Panners

30/10/2026

NEW BURGERS HAVE ENTERED THE CHAT 🍔

Two new flavours have landed at Panners and we're putting the big question to you... which one are you going for?

🍗 K-Pop Chicken – Crispy fried chicken coated in a Korean sauce, packed into a burger and served with fries.

🌶️ Chipotle Cauliflower – A veggie burger with halloumi and chipotle, served with fries.

One for the chicken lovers, one for the veggie crew. Both worth a trip to Panners.

👇 Team K-Pop or Team Chipotle? Let us know in the comments, then come down and decide for yourself.

See you at Panners! 🍔

30/10/2026

We’re looking for a Front of House team member to join the team at Panners!

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working with people, has a passion for hospitality and wants to be part of a busy and friendly team. Previous hospitality experience is preferred, with coffee experience a bonus.

The role:
- Welcoming guests and providing friendly, attentive service
- Taking orders and serving food and drinks
- Making coffees and preparing hot drinks
- Operating the till and handling payments
- Keeping the restaurant, bar and service areas clean and organised
- Helping with opening and closing duties
- Supporting the team during busy service periods
- Ensuring guests have a great experience from start to finish

We’re looking for someone who is:
- Friendly, approachable and confident with customers
- Reliable, hardworking and punctual
- Experienced in hospitality (preferred)
- Confident making coffee (preferred)
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment
- Positive, proactive and happy to get stuck in
- Able to work well as part of a team
- Organised with great attention to detail
- Available to work a mix of weekdays and weekends
- Has own transport
- Lives local
- Has the right to work in New Zealand

What we offer:
- Opportunities to develop your hospitality and barista skills
- Opportunities to grow within the Panners team
- A supportive and friendly working environment
- Staff meals and benefits
- A busy, varied role in a growing hospitality business

If you're a people person who enjoys a good team environment and takes pride in creating great guest experiences, we'd love to hear from you!

Apply now with your CV and a little bit about yourself – [email protected]

Meet you at Panners

MON | CLOSED
TUES - THURS | 10AM - 8PM
FRI - SAT | 10AM - 9PM
SUN | 10AM - 8PM

27/10/2026

We’re looking for a full time Kitchen Hand to join the team at Panners

This is a great opportunity for someone looking to get into hospitality, build their kitchen experience or join a busy and friendly team.

The role:
- Washing dishes and keeping the kitchen clean and organised
- Assisting chefs with basic food preparation
- Keeping kitchen equipment, benches and work areas clean
- Helping with deliveries, stock rotation and putting stock away
- Supporting the kitchen team during busy service periods
- Following food safety and hygiene standards
- Helping with general kitchen duties as required

We’re looking for someone who is:
- Reliable, hardworking and punctual
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment
- Positive and willing to get stuck in
- Able to work well as part of a team
- Organised and takes pride in keeping things clean
- Keen to learn and develop their hospitality skills
- Available to work a mix of weekdays and weekends
- Has own transport
- Lives local
- Has the right to work in New Zealand

What we offer:
- Opportunities to learn and build your kitchen skills
- Opportunities to grow within the Panners team
- A supportive and friendly working environment
- Staff meals and benefits
- A busy, varied role in a growing hospitality business
If you're reliable, keen to work hard and looking for an opportunity to get your foot in the door of hospitality, we'd love to hear from you

Apply now with your CV and a little bit about yourself - [email protected]

25/10/2026

☕️ WE’RE OPEN TODAY! 🍳

Labour Day calls for a good coffee, a bite to eat and a little time out. Pop in to Panners today, we’re open 10am - 8pm!

Whether you’re heading out for a ride on the Gorge Trail or just fancy a slow morning with coffee and a toastie, we’ll see you here.

Please note a 15% public holiday surcharge applies today.

📍 Kawarau Gorge | Panners Bar & Kitchen

24/10/2026

🚲 The track is partly open! You can now come to Panners on 2 wheels 🚲

There’s nothing better than seeing the bikes rolling through the Gorge and people making Panners part of their ride.

Whether you’re stopping in for a coffee, grabbing a bite to eat or settling in for a well earned drink, we’ll see you along the way.

Ride, Refuel, Repeat. See you at Panners! 🍻

23/10/2026

New dishes, fresh flavours and a very good reason to pull in at Panners this weekend ⚒️☀️

Our new summer menu officially launched today and we can’t wait for you to try it. Whether you’re joining us for a long lunch, stopping in after a ride or making a night of it, there’s plenty to get stuck into.

