Fat Camel Cafe brings Israeli and Middle Eastern cooking to a small pedestrian lane in central Whangārei. Its 52 seats are divided between the room and traffic-free outdoor tables, creating the feel of a compact neighbourhood cafe rather than a formal dining room. The rhythm changes through the day: counter service suits a quick breakfast, coffee or pita before 5pm, while table service takes over for dinner. Groups can reserve ahead, and the venue also caters private occasions on or off site.
Breakfast has its own identity here. Malawach, the savoury layered pastry associated with Yemenite Jewish cooking, arrives with grated tomato, basil, spicy skhug, beetroot relish and salad. Shakshuka pairs eggs with a capsicum-and-tomato sauce, olives and pita, while the omelettes bring local free-range eggs together with a Jerusalem bagel and sharp, cooling accompaniments such as labaneh. The larger Fat Camel breakfast combines several of those signatures for diners who want a broad introduction rather than one familiar cafe plate.
Later meals build around hummus, fresh salads, pickles and warm bread. The kitchen makes its hummus daily and serves it plain or with falafel, lamb or chicken shawarma; mezze and baba ghanoush offer an easy route into shared eating. Larger plates add fragrant rice, salads and yoghurt-mint sauce to a choice of falafel, shawarma, lamb shishlik, grilled beef-and-lamb kebab or Jerusalem schnitzel. The mixed special gathers several of those meats with falafel, making the menu's grill and salad combinations especially clear.
Sweet dishes and drinks continue the regional thread instead of feeling added as an afterthought. Baklawa can be ordered alone or warm with ice cream, Turkish delight comes in changing flavours, and Israeli coffee sits beside the usual espresso choices and herbal teas. Vegetarian and vegan diners have substantial options across hummus, falafel, salads and dips, with food prepared without gluten or dairy also identified. That breadth makes the cafe workable for mixed groups without diluting its particular style of cooking.
Address: 12 Quality Street, Whangārei Central, Whangārei 0110, New Zealand
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Fat Camel Menu
Breakfast
Served 9am – 12am.
Vegetarian Omelette
Fluffy omelette made with local free range eggs, filled with tomato, onion & cheese, served with a Jerusalem bagel, fresh mesclun salad and a side of beetroot relish, labaneh & skhug.
Salmon Omelette
Delicious omelette made with local free range eggs, smoked salmon & cheese, served with a Jerusalem bagel and fresh mesclun salad.
Malawach
Malawach is a pastry like pancake introduced to Israel by the Yemenite Jews. Made from a savoury pastry it is fried and served with fresh grated tomato infused with basil and served with skhug a spicy coriander chili, beetroot relish & mesclun salad.
Shakshuka
An iconic Israeli breakfast of eggs poached to perfection in a mouthwatering sauce of capsicum and tomato’s, served with olives & pita bread. Choose the option of adding feta or salami for that extra zing.
Fat Camel Special Breakfast
Try our delicious Fat Camel special breaky, 3 egg omelette, malawach, smoked salmon & Jerusalem bagel served with skhug, labane, beetroot relish and mesclun salad and fresh tomatoes.
Pita Pockets
All our pita pockets are served in a whole warm pita & filled with humus, a portion of each of our fresh salads & the meat or vegetarian option of your choice from below, topped with traditional tahina & amba sauces. If you like it hot ask for our homemade chili.
Falafel
Falafel is a dish most synonymous with Israel it is a crunchy deep fried patty made from spiced and ground chickpeas. Vegetarian / Vegan.
Mixed Salad Pita
A mix of all our mouthwatering and fresh salads including humus and drizzled with amba & tahina. Vegetarian / Vegan.
Chicken Shawarma Pita
A hot favourite, this dish is made from diced chicken marinated in traditional shawarma spices before being cooked on the grill.
Lamb Shishlik
Prime cuts of fresh New Zealand lamb, diced & marinated in our own special blend of spices & tossed on the grill.
Camel Kebab Pita
A blend of New Zealand prime beef & lamb mince, combined with herbs & spices and formed into a traditional patty cooked over a grill.
Jerusalem Schnitzel Pita
Succulent chicken tenderised and covered in our special seasoned coating then fried.
No Carbs / Gluten Free / Keto Option
Any of the above pita pockets may be ordered as a no carbs or gluten free option and served on a plate in place of a pita.
Starters & Appetizers
Fat Camel Mezze Plater
A mezze platter with humus & babagunush dips, a selection of tasty pickles, stuffed vine leaf dolmades, feta cheese and a side of warm pita bread.
Mixed Salad Platter
A selection of Fat Camels fresh tasty salads, beetroot, tabuleh, cabbage, beans, carrots, humus and a selection of our sauces. Vegetarian / Vegan.
Humus
At the Fat Camel we take pride in maintaining traditional methods when making our humus. Made in-house on a daily basis, you won’t try better. Our humus platters are also available with falafel balls, or meat options. All humus platters are served with a side of warm pita bread. Vegetarian / Vegan.
Humus & Falafel Balls
At the Fat Camel we take pride in maintaining traditional methods when making our humus. Made in-house on a daily basis, you won’t try better. Our humus platters are also available with falafel balls, or meat options. All humus platters are served with a side of warm pita bread. Vegetarian / Vegan.
Humus & Lamb
At the Fat Camel we take pride in maintaining traditional methods when making our humus. Made in-house on a daily basis, you won’t try better. Our humus platters are also available with falafel balls, or meat options. All humus platters are served with a side of warm pita bread.
Humus & Shawarma
At the Fat Camel we take pride in maintaining traditional methods when making our humus. Made in-house on a daily basis, you won’t try better. Our humus platters are also available with falafel balls, or meat options. All humus platters are served with a side of warm pita bread.
