All Black Kieran Read checks out Eat Streat

Kieran Read at Eat Streat. Photo/Stephen Parker

What does the best rugby player in the world do during his holidays?

Grab a meal on Rotorua's Eat Streat, apparently.

Kieran Read was spotted in Rotorua yesterday having lunch with his family at Mac's Steak House.

The All Blacks No 8 told the Rotorua Daily Post he and his family were driving through Rotorua when they decided to stop for lunch on Tutanakei St.

He said they had spent some time holidaying at a bach in Taupo and were on their way to Tauranga.

Read ordered a prawn dish for lunch.

Read famously captained the All Blacks to an undefeated international season in 2013.

Following his good form last year, he was awarded rugby's top honour in the IRB Player of the Year award.

He also picked up the New Zealand Player of the Year award at the 2013 Steinlager Awards.

Mac's Steak House owner Bob Macfarlane said he didn't get the chance to meet the superstar yesterday but was glad to hear he dined at the restaurant.

Macfarlane has owned the restaurant on Eat Streat for 12 years and said the last really famous person he could remember at the restaurant was Jonah Lomu, in the early 2000s.

"We have had Jonah Lomu before, Richie McCaw dined just up the street and we have had some of the sevens stars here," he said.

"About 100 years ago we had Stacey Jones and we had the Maori Queen here when she was alive."

Macfarlane said the recently re-developed Eat Streat was attracting lots of business during the holiday period.