The Mooring Fish
Cafe, Avana
on
in a
Friendly banter, vibrant live music or
local island vibes, bustling staff and a
queue of people happy to sit and enjoy
the view while they wait for their much
anticipated order ... lunchtime at The
Mooring Fish Cafe in 2019 is a far cry
from what you’d have seen in October
2009 when it first opened.
t ai
2013 & 2016
30 • Escape
Magazine
www.themooringfi shcafe.com
The Mooring Fish Cafe came from
humble beginnings. A Greymouth girl
cum Ponsonby real estate agent who
was tired of the rat race of Auckland
moved to Rarotonga for the simple life,
with The Mooring an experiment in
entrepreneurialism.
craving from tourists to eat the foods of
the land they’re exploring. The outcome
was, and still is, simple and punchy food
showcasing the best of the freshest of local
fish, vegetables and pacific flavours.
Over the years the modest container-
turned-cafe has celebrated many
milestones. From thinking things were
hectic at 20 sandwiches a day in 2009 to
a busy staff of up to 8 people now feeding
100s of happy customers per day - The
Mooring has gone from strength to
strength and shows no signs of slowing
down.
Early on, days were slow and customers
few as the container gradually converted
from a hollow steel shell into a kitchen
worthy of accommodating the daily
crowds that began to grow. Word of
mouth facilitated unprecedented demand
for The Mooring Fish Cafe favourites, and
the name and infamy started to grow. Whether a first-time tourist or an
established local fan every single meal
is served with the hopes of being the
highlight of their day. Celebrating wins
no matter how big or small, including
CI Tourism awards and international
accolades as well as every review where
someone gushes over how much they
enjoyed their meal.
Having travelled to the Cook
Islands many times before
making the move permanent,
Jill, owner of The Mooring
Fish Cafe, was confused
when she would drive along
the street and see roadside
stalls selling seasonal fresh
produce bursting with rich
flavour, but on arriving at
cafes and restaurants found
the menu consisted mostly of
imported goods. The initial
intent was to showcase local
produce in a simple, fresh and affordable
way that wasn’t being utilised, despite the Despite its growth, The Mooring has
stayed true to its roots with a simple