Jesse Mulligan Review: Regatta Riverside Eatery in Hamilton Makes The Most Of The City’s Best Natural Feature

This dining room atmosphere borders on party-like, but the food is high-end restaurant. Nostalgia is hard to find in 2026. The songs you grew up with are blasted endlessly through shopping malls and stadium tannoy systems; YouTube serves you classic TV show and movie scenes if you so much as Thank goodness for the hometown. The moment I stepped out of the car on Grantham St, the link between Hamilton’s main street and the river, my memories came flooding back: the 1980s raft race where half the population floated down the river on inner tubes and oil drums, dodging fruit being thrown by people on the bridge above; a childhood birthday party where the main event was throwing rocks at ducks; then, later in life, a riverside wedding where I was called upon to give a speech and accidentally got the bride’s name wrong. Happy times. Throughout all that time (and for decades before), the rowing club has been a centre of the city’s social gravity, so when I found out they’d put a decent restaurant in there, I was overjoyed. And, when I swung open the huge glass door one Wednesday evening into a retro-decorated room full of happy Hamilton revellers, I knew I was in for a good night. Regatta Riverside Eatery in Hamilton.Regatta Riverside Eatery in Hamilton.Culturally, Kirikiroa doesn’t always get its due, but man, can this city do hospo. Mr Pickles, Wunderbar, Reggie’s, Hamilton Hotel - they are all brilliant and would stand out in any major city. The one thing that’s been missing, though, is somewhere you can eat by the river. It seems crazy, but the central city was built with its back to the water and much of the development of the past 10 years has been trying to (literally) turn things around. Now at Regatta you can see the majestic awa drifting by from almost any seat in the room. A blown-up historic photograph behind the bar captures a scene from this spot a century ago, while some beautiful words on the menu pay tribute to the people who did business here long before that. The dining room atmosphere borders on party-like, but the food is firmly in the category of high-end restaurant. As with much of this university town, the service is young and spirited rather than wise and experienced, but that can be interesting too. One waitress dropped a piece of fried chicken on the floor and, unsure what to do, decided to do nothing. It was still sitting there when we left. Regatta Riverside Eatery's nduja-tomato crumb mussels.Used to estimating food quantities using Auckland prices, I ordered about twice as much as we could eat (I did check first with the server but she didn’t seem to spot the over-order). Because things lean slightly toward the “rich and fried”, we filled up quickly and, after a handful of crumbed duck strips with “mushroom ketchup” followed by Nduja-tomato crumb mussels, I could see the writing on the wall. One fried oyster in a milk bun was a lovely treat – a fish burger for the adventurous. It’s a comparatively simple dish but Regatta’s “aglio radiatori” is one of the loveliest simple pasta dishes I’ve eaten. Named for their “little radiator” shape, the shells are great at catching sauce – in this case a simple combination of garlic and bright green spinach topped with maasdam cheese, and pan grattato for texture. I couldn’t stop eating it. Vegetarians are well catered for here – the braised cabbage with Marmite butter and oyster mushrooms with polenta are both highlights – but they may want to look away when the lamb shoulder arrives. It is a beast of a thing, slow roasted and served with a variety of tasty accompaniments, including traditional mint sauce, classic jus and an umami-rich miso eggplant. I got through a few mouthfuls then handed it back to the waitress, on the basis that I’d appreciate it much more for lunch the next day. Lamb shoulder from Regatta Riverside Eatery in Hamilton.The room may be missing a formal welcome/exit point – we settled the bill at an eftpos machine perched on a stool – and the noise level might prove challenging for some. But there is a lot to love here and the brilliant food (along with an excellent drinks list) creates a lot of goodwill. I’ve been a fan of executive chef Andrew Clarke’s food since I came across it at Victoria Street Bistro a few years ago. He has designed another lovely menu here, and the happy sounds coming out of that open kitchen suggest that the team on the tools are enjoying bringing it to life. There’s a terrace outside which will be irresistible as the weather warms up, and this humming little restaurant on the dark banks of the Waikato will hopefully be the beginning of a city coming to terms with its best natural feature. Regatta Riverside Eatery in Hamilton opened in September and is in the former boathouse of the Hamilton Rowing Club.REGATTACuisine: Modern New Zealand Address: 154 Grantham Street, Hamilton Central Reservations accepted Drinks fully licensed Hours: Wed–Sun, noon–9.30pm; Mon–Tue closed From the menu: Fried oyster milk bun $15, fried duck $26, mussels $28, radiatori aglio $34, braised cabbage $17, king oyster mushrooms $24, lamb shoulder $94. Rating: 17/20 Score: 0-7 Steer clear. 8-12 Disappointing, give it a miss. 13-15 Good, give it a go. 16-18 Great, plan a visit. 19-20 Outstanding, don’t delay.More restaurant reviewsAccording to Dining Out editor Jesse Mulligan.