St Georges: Fresh from the Garden, Best Enjoyed Slowly

There are some places where a booking becomes something more. A long lunch that slips into afternoon. One more glass shared around the table. Dinner that carries on well into the evening.

At Havelock North favourite St Georges Restaurant, that sense of ease is part of the appeal. Guests know it as a place to settle in and stay a while, where generous hospitality and thoughtful food turn an ordinary meal into an occasion.

What makes St Georges truly different begins long before diners take their seats. Head Chef and owner Francky Godinho is deeply connected to the land surrounding the restaurant, where around ninety percent of the produce used in the kitchen is grown onsite. Herbs, greens, vegetables and seasonal ingredients are picked fresh and used at their best, often moving from garden to plate the same day.

For Francky, whose childhood in Goa was shaped by family farming and cooking close to the source, that connection is simply how food should be approached. What is ready helps guide the menu, meaning dishes shift naturally with the season and no two visits are ever quite the same.

As autumn settles in, the menu takes on a little more depth while still holding onto the freshness St Georges is known for. Current highlights include duck breast with parsnip, spiced pear, radicchio and blackcurrant cabernet jus, slow braised beef short rib with miso kumara and roasted onion, and slow cooked lamb shoulder with smoked carrot, burnt onion cream and pea gremolata.

To begin, diners might share crispy fried chicken with Francky’s garden jalapeño, compressed apple and honey mustard, heirloom tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, or a fig tartlet layered with whipped blue cheese, walnut and herb salad.

That same philosophy is also reflected in the new Taste of Autumn degustation menu, a five-course chef’s choice experience designed to showcase the best of the season. The menu changes regularly, inviting guests to hand the reins to the kitchen and discover something new.

Beyond the plate, St Georges has earned a loyal following for how it makes people feel. Service is polished but never pretentious. A glass is poured, conversation carries on, and the pace of the day begins to soften.

It is just as suited to celebrations and special occasions as it is to a spontaneous meal with friends, a long overdue catch-up, or simply the pleasure of eating somewhere that cares deeply about what it serves.

For locals planning their next dining experience, or visitors looking for somewhere worth lingering, St Georges remains one of Hawke’s Bay’s most rewarding tables. 

Settle in. You’ll be here a while. Book your table: https://www.stgeorgesrestaurant.co.nz/