Starfish Cafe & Bar has served St Clair for more than two decades, with new family owners beginning their chapter in 2026. The Forbury Road cafe sits close to the beach and keeps a warm, easygoing daytime character rather than leaning on the view alone. Seasonal ingredients, local producers and in-house baking shape an all-day brunch and lunch menu, supported by early opening and a kitchen that runs into the afternoon.
Brunch moves confidently between savoury standards and playful sweet plates. The Starfish Stack layers egg, bacon, hash brown, tomato and hollandaise on ciabatta, while the Big Break adds pork belly, chorizo, mushrooms and spinach. Smashed avocado comes with feta, dukkah, chilli and mint; Turkish eggs use labneh, hummus and Aleppo butter. Biscoff waffles provide the sweet option, and fried chicken waffles balance beetroot jam, spicy hollandaise, maple and mascarpone.
Lunch introduces flavours well beyond conventional cabinet fare. Bang bang chicken salad and pulled-pork roti sit alongside chicken bao, Korean cauliflower tacos and fresh fish with chips. Burgers cover chicken, fish and Korean cauliflower, giving meat-eaters, pescatarians and vegetarians parallel choices rather than an afterthought. A children's menu helps family tables order comfortably, while gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options are marked across the broader selection.
Supreme coffee anchors the morning trade, joined by tea, juices, smoothies and milkshakes. Later in the day, local Emerson's beer, cider, wine and cocktails let the cafe operate as a relaxed bar without losing its daytime identity. That drinks range, together with the beachside setting and generously composed plates, makes Starfish equally useful for an early coffee, a post-walk brunch or an unhurried lunch near the St Clair Esplanade.
Address: 240 Forbury Road, St Clair, Dunedin 9012, New Zealand
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Starfish Cafe and Bar Menu
All Day Goodness
starfish stack
ciabatta, tomato, bbq sauce, poached egg, bacon & hash browns + hollandaise (gfo) +3
smashed avocado (subject to availability)
avocado, chilli, mint, lemon, feta, dukkah & poached eggs + grain toast. add bacon +7 add salmon +7 (dfo) (gfo) +3
granola
coconut panna cotta w mango puree & fresh fruit + coconut whip (gf) (df) (rsfo)
biscoff waffle
buttermilk waffles w biscoff mascarpone, chocolate shards, salted caramel & vanilla ice cream + biscoff crumb
fried chicken waffle
served w beetroot jam, sriracha hollandaise & maple syrup + mascarpone
harissa roasted mushrooms
served on grain toast w cashew pesto, halloumi & grilled tomato + hummus (vo) (gfo) +3
twice cooked agria potatoes
bacon, onion, baby spinach & poached eggs + hollandaise (gf) (rsf)
big breaky baby
pork belly w hash, poached eggs, spinach, mushrooms, chorizo & ciabatta + tomato jam (gfo) +3
eggs benedict
served on ciabatta w hollandaise, your choice of: house-smoked salmon, slow-cooked pork belly, crispy fried chicken, streaky bacon, mushrooms & spinach (gfo) +3
turkish eggs
garlic labneh w poached eggs, hummus & aleppo spiced butter + ciabatta (gfo) +3
eggs any style
poached, scrambled or fried served on house-made ciabatta (gfo) + 3
Burgers
All served with fries & aioli
chicken burger
southern fried chicken, swiss, bacon, red onion, tomato, pickles, lettuce & chipotle + lime mayo (gfo) +3
korean fried cauliflower burger
spicy gochujang glazed cauliflower w slaw & halloumi + vegan aioli (gfo) +3
fish burger
emerson’s beer battered fish w asian-style slaw & house-made tartare + pickled red onion (gfo) +3
Chips
fries
shoestring fries served w aioli
bowl of wedges
served w sour cream & sweet chilli sauce
Kids (12 and under only)
egg on toast
your choice of poached, scrambled or fried on ciabatta (gfo) +3
kids granola
served w fresh fruit & your choice of milk (gf) (dfo)
kids fish & chips
fresh market fish, your choice of either: beer battered or pan-fried (gfo), served w shoestring fries (df)
