The Wayward Pigeon is a Gordonton Road neighbourhood pub that treats families, sports followers and celebration groups as part of the same crowd. Its mood is intentionally informal: a place for a casual meal and cold drink, but also for quizzes, live sport and regular community events. Weekly offers cover familiar pub favourites, and children's dining has its own place in the programme. The broad menu therefore works for mixed-age tables, while the local-pub setting keeps a gathering from feeling overly arranged.
The snack section is especially well suited to sharing. Korean-fried cauliflower comes with barbecue sauce and pickles, and sticky pork belly is glazed with gochujang, chilli and sesame. Brisket-loaded fries bring cheese sauce and chipotle mayonnaise, while garlic chilli prawns arrive on buttered pizza bread. Buttermilk fried chicken, salt-and-pepper squid and pork-and-wagyu brisket meatballs can also be combined in the large Tools Down platter. It creates a useful middle ground between ordering one snack and committing everyone to separate mains.
Pub standards anchor the main courses without making the selection one-note. Chicken schnitzel can be paired with fries or mash and gravy, and beer-battered fish comes with slaw and tartare sauce. Alongside those sit potato gnocchi with peas and lemon ricotta verde, twice-cooked pork belly with gratin and winter greens, and chicken-and-bacon carbonara. A green tahini bowl layers roast carrots, winter leaves, buckwheat and pumpkin seeds, while a rotating cut of New Zealand beef fills the traditional steak slot with café de Paris butter and red-wine jus.
Burgers and pizzas carry the playful side of the menu. The Cluckerson stacks crisp chicken with cheese, chipotle mayonnaise, ranch and pickles, while the Hallouminati combines grilled halloumi with a house vegetable patty. Pizza runs from margherita and mushroom bianca to a barbecue combination of brisket, pork belly and pepperoni. A dedicated children's section, brownie sundae, cheesecake pop and sticky date pudding keep different appetites at one table. Tap beers, cocktails and alcohol-free drinks make the menu just as workable for a round at the bar as for dinner.
Address: 2A Gordonton Road, Hamilton 3210, New Zealand
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The Wayward Pigeon Menu
Pub Snacks
Pull-Apart Garlic Loaf
garlic butter
Korean-Fried Cauliflower
Korean BBQ sauce, pickles
Salt & Pepper Squid
garlic aioli, fresh lemon
Sticky Pork Belly Bites
Gochujang BBQ glaze, chilli, sesame seeds
Loaded Fries
BBQ brisket, cheesy sauce, chipotle mayo, pickles, green onion
Garlic Chilli Prawns
blistered cherry tomatoes, green onion, chilli aioli on garlic butter pizza bread
Glazed Pork & Wagyu Brisket Meatballs
smoky herb butter jus, mustard cream, cheddar dust
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
honey sriracha, ranch, garden pickles
Onion Rings
chipotle mayo
Fries
confit garlic aioli
Tools Down Platter
sticky pork belly bites, buttermilk fried chicken, Korean fried cauliflower, salt & pepper squid, pork & wagyu brisket meatballs, grilled focaccia
Burgers
No gluten added bun +2.5 or lettuce bun available
Cheeseburger
150g brisket patty, American cheese, special sauce, ketchup, sweet & spicy pickles, milk bun, fries
The Cluckerson
crispy-fried chicken, American cheese, chipotle mayo, ranch, sweet & spicy pickles, lettuce, milk bun, fries
The Halloumingati
grilled halloumi, house-made vegan patty, American cheese, special sauce, sweet & spicy pickles, ranch, red onion, milk bun, fries
Sides
Cos Lettuce
pumpkin seed crunch, house dressing
Charred Winter Greens
garlic butter
Pub Mains
Chicken Schnitty
crumbed chicken breast, green herb slaw, gravy; choose fries or mash
Fish & Chips
beer-battered daily catch, house fries, green herb slaw, tartare sauce
Potato Gnocchi
leek & peas, Italian tomato sauce, lemon ricotta verde, crispy kale
Twice Cooked Pork Belly
potato gratin, winter greens, pear & fig relish, jus
Fettuccine Carbonara
creamy carbonara sauce, chicken, bacon, Grana Padano
Classic Caesar
cos lettuce, bacon, herbed croutons, anchovy dressing, soft-boiled egg, parmesan snow
Green Tahini Bowl
roast carrots, lemon ricotta verde, winter leaves, toasted buckwheat, pumpkin seed crunch
Butcher's Cut Steak
Rotating Cut of Premium NZ Beef Fries, café de Paris butter, red wine jus, charred winter greens NGO
Butcher’s Cut Steak
Rotating cut of premium NZ beef
fries, café de Paris butter, red wine jus, charred winter greens
Pizza
No gluten added base +2.5 | Daily free mozzarella available
Margherita
cherry tomato, mozzarella, basil
BBQ
brisket, pork belly, pepperoni, mozzarella, smoky IPA BBQ sauce
Bianca
mushrooms, white sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, kale, parmesan
Chicken & Chorizo
red onion, fire-roasted peppers, jalapeños
Desserts
American Chocolate Brownie Sundae
chocolate peanut butter granola, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce
