music.
Atmosphere.
Garden Bar
High tables, large screens and sound geared towards entertainment and sporting events.
Choose it if:
You're with friends or a larger group.
Rock Garden
Outdoor seating with views across the countryside.
Choose it if:
The sun is out.
Main Bar
Cosier booths and traditional bar seating.
Choose it if:
You're there mainly for drinks.
Dining Room
Smiths describes this as its quieter and more intimate space, suited to families and couples.
Choose it if:
You'd prefer conversation over a DJ.
When booking, it is worth thinking about what atmosphere you actually want.
Is Smiths Good for Families?
Yes.
Smiths actively presents itself as family-friendly and its current imagery, menu and booking information accommodate families and children.
The bigger advantage, though, is where Smiths is located.
You're inside Matakana Country Park, which currently includes family activities such as:
Adventure playground
Action Ninja World
E-Volt Racing
Pony rides
Miniature train rides
among other activities.
That means lunch doesn't have to be the only thing happening.
We'll cover the whole property properly in our dedicated Matakana Country Park Guide next.
Is Smiths Good for Groups?
Very.
Probably better than many more formal Matakana restaurants.
Smiths currently asks parties of ten or more to contact the venue directly so staff can arrange suitable space.
The venue also operates multiple function spaces and actively markets itself for:
Birthdays
Anniversaries
Engagements
Team gatherings
Private events
Celebrations
with food and function packages available directly through the venue.
For larger groups travelling from Auckland, the other problem is often transport.
That's where our world becomes relevant.
Vintage Views offers private Matakana group transport as well as our scheduled Matakana Wine Country Discovery.
Functions & Celebrations at Smiths
If you're planning an event rather than simply booking lunch, Smiths deserves consideration.
Its different indoor and outdoor spaces allow groups to choose between relatively intimate dining and livelier bar-style environments.
Smiths actively promotes functions for social and corporate occasions and provides menu options and event quotes through its function enquiry process.
Good potential uses include:
Birthday outings.
Staff functions.
Engagement drinks.
Anniversary celebrations.
Pre-event gatherings.
Social clubs.
Hens weekends.
Corporate Matakana days.
And because Country Park has other attractions around it, you can build something larger than simply:
bus → restaurant → bus.
Smiths vs The Stables
This distinction is important.
They are not the same venue.
Both sit within Matakana Country Park.
Smiths operates as the regular restaurant, bar and entertainment venue.
The Stables is a separate event and entertainment venue next door, with its own concerts, private functions and programme. Smiths itself directs visitors to The Stables for additional live entertainment.
Our original planning for the Vintage Views Matakana tour briefly referred to lunch at The Stables.
The final itinerary is:
Smiths.
Not The Stables.
That's the experience this guide covers.
Smiths Opening Hours
As of August 2026, Smiths currently publishes:
Monday–Thursday
3pm–late
Friday
12pm–late
Saturday & Sunday
11am–late
Public holiday arrangements and surcharges can differ. Smiths currently advises that a 15% public-holiday surcharge applies to bookings.
If you're travelling specifically for lunch during the week, pay particular attention to those opening hours.
A Tuesday 12:30pm arrival based on something you read in a 2021 travel blog is not going to improve your holiday.
Do You Need to Book Smiths?
For a couple on a quiet day?
You may find space.
But for:
Weekends
Summer
Public holidays
Live entertainment
Major sports
Groups
we'd book.
Smiths provides online table reservations and specifically asks groups of ten or more to contact the venue.
Book directly with Smiths →
Where Is Smiths?
Smiths is at:
1151 Leigh Road
Matakana 0985
New Zealand
inside Matakana Country Park.
It sits a short drive beyond Matakana Village on the road towards Leigh.
That makes it particularly well placed for a day continuing towards:
Sculptureum.
Omaha.
Sawmill.
Leigh.
Goat Island.
Or other parts of the northern Matakana Coast.
Parking at Smiths
One of Country Park's great practical advantages is space.
The official Matakana Country Park website specifically promotes plenty of parking on the property.
That's useful for families, groups and busy weekends when parking around Matakana Village itself can become tighter.
If you're drinking, of course, easy parking does not magically solve the drive home.
Plan appropriately.
What Else Is at Matakana Country Park?
Smiths is only one part of the property.
Matakana Country Park currently lists a broad mix of businesses and experiences including art, crafts, jewellery, beauty, family attractions and other activities.
That means you could reasonably use Smiths as:
The meeting point.
Some people shop.
Some entertain children.
Some have a drink.
Everyone eventually comes back for lunch.
