from 62 Google reviews
Temporarily closed
The dumplings at this little Ostend counter are made by hand and steamed to order, which is why they arrive with soft skins and fillings that still taste fresh, and why there's a steady stream of people who've been told about the place by a friend. You'll find it on Putiki Road, just behind the supermarket, a small roadside setup with a few shaded outdoor tables and a takeaway operation running alongside.
The kitchen leans Nepali, with momos at the centre of things: beef, chicken and vege, plus a chilli momo and a deep fried version, all served with sauces and a handmade chilli oil that's worth asking for. Around them sit prawn dumplings, gyoza, ramen, thupka, chow mein and fried noodles, and there are vegetarian and non gluten options if you need them.
Prices sit at the inexpensive end for Waiheke, and it's the sort of place you can treat as a quick lunch, a takeaway dinner or a family feed, with a friendly couple running the whole thing and cooking everything as you order it.
Written from 62 Google reviews, every one we could get, on 12 November 2026. Rated 5.0 from 62 Google reviews.
Sixty two ratings with almost all of them at five stars tells you plenty, and the first bite of a beef momo tells you the rest. The dumplings are handmade and steamed to order, the fillings are generous and juicy, and it's the best dumpling stop on the island.
Order the momos first, beef in particular, since that's the one that keeps getting named for its juicy filling and gentle chilli heat, and add the prawn dumplings, fat and full under a soft skin. Chilli momo, deep fried momo, thupka, ramen and chicken chow mein fill out the rest, and you should ask for the handmade chilli oil on the side.
The owners are a Nepali couple who run the counter themselves, and they're friendly enough that one of them made a coleslaw salad that wasn't even on the menu when someone asked for it. Everything is cooked fresh when you order, and it's still ready and handed over to you within minutes.
It's a small roadside spot on Putiki Road, tucked behind the supermarket in Ostend, with a few shaded outdoor tables that are just the thing on a hot day. Plenty of people grab takeaway, so don't be put off by how modest the place looks.
It's cheap eating by Waiheke standards, and the portions are generous enough that two orders of dumplings fill you up. The dumplings themselves run a touch dearer than you'd expect from a roadside stall, though the freshness makes that easy to shrug off.
It's a great casual lunch, and families do well here because the momos disappear fast and the outdoor tables suit kids. Takeaway works just as nicely for a beach picnic or a night in, and they'll fill your own container if you bring one.
The only real grumble is the price of the dumplings, which stacks up if you're feeding a few people and ordering widely. It's also a tiny spot with limited outdoor seating, so on a busy day you might end up taking yours away instead of eating in.
Every fact on this page was checked on 8 November 2026 against Google, Dumpling Maniac's own website and 62 of its Google reviews. The photo is from the eatout library, not taken here, and no venue pays to be listed or ranked. Something out of date? Tell us
Fish and chips · Ostend · $
★ 5.0 from 104 Google reviews
A walkway slips through beside the Woolworths in Ostend and comes out on Putiki Road, where a small kiosk has built a serious reputation for fish and chips, the best on the island and, for plenty of eaters, the best they've had anywhere from England to Melbourne.
Takeaways · Ostend · $
★ 5.0 from 7 Google reviews
Temporarily closed
Fresh pasta is made daily at this small takeaway kitchen in Ostend, and the menu keeps things simple with sauces like short rib ragu, carbonara and creamy fettuccine, all tossed through pasta that arrives properly cooked.
Takeaways · Ostend
★ 5.0 from 12 Google reviews
Temporarily closed
Smoked barbecue and Asian street food come out of the same small kitchen on Putiki Road in Ostend, which is the sort of pairing that makes you build a stop into your Waiheke day rather than grabbing whatever's closest.
Burgers · Ostend · $
★ 4.9 from 223 Google reviews
A little burger caravan sits on Putiki Road in Ostend, right beside the RAW market, with outdoor tables and a menu that runs from smash burgers to tacos, chips and thick shakes.
Cafes · Ostend · $
★ 5.0 from 67 Google reviews
Argentinian baking is what brings you down Putiki Road in Ostend, where a small food truck café turns out buttery croissants, cheesy scones, sugar-dusted palmeritas and facturas, all made by the two people serving them.
Cafes · Ostend
★ 4.9 from 149 Google reviews
Ostend's Turkish deli sits on Belgium Street, a few steps from the bus stop and with parking round the back, and it's the kind of place you spot from the road and then keep thinking about.