Baked Cheesecake Pop
chocolate crackle, raspberry gel, sherbet
Sticky Date Pudding
butterscotch sauce, vanilla bean ice cream
Kids
15.5 Ea. All served with kids’ sundae. Available to kids 12 years and under.
Mini Beast Burger
beef patty, cheese, ketchup, toasted bun, fries
Chook & Chips
crumbed chicken bites, fries, tomato sauce
Lil’ Fish & Flicks
crispy fish bites, fries, tartare sauce
Meatballs
Italian tomato sauce, fettuccine, cheese
Grilled Chicken & Mash
gravy, greens
Fettuccine
Italian tomato sauce, mozzarella
Cheesy Mini Pizza
mozzarella, pizza sauce; ADD bacon | pineapple | chicken
Cheese & Bacon Loaded Fries
cheese sauce, mozzarella, gravy
Kids’ Sundae
100s & 1000s, chocolate OR caramel OR strawberry sauce; FREE WITH ANY KIDS MEAL
Cocktails
Daiquiri
CHOOSE strawberry, passionfruit or peach; Flor de Caña Extra Seco 4 rum, lime juice
Blood Orange Spritz
Lemsecco blood orange, prosecco, soda water
Lemsecco Spritz
Lemsecco Lemon or Blood Orange, prosecco, soda water
Flying South
Finlandia vodka, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, vanilla syrup
Dessert Cocktails
White Chocolate Espresso Martini
Absolut Vanilla, Kahlua Coffee, white chocolate
Lemon Meringue Pie
Pallini Limoncello, lemon, sugar, cream, biscuit crumb
Ambrosia
Absolut vanilla, Chambord, marshmallow syrup, chocolate syrup, cream
Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Finlandia vodka, caramel syrup, Kahlúa coffee liqueur, espresso shot
Zero-Alcohol
Fruit Cooler
Mango, Passionfruit or Strawberry flavour available
Grapefruit Spritz
Grapefruit, lime, agave, soda
Ginger Spice
Ginger beer, pineapple juice, lime, chilli
House Made Shrub
House made fruit infused vinegar syrup, soda
Non-Alcoholic
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
Schweppes
Dry Lemonade | Lemon, Lime & Bitters | Ginger Beer
Keri Juice
Apple | Pineapple | Orange | Cranberry | Tomato
Sprite Zero
Kids Drinks
Pink Panther
Traffic Light
Strawberry Fizz
Bottles & Cans
Heineken
Heineken 0.0%
Sol
Epic SuperZero <0.5%
Champagne & Sparkling
Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut
France
Moët & Chandon Impérial Rosé
France
Cloudy Bay Pelorus Brut
Marlborough
Cloudy Bay Pelorus Rosé
Marlborough
Tap Beers
Heineken
Heineken Silver Low Carb
Tiger
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+ Log your visitHow prices compare
Against typical prices in Hamilton
- Fish and chips Typical in Hamilton: $29.25 $29.50
- Margherita pizza Typical in Hamilton: $26.00 $28.00
- Sticky date pudding Typical in Hamilton: $16.00 $15.00
- Cheeseburger Typical in Hamilton: $27.00 $27.00
- Carbonara Typical in Hamilton: $29.00 $29.50
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Within 5 km of The Wayward Pigeon
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- Indian R Royale Indian Restaurant – Davies Corner Hamilton · 1.4 km Indian
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Smith & McKenzie Steak House
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