chicken + chips (gf)
kids waffle
1/2 of a waffle served w salted caramel & whipped cream. add bacon or fruit +5
taco
soft shell taco w crispy chicken, slaw, mayo & shoestring fries
Mains
taco
soft shell taco w crispy chicken, slaw & mayo + shoestring fries
bang bang chicken
crispy chicken, mungbeans, cucumber, shallots, carrot, mint, coriander, black sesame, seabreeze greens & cashews + bang bang sauce (gf)
pulled pork roti
chinese style pulled pork, slaw, mint, coriander, pickles & crispy shallot + kewpie
crispy chicken bao buns (3)
popcorn chicken, slaw, pickles, plum & hoisin, mint, coriander, mung beans, & chilli mayo + peanut crumb
korean cauliflower tacos (3)
shoft shell tacos w spicy gochujang glazed cauliflower, charred corn, slaw, edamame & vegan mayo + almond crumb (v) (df)
fish & chips
fresh market fish (please ask staff). your choice of either: emerson’s beer battered or pan-fried (gfo). served w shoestring fries, green salad & house-made tartare (df)
Sides
(df) dairy free (gf) gluten free (rsf) refined sugar free (v) vegan (o) option. please note: 20% surcharge applies on nz public holidays
hashbrowns, mushrooms, halloumi, grilled tomato
house-smoked salmon, bacon
Shoestring fries
wedges
w sour cream + sweet chilli
Fresh Juice
you’re mint
orange, pineapple, mint & lemon
the beets
beetroot, carrot & apple
ginger ninja
orange, carrot, ginger & lemon
green goddess
green apple, celery, cucumber & spinach
Smoothies
green machine
spirulina, greens, banana, coconut milk & honey
pic’s poles
pic’s peanut butter, banana, almond milk & lsa
berry break
apple juice, berries & frozen yoghurt
white island delight
banana, frozen yoghurt, milk & honey
Coffee & Tea
black coffee
white coffee regular
mocha regular
hot chocolate regular
specialty milks
soy / coconut / almond / oat
iced strawberry matcha
tea pot
earl grey, english breakfast, peppy breeze, imperial sencha,
tea for 2
hot water + lemon + honey
Fresh Juices
your mint
orange, pineapple, mint & lemon
the beets
beetroot, carrot, apple
ginger ninja
orange, carrot, ginger & lemon
green goddess
green apple, celery, cucumber & spinach
Iced Drinks & Milkshakes
iced chocolate / iced mocha / iced coffee
milkshakes
chocolate / banana / vanilla / strawberry / caramel / lime
Gins
all 15
malfy – blood orange
hendricks
bulldog
beefeater- pink strawberry
botanist
scapegrace
Coffee
espresso
macchiato
piccolo
long black / americano
flat white
Tea
tea pot
tea for 2
english breakfast, peppermint breeze, imperial sencha, strawberry & plum
hot water, lemon, ginger & honey
Cocktails
gin sour
batched gin- strawberry & rhubarb
mojito
fresh mint, white rum, sugar, lime juice + soda water
espresso martini
vodka, kahlua + supreme espresso
frozen strawberry margarita
tequila, cointreau, liqueur, lime juice + strawberries
aperol spritz
aperol, prosecco + soda water
Beer
emerson’s pilsner
tap beer
emerson’s bookbinder
tap beer
emerson’s pale ale
tap beer
emerson’s hazed & confused
tap beer
Wine
freixenet prosecco doc
bubbles
jules taylor sauvignon blanc marlborough
white wine
durvillea chardonnay marlborough
white wine
saddleback riesling central otago
white wine
Beer & Cider
zeffer – hazy alcoholic lemonade 5%
mac’s cloudy apple
bottled cider
Cold Drinks
cold drinks range
coke, coke no sugar, lemonade, bunderberg – lemon lime bitters & ginger beer
phoenix range
sparkling water, orange & apple + mango juice, apple juice
daily organics kombucha
on tap
Wine & Bubbles
freixenet prosecco doc
(750ml bottle)
Jules Taylor sauvignon black
(marlborough)
durvillea chardonnay
(marlborough)
sadleback riesling
(central otago)
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+ Log your visitHow prices compare
Against typical prices in Dunedin
- Eggs benedict Typical in Dunedin: $24.00 $29.50
- Flat white Typical in Dunedin: $6.00 $6.00
- Hot chocolate Typical in Dunedin: $6.00 $5.50
- Chicken burger Typical in Dunedin: $25.95 $29.50
- Long black Typical in Dunedin: $5.25 $5.50
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