This flexibility is exactly why we use Country Park as the middle section of our Matakana Wine Country Discovery.
Our complete Matakana Country Park Visitor Guide is next.
What Should You Do Before Smiths?
Matakana Village
Excellent for coffee, shopping and the Saturday Farmers’ Market.
Read our Matakana Village Guide →
Matakana Farmers’ Market
If it's Saturday, start early.
Read our Farmers’ Market Guide →
Heron’s Flight
Our favourite combination if you want wine before lunch.
Heron’s Flight specialises in Sangiovese and Dolcetto and is also the first major stop on our own tour.
Read our Heron’s Flight Guide →
What Should You Do After Smiths?
Sculptureum
This is one of the easiest combinations.
Lunch and a drink at Smiths.
Then art.
Sculptureum is one of Matakana's major attractions and deserves roughly 2–3 hours if you're exploring the full property.
Read our Sculptureum Guide →
Omaha Beach
On a good summer afternoon?
Hard to argue with it.
Leigh & Goat Island
If you're continuing north, Country Park sits conveniently on the way towards the marine-reserve side of the Matakana Coast.
Sawmill Brewery
If one drinks stop simply wasn't enough.
We'll be adding dedicated Vintage Views guides to these destinations as this Matakana hub grows.
Smiths on a Matakana Day Trip From Auckland
Smiths works particularly well as the middle of an itinerary.
We wouldn't necessarily drive an hour from Auckland, eat lunch and immediately drive home.
Instead:
Morning
Matakana Village or winery.
Lunch
Smiths.
Afternoon
Sculptureum, Omaha or the coast.
That gives each part of the day a different personality.
And because Smiths isn't highly formal, lunch doesn't feel like another attraction you need to “complete”.
Smiths on a Saturday
Saturday can be a fantastic Matakana day.
A strong independent itinerary could be:
Early morning
Matakana Farmers’ Market.
Late morning
Heron’s Flight.
Lunch
Smiths.
Afternoon
Sculptureum.
That's an excellent day.
It is also suspiciously close to the philosophy behind our own scheduled tour — except we travel via the Ōrewa coast and skip the Saturday market.
Smiths in Winter
We think Smiths works well in winter.
Matakana isn't only a beach destination.
A colder-weather day can easily include:
Wine tasting → Smiths → Sculptureum → home
without needing to stand barefoot on Omaha Beach pretending July is January.
Entertainment, indoor dining and the bar also give Smiths year-round usefulness.
Smiths in the Rain
Also fine.
In fact, bad weather is exactly when we'd favour:
Wine tasting
Country Park browsing
Smiths lunch
Matakana Cinemas
Sculptureum galleries
over a beach-heavy itinerary.
Smiths contains multiple covered and indoor spaces, so you don't need perfect weather to enjoy the venue.
Is Smiths Romantic?
Depends on your definition.
If romantic means:
silent fine dining with twelve pieces of cutlery
probably not your first choice.
If romantic means:
good food, a drink, countryside and nowhere you particularly need to be afterwards
then yes.
The quieter dining room is specifically positioned by Smiths as an intimate option for couples and family dining.
For a broader couples itinerary, we'd combine Smiths with a winery or coastal stop.
Is Smiths Dog Friendly?
Smiths' own site features visitors with dogs and Country Park is an outdoor-heavy setting, but pet arrangements can vary by dining area and event.
Because policies can change, we'd contact Smiths directly if bringing a dog is essential to your visit rather than making assumptions from photographs.
That's a more useful answer than pretending every outdoor table automatically accepts pets.
Visit Smiths on the Vintage Views Matakana Wine Country Discovery
Smiths is our lunch stop.
Our Matakana Wine Country Discovery leaves central Auckland aboard Dorothy, our genuine 1960s London Routemaster double-decker.
The day is intentionally designed around just three major Matakana experiences.
First: Heron’s Flight
A hosted wine tasting and introduction to the vineyard's distinctive Sangiovese and Dolcetto.
Then: Smiths
We head to Matakana Country Park for a light lunch and included drink at Smiths.
And then we do something we think more tours should do:
Give you some free time.
Guests are welcome to wander around Country Park, browse, relax, have another drink or simply take in the surroundings.
Finally: Sculptureum
A curated taste of one of Matakana's most remarkable attractions, together with a gourmet sample and included drink.
Then Dorothy takes everyone back to Auckland.
No designated driver.
No arranging three bookings.
No rushing through five wineries.
Wine. Food. Art. Coast.
