The criteria – Good quality food, great atmosphere, fab service, beautiful location!
Phew – Let’s see who made the cut and you can start planning your culinary experiences.
1 – The Hunting Lodge Winery and Restaurant | 21 min drive
Always a popular choice – not only is the wine excellent but the food is consistently fabulous. Top tip – go for the “trust the chef” menu and the wine matching - it never disappoints!
For a lighter lunch check out the Lawn bar and grab a table or a picnic blanket and go for a pizza and a sharing platter and enjoy the fresh air and sun. Hunting Lodge is open Thursday - Sunday – make a reservation here
2 – The Tasting Shed | 19 min drive
Offering a seasonal menu of sharing plates with some delicious and different combinations of flavours that always seem to work!
Combine this with their excellent, global, wine list and their advice on the best wine for each dish is impeccable.
3 – Good from Scratch Cookery School | 5 min drive
Why not try a more hands-on experience and learn to make your own delicious lunch? The Good From Scratch Cookery School, just a 5-minute drive or a 30-minute walk from Parihoa, offers ‘farm to fork’ cooking classes.
Enjoy a day selecting fresh ingredients, learning new techniques and then savour the delights of your own hard work. Really good fun and a great team.
4 – Solijans Estate Winery | 27 min drive
From champagne breakfasts, to summer set lunches this pretty winery and café is worth a visit for a Mediterranean style breakfast or lunch. Great cellar door shop and tastings are also available.
5 – Boric Food Market | 28 min drive
Fancy a picnic or want to cook up a feast back at the farm? This artisan food market with deli and café – offers an amazing selection of fresh bread, meat, fish, produce, wine all locally produced. Perfect to stock up the kitchen for your stay.
6 – Phil Greig Strawberry Gardens | 18 min drive
Pick your own strawberries then head to the fruit ice cream and smoothie shop for their famous hand-crafted gelato or fresh fruit icecream. Super sweet strawberries - delicious!
7 - Bethells Beach Café | 45 min drive
If you fancy a long walk (around 7km, 2 hrs) or a longer drive (45 min) then the quirky Bethells Beach café, a summertime cafe that sits in Te Henga Park at Bethells Beach and is open on the weekends from 10-6 pm, serves great coffee and amazing home-baked scones and cakes with a smile and a great view, the perfect treat after a long walk/drive.
8 - Fish and Chips | 15 min drive
The best takeaway fish and chips in the area are definitely from the Sand Dunz Beach Cafe - a kiwi classic, yum!
9 - Double Parked
A new player in town is Double Parked, named Auckland's most sustainable food truck in 2020, twin brothers Boyd and Cam Steel from Muriwai beach deliver an ever-changing (yet always delicious) menu - keep an eye on where their next park up will be, and treat yourself!
Yum yum yum!
If you can't make up your mind just close your eyes and pick to one of the delicious options below: