Smoky, savoury, wild, and proudly Kiwi — Surf Shack Eatery at Waihī Beach has claimed the People’s Choice Award in the 2025 Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover, with their sensational creation, The Taniwha Toastie.
Their winning toastie wowed voters with an unforgettable combination of pan-fried smoked eel (sourced from Coromandel Smoking Co), McClure’s Pickles, a zesty pickle and preserved lemon salsa, New Zealand Maasdam and mozzarella cheeses, and a host of native ingredients — all layered between slices of Parāoa Tūhua (lava bread), slathered in kina butter and toasted to perfection.
Topped with crispy kawakawa, fresh watercress, and a punchy horopito and kūmara mayo, this umami-packed sandwich was served alongside bush and pickle-salted kūmara chips and paired with the cheeky McClure’s Kraken — a cocktail featuring The Bond Store’s Kawakawa Gin, pickle juice, and gomme cocktail.
The annual Toastie Takeover, run by Cook and Nelson in partnership with McClure’s Pickles, challenges eateries nationwide to craft an original toastie using cheese (or a vegan alternative) and McClure’s Pickles, with the rest left to creative freedom.
This year saw a record 208 eateries from Whangārei to Te Anau enter, making it the largest competition to date.
For Surf Shack owner Pip Coombes, the win was not only a culinary achievement but a deeply personal celebration of place, people, and purpose.
“We’re really stoked,” said Coombes. “We’ve had people from all over the country come and try it over the six weeks.”
She was surprised to find people arriving at 9am to eat the Taniwha Toastie for breakfast.
“It wouldn’t be my ‘go-to’,” Coombes said.
“Even though we knew it wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea, seeing the absolute delight on people’s faces when lifting the smoking cloche to reveal the toastie has been pure magic.”
The Taniwha Toastie was more than a dish; it was a cultural and culinary homage. Inspired by Tūhua Island (also known as Mayor Island), just off the coast of Waihī Beach, Coombes created Parāoa Tūhua to reflect the island’s obsidian origins.
The striking dark bread, developed over 16 trial batches, was enriched with McClure’s spicy pickle juice and influenced by both rēwena bread — a traditional Māori potato bread similar to sourdough — and focaccia techniques.
“For us, it’s about more than flavour; it’s about local ingredients and storytelling. We wanted to honour the whenua, celebrate our local kai, and bring people together over something delicious.”
Coombes worked closely with local hapū Te Whānau a Tauwhao, in collaboration with Whaea Kararaina Sydney, to forage for native herbs like kawakawa and horopito.
Despite her early doubts — “I said to the staff, ‘It’s eel. Who’s going to eat that?’” — The Taniwha became a viral hit. During six weeks, Surf Shack sold an average of 20 toasties a day, culminating in 796 votes — comfortably ahead of Napier’s The Boardwalk, which came second with 514 votes.
“It was the staff that made the People’s Choice win happen,” Coombes said.
“Our head chef Brad Major was dedicated to making every single one. It was full on. The staff even ran their own in-house competition to see who could get the most votes.”
And the pickle? It featured eight different ways in the final dish — from dehydrated pickle shards to pickle-infused bread, pickle mayo, pickle salsa, pickle salt and more.
“It was literally born from my love of pickles, our coastline in our community and working with our hāpu,” Coombes said.
The Surf Shack Eatery, located at 123 Emerton Road, Waihī Beach, has been a local favourite since Pip and partner Jo Coombes took it over 10 years ago.
Jo runs the premises and “does the hard yards” while Jo’s son Brad is head chef.
This was their first time entering the toastie competition, as it had previously clashed with annual leave.
“It started on the day we got back from America, so has been full on.”
Looking ahead, Coombes plans to enter again next year — perhaps with a more crowd-pleasing option.
“With everything that’s going on and our relationship here at Waihī Beach Beach with hāpu, I think the sandwich should be a celebration of culture.”
For now, the Taniwha Toastie remains on the menu — but only while supplies last. With sustainably sourced eel running low and the complex 48-hour bread-making process taking its toll, it won’t be around forever.
“‘We have loved the competition; our staff have been amazing,” Coombes said.
“It’s been a labour of love. A huge shout-out to the people we have met and have travelled huge distances to try the toastie – and ultimately all the 796 voters.”
The Supreme Winner of the 2025 Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover will be announced on August 20, with all 13 finalists’ toasties available on menus until then.
Last year’s People’s Choice went to Rotorua’s Capers Café for its Brotha ‘Mmmm hoisin pork belly toastie. This year, they were back in the finals with a Braised Birria Brotha.
But for 2025, it’s the Taniwha that captured the nation’s taste buds — and hearts.