Explore the Matakana Wine Country Discovery →
Why Did We Choose Smiths?
Because we didn't want lunch to feel like another formal appointment.
We wanted somewhere:
Relaxed.
Good for groups.
Distinctly Matakana.
With a drink.
With enough going on around it that people can have some freedom afterwards.
Country Park gives us that.
And Smiths sits right in the middle of it.
The combination works particularly well after a structured wine tasting and before the more immersive art experience at Sculptureum.
The pace of the day changes.
That's deliberate.
Is Smiths Only Worth Visiting on the Vintage Views Tour?
Definitely not.
This is the same principle we've applied to the rest of our Matakana hub.
We visit Smiths ourselves.
But if you're travelling independently?
Go independently.
Book lunch.
Watch a game.
Catch some music.
Take the family.
Use it as part of your own Matakana itinerary.
Our job with these pages isn't to pretend every good Matakana experience requires a ticket on our bus.
It's to help you find the good Matakana experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smiths Matakana
What is Smiths Matakana?
Smiths is a restaurant, bar, entertainment venue and function space inside Matakana Country Park.
Where is Smiths?
At 1151 Leigh Road, Matakana, inside Matakana Country Park.
Is Smiths in Matakana Village?
No.
Smiths is at Matakana Country Park, a short drive from Matakana Village.
What are Smiths' opening hours?
As of August 2026:
Monday–Thursday: 3pm–late
Friday: 12pm–late
Saturday–Sunday: 11am–late.
Does Smiths serve lunch?
Yes on its current Friday, Saturday and Sunday opening schedule. Midweek opening currently begins at 3pm.
Does Smiths serve Matakana wine?
Yes. Smiths specifically promotes a wine list showcasing Matakana Wine Country.
Does Smiths have craft beer?
Yes. The drinks offering includes tap and craft beers.
Does Smiths make cocktails?
Yes. Bespoke cocktails form part of the drinks menu, with margaritas on tap promoted as a specialty.
Is there live music?
Yes. Smiths currently runs live artists and DJs during the week and weekend alongside other entertainment.
Can you watch sport at Smiths?
Yes. Its Garden Bar is equipped with large screens for live sport.
Is Smiths suitable for large groups?
Yes. Groups of ten or more are asked to contact the venue directly, and Smiths also operates dedicated function spaces.
Is Smiths good for families?
Yes. It offers family dining and sits within Matakana Country Park, where several family activities operate.
Is Smiths the same as The Stables?
No.
They are neighbouring but separate venues within Matakana Country Park.
Is Smiths on the Vintage Views Matakana tour?
Yes.
Our Matakana Wine Country Discovery includes a light lunch and drink at Smiths plus free time at Matakana Country Park.
See the full tour →
Should I book Smiths?
We recommend booking for weekends, busy periods and events. Groups of ten or more should contact Smiths directly.
Is there parking?
Yes. Matakana Country Park promotes plentiful parking across the property.
Our Verdict
Is Smiths Matakana worth visiting?
Yes — especially if you're looking for relaxed rather than formal Matakana hospitality.
It won't replace a dedicated cellar-door tasting.
It isn't trying to be Sculptureum.
And it isn't a white-tablecloth vineyard restaurant.
That's exactly why we like it.
Smiths gives you somewhere to stop.
Eat.
Drink.
Listen to music.
Look across the countryside.
And spend a little time without needing to “achieve” anything.
In the middle of a busy Matakana day:
That's surprisingly valuable.
Continue Exploring Matakana
Complete Matakana & Matakana Coast Guide
Start with the whole region.
Matakana Village Guide
Shopping, food, wine, cinema and the centre of Matakana.
Matakana Farmers’ Market Guide
Plan the classic Saturday morning.
Best Matakana Wineries
Compare Matakana's cellar doors and wine experiences.
Heron’s Flight Guide
Visit the winery that starts our Matakana Wine Country Discovery.
Sculptureum Guide
Our guide to the final major experience on the tour.
Brick Bay Guide
Outdoor art, wine, landscape and The Glass House.
Matakana Wine Country Discovery
Experience Heron’s Flight, Smiths and Sculptureum from Auckland aboard Dorothy.
Official Smiths Information
For current menus, reservations, entertainment, event enquiries and opening information, visit the official Smiths Matakana website.
For information about the wider property and other activities, visit Matakana Country Park.
Vintage Views independently maintains this guide as part of our wider Matakana visitor resource. Smiths is a venue on our scheduled Matakana Wine Country Discovery, but restaurant hours, menus, entertainment and individual offers are controlled by Smiths and can change.