Babagunush Dip
A Middle Eastern favourite, babagunush is a roasted eggplants blended with tahina and seasoned to taste. Served with chilli, sauces and warm pita bread for dipping and eating the traditional way. Vegetarian / Vegan.
Dolmades
Succulent vine leaves stuffed and rolled with aromatic tamarjan rice, meat, dates and herbs, served with our 3 sauces tahina, amba & chilli.
Borekas
Flaky pastry filled with a blend of yellow and white cheeses seasoned with fresh herbs, folded into triangles and baked before being sliced open and filled with a selection of our Fat Camel salads. Vegetarian.
Spinach & Feta Borekas
A flaky pastry filled with a spinach and feta, then fashioned into a spiral before baking. Served warm with Israeli salad, a cold hard boiled egg, pickles and sauce. Vegetarian.
Pickle Platter
A selection of pickles to tempt the appetite. Traditionally pickles are a staple companion to every meal. Vegetarian / Vegan.
Labaneh
Labaneh is a soft white cheese staple to the diet of most eastern countries. It’s distinctive sour flavour is a result of the yoghurt straining process it’s put through. Made in-house our labaneh is served olive oil, zarta dipping spices, olives, homemade chili sauce & warm pita bread. Vegetarian.
Crumbed Cauliflower Bites
Delicious cauliflower bites crumbed and fried, served on a bed of mesclun salad with sweet chilli mayo. Vegetarian.
Shakshuka
An iconic Israeli breakfast of eggs poached to perfection in a mouthwatering sauce of capsicum and tomato’s, served with olives & pita bread. Choose the option of adding feta or salami for that extra zing.
Potato Fries
Crispy french fries served with aioli and tomato sauce. Vegetarian / Vegan.
Main Plates
All Fat Camel mains are served with traditional fragrant rice, humus, a portion of each of our salads, yoghurt mint sauce and accompanied by the meat or vegetarian option of your choice from below.
Falafel Plate
Traditional Israeli chickpea patties, ground, seasoned and deep fried for a crunchy exterior. Vegetarian / Vegan.
Chicken Shawarma Plate
A hot favourite this dish is made with chicken marinated in traditional shawarma spices before being cooked on the grill.
Lamb Shishlik Plate
Prime cuts of fresh New Zealand lamb marinated in our own special spices and then tossed on the grill.
Camel Kebab
A blend of New Zealand prime beef and lamb mince combined with fresh herbs, formed into a traditional patty and cooked over a grill.
Jerusalem Schnitzel Plate
Succulent chicken tenderized and covered in our own seasoned coating then fried.
Fat Camel Special Plate
A perfect choice for the first timer or if you simply can’t choose, our special plate is served with a mix of shawarma, shishlik, kebab, schnitzel & falafel.
Kids Meal
Our kids meals are available with a choice of either, shawarma, shishlik, schnitzel, kebab or falafel. Choose either fries or rice, served with just a touch of salad. Vegetarian / Vegan / Meat.
Extra Portions
Pita Bread
Homemade Bagel
Single Salad Portion
Extra Humus for Pita Pocket
Extra Side of Humus
Lamb or Chicken Portion
Camel Kebab Ball
Falafel Ball
Skhug on the Side
Grilled Haloumi Slice
Desserts
Don’t forget to let our staff know to “hold the cream” if you’re dairy free.
Baklawa
You can’t travel far in Jerusalem without stumbling across trays and trays of sweet moist Baklawa. Layers of filo pastry and nuts held together with a sweet sauce. Vegan / Dairy Free.
Baklawa & Ice-Cream
Nuts and filo pastry layered together with sweet rose syrup to create this traditional dessert slice Served hot with Ice-cream.
Turkish Delight
These heavenly little morsels really are the perfect accompaniment to an Israeli coffee. Available in a variety of flavours from Rose to Pistachio and more. Delight your taste buds and ask your waitress for today’s selection. Available singularly or 8 pieces on a plate for $10.00. Dairy / Gluten Free.
Chocolate Brownie
Chocolate Brownie & Ice-Cream
Rich dark chocolate and coconut Brownie, served warm with cream.
Blueberry & Almond
The best gluten free cake you’ll ever try, tasty and moist; with berries and almonds. Served with cream or yoghurt. Gluten Free.
Carrot Cake
Scrumptious little Carrot Cake topped with a tangi cream cheese icing and dried fruit. Served with a choice of yoghurt or cream.
Ginger Crunch
The largest serving of ginger crunch in town, spicy and sweet.
Sticky Date Pudding
A light and fluffy sticky date pudding served with a caramel sauce and cream.
Affogato
A scoop of vanilla ice-cream drowned in a shot of hot coffee.
Vanilla Ice-Cream
Add a scoop of vanilla ice-cream to any dessert.
Coffee
At Fat Camel we take our coffee seriously and we understand that it’s important to you, to have consistently great coffee. We choose Laffare’s Fat Camel Special Blend of Coffee beans and our staff are kept up to date with the latest Barista techniques. Fat Camel Barista’s have achieved multiple 1st and 2nd place wins at the Northland Barista Awards over the years, and we were voted Best Coffee in Northland by you the public, all titles we hold with pride.
Espresso
Long Black
Flat White
Cappuccino
Latte
Mocha
Americano
Macchiato
Flavoured Latte
Tumeric Latte
Hot Apple Cider
Israeli Coffee
Hot Chocolate
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+ Log your visitHow prices compare
Against typical prices in Whangārei
- Long black Typical in Whangārei: $4.70 $4.50
- Flat white Typical in Whangārei: $5.00 $5.00
- Short black Typical in Whangārei: $4.20 $4.00
- Mocha Typical in Whangārei: $5.50 $5.50
- Americano Typical in Whangārei: $5.00 $4.50
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