The Craypot Story
It all started when...
The cart was built in Timaru to be used as a Pie Cart, and has a colourful history. It was moved to Cromwell during the construction of the Clyde Dam and at that time of its life was known as “The Dambuster”. On completion of the dam project the cart ended up in Cromwell, again used as a Pie Cart. It was then known as “The Dunstan Diner”, and also “Café de Curb” at some stage.
24 Years ago a local man purchased it and towed it all the way over the Haast Pass, behind a little tractor and set it up in its current location, overlooking the bay, opening as The Craypot.
The Craypot is an iconic, quirky caravan style café located on The Esplanade at Jackson Bay, on the bottom of the West Coast. The menu is predominantly seafood, and we pride ourselves in serving the best.
Sisters Dayna and Nicole Buchanan brought the business off Meg Ede who had owned it for many years. Dayna well and truly doing her apprenticeship after starting to work for Meg as a teenager. After 6 years the sisters sold to Joss and Spinner in 2024. Joss and Spinner moved over from Cromwell but have been coming to Haast for the last 17 years mainly during the whitebait season but also for stints of fishing. We love the outdoors and what the West Coast has to offer.
The Craypot is a destination to visit and has featured on several documentaries such as New Zealand from above. The Coasters, Fish of the day. They have also featured in a number of magazines. Jackson Bay is renowned for its beautiful scenery and wildlife and spending time there is good for the soul.
The drive down has been mentioned as “Driving through Jurassic Park”. It really is
beautiful. The rare Fiordland Crested Penguins visit us frequently, as do the Hector Dolphins, often putting on a show right outside your window. There are a couple of good bush walks close by, varying from 30-40 minute return, to much longer advanced options.
And that’s the journey so far! We look forward to meeting you soon.
Real West Coast Food. Sourced Locally Wherever Possible.
From Ocean to Plate
Wherever possible, The Craypot sources its seafood right on the back doorstep via local fishing boats. Although Crayfish are seasonal, they are caught just offshore and land right in the bay. Other than Crays, our seafood is caught in the Tasman Sea off the West Coast of the South Island and is delivered either fresh or snap-frozen from Greymouth.
