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Throughout western North Island, provincial city restaurants and small, tourist-town cafés feature an overall sophistication you might not expect away from major urban centers: think wholesome and hearty fare, local organic produce, good espresso and loose-leaf teas, high-quality New Zealand wines, plus local craft beers. Counte
Throughout western North Island, provincial city restaurants and small, tourist-town cafés feature an overall sophistication you might not expect away from major urban centers: think wholesome and hearty fare, local organic produce, good espresso and loose-leaf teas, hi
Throughout western North Island, provincial city restaurants and small, tourist-town cafés feature an overall sophistica
Throughout western North Island, provincial city restaurants and small, tourist-town cafés feature an overall sophistication you might not expect away from major urban centers: think wholesome and hearty fare, local organic produce, good espresso and loose-leaf teas, high-quality New Zealand wines, plus local craft beers. Counter food is generally fresh salads, paninis, filled rolls, sweet or savory pies, and homemade soups.
Dinner menus in the higher-end restaurants include the chef's latest creations using high-quality New Zealand eye fillet of beef (beef tenderloin), fish, lamb racks, pork fillets, and chicken. The best chefs change menus regularly to focus on fresh regional and seasonal ingredients. You will also find Indian, Thai, Malaysian, Japanese, Mexican, Turkish, and Italian restaurants, even in smaller centers. "Smart-casual" is about as formal as attire gets.
At this buzzing corner café, surfers—here for the great coffee and organic, free-range food—cram the couches and Formica tables beneath walls decorated with hanging plants, surfboards and Raglan beach scenes. The menu is huge and the meals hearty, starting with breakfast at 8. Dishes hail from around the globe: Mexico, Thailand, and more. The dinner menu (Thursday through Saturday only) is seasonal and plates are designed for sharing. There's also a selection of organic beers, wines, teas, smoothies, and juices.
The local newspaper used to be produced in this historic building, but the premises now house a friendly café that doubles as a retro clothes and arts store. A large communal wooden table takes pride of place near the streetside windows, so this is a great place to chat with locals or just people-watch while you enjoy a cup of organic, fair-trade coffee. It is also known for its biscuits and cakes; the gluten-free chocolate and prune tart with blackberries is a popular choice.
21 Drews Ave., Whanganui, Manawatu-Whanganui, New Zealand
Wholesome, organic, and scrumptious food is served in a country café that’s set in the middle of a 2-acre herb garden. The herbs grown here are served fresh with your food and are also used in the natural healing products manufactured on site. The dining area is adjacent to a themed garden designed to keep children interested. It's just a 10-minute drive from the city, near the town of Ashurst.
88 Grove Rd., Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, 4470, New Zealand
Situated at Waitomo's General Store (which itself offers limited grocery items and souvenirs), this versatile eatery can serve as a café if you're just looking for a coffee with a scone or biscuit, but it also offers fresh cabinet-style food such as paninis and bagels that can be prepared on the spot, as well as a full menu for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. Grab a comfortable and sunny spot near the window in the lounge-style seating area if you can, but there are plenty of standard tables and chairs. The outdoor deck is a good choice in the summer. Decor is fairly sparse, but there are some nice photos (for sale) of New Zealand landscapes on a couple of the walls. The eatery opens by 8 am each day.
15 Village Rd, Waitomo, Waikato, 3943, New Zealand
Join the locals at this cozy café, spread throughout the veranda, garden, and several intimate rooms of an old, mostly yellow villa. It serves a full breakfast/brunch menu with all the classics as well as wholesome, house-cooked lunches. It's located across the road from the river and a two-minute drive from the city center. The cafe caters well to vegetarians and vegans (try the haloumi stack with roasted kumara, wilted greens, and smoked capsicum [roasted red peppers]) but for meat eaters, one of the best things on the menu is the ginger beer pulled-pork burger.
17 Pitt St., Whanganui, Manawatu-Whanganui, 4500, New Zealand
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