📅 Bookings are open, so get your table sorted and come see what’s new.

🚲 The cycle trail is partially open from Saturday 24th October, so if you’re heading out for a ride, make Panners part of the plan.

☀️ We’re also open this Labour Day Monday for the long weekend. Please note that a public holiday surcharge applies.

Meet you at Panners

22/10/2026

🚲 CYCLE TRAIL SECTION OPEN + NEW SUMMER MENU 🍕☀️

There’s plenty happening at Panners! From this Saturday, you can ride from Cromwell to around 2km past Panners, making it the perfect time to get out and explore the Gorge.

And we’ve got a new Summer Menu ready and waiting for you from Friday. Think fresh summer flavours that go perfect with a cold drink in the sun. Panners is a well deserved stop along the way, whether you’re riding the trail or just looking for somewhere to spend a bit of time.

We’re excited to see the trail coming to life and to welcome you in for a ride, a refuel or a few drinks in the sun.

Ride, Refuel, Repeat. 🚲🍻

We’re also open this Labour Day Monday, so if you’re making the most of the long weekend, come and see us! Just a heads up that a public holiday surcharge applies. ☀️

17/10/2026

A well earned evening for the crew behind the Kawarau Gorge Trail 🍻🚵

The Trails Trust treated the tradies who have been working hard to bring the trail to life to dinner and drinks at Panners, followed by a walk along part of the track just behind us.

It was great to have everyone in, enjoy some good food and drinks, and celebrate the work going into making this trail a reality. A huge effort goes into building something like this, and we’re looking forward to welcoming more riders to the Gorge!

🚲 Labour Weekend at Panners

From Labour Weekend, you’ll be able to cycle from Cromwell to Panners along the Kawarau Gorge Trail. We’ll also be open on Monday 26 October for Labour Weekend, with a public holiday surcharge applying.

🍻 Planning a get together? From birthdays and work dos to group celebrations, Panners is the perfect spot to eat, drink and make a day of it. Get in touch to enquire about function bookings.

Ride the Gorge, refuel at Panners. 🚵‍♀️🍕

Southern Lakes Trails

09/10/2026

The Kawarau Gorge Trail is getting closer! 🚵‍♀️🥾

While the full trail opening has been delayed to allow for the final works and safety checks, there’s still plenty to look forward to.

From Labour Weekend, riders can enjoy a 17km return ride from Cromwell to the Pioneer Bridge, with Panners Bar & Kitchen right along the way for a well-deserved refuel. 🍕🍻

We can’t wait to welcome more riders through the Gorge and see this incredible trail come to life!
Keep an eye on Southern Lakes Trails for the latest updates.

Ride, Refuel, Repeat. 🚵‍♂️🍻

🚴🥾 Kawarau Gorge Trail Update
We know everyone is excited to get onto the Kawarau Gorge Trail, and we’re excited too!
While there has been great progress across the trail, the public opening will be delayed while we complete the remaining works and safety checks. As a true backcountry experience, we want to make sure everything is ready before we welcome riders onto the full route.
There is still work underway on the Kawarau River suspension bridges, barriers and sections of track, along with the Nevis Bluff highway crossing and upcoming rock scaling.
The VIP celebration will go ahead on Friday 23 October, followed by operator, partner, trustee and emergency services familiarisation rides over the following weeks.
From Labour Weekend, a 17km ride from Cromwell to The Pioneer Bridge will be available as an in-and-out ride, with two-way traffic. 2km into the return ride is Panners Bar and Kitchen at Goldfields Mining Centre.
The true backcountry sections will remain closed until the final works are complete and the trail is fully signed off.
We’re not setting a new full opening date just yet. Once everything is ready, we’ll give two weeks’ notice.
Thanks for your patience while we get the final pieces in place. We’re getting closer, and we can’t wait to see you out there! 🚵‍♀️🏔️

06/10/2026

Got something worth celebrating? Let’s make a plan. 🍾

Planning an end-of-year function, group celebration or private event? We've made it easy to choose the right setup for your group, with two function packages designed around how you want to celebrate.

Choose from our Party Package for bigger groups or our Dining Package for a more sit-down experience, then let us take care of the food while you enjoy the day.

Bookings are underway, and dates are filling.

Visit www.panners.co.nz to view our function packages, and get in touch to start planning.

Let’s get your date sorted.