Fat Dog Café

Fat Dog Café has been feeding Rotorua locals and visitors for more than three decades. Even after all that time, the place has never lost its colourful, slightly eccentric personality that made it stand out in the first place.

If you enjoy a quirky lunch spot with plenty to look at while you sit and eat, you’re certainly in the right place. As the first official dog café in New Zealand, you’ll find plenty of poems, rainbows and (naturally) dog art worked into the décor, alongside their original table markers that’ve been there since day dot. The canine obsession is genuine too. The team are all self-described dog nuts and they make no secret of it.

Some of the food on their menu has just as much history as the space. Longstanding favourites include the dairy-free “RFT” or Rock ’n’ Fruity Thang, their smoothies and the caramel slice, alongside your classic burgers or eggs bene if you’re after something filling.

That familiarity includes the team too. Some staff have been working at the café for more than 20 years and are very much part of the heart and soul of the business. Customers seem to show the same loyalty. There’s been plenty of change around Rotorua since they first opened, but these guys take real pride in their longstanding place in their local community. It’s a lovely thing, and it’s clear that’s what people keep coming back for.