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
![HuntingLodge HuntingLodge](/assets/HuntingLodge__ResizedImageWzU1MCw1MzFd.png)
Image: Hunting Lodge
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!
![Lawn Bar HL Lawn Bar HL](/assets/Lawn-Bar-HL__ResizedImageWzU1MCw0Mjdd.png)
Lawn Bar. Image: Hunting Lodge
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
![Tasting Shed Tasting Shed](/assets/Tasting-Shed__ResizedImageWzU1MCw1NDZd.png)
Image: Tasting Shed
Offering a seasonal menu of sharing plates with some delicious and different combinations of flavours that always seem to work!
![Tasting Shed The Grotto Tasting Shed The Grotto](/assets/Tasting-Shed-The-Grotto__ResizedImageWzU1MCwzODRd.png)
Feasting at 'The Grotto' Image: Tasting Shed
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.
![Good from Scratch Good from Scratch](/assets/Good-from-Scratch__ResizedImageWzU1MCw0MTNd.jpg)
Image: Good from Scratch
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
![Soljans Soljans](/assets/Soljans__ResizedImageWzU1MCw2ODNd.png)
Image: Soljans Estate
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
![Boric Food Market Boric Food Market](/assets/Boric-Food-Market__ResizedImageWzU1MCw1MzVd.png)
Image: Boric Food Market
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
![Phil Greig Phil Greig](/assets/Phil-Greig__ResizedImageWzU1MCw1Mzhd.png)
Image: Phil Greig Strawberry Gardens
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
![Bethells Beach Cafe Bethells Beach Cafe](/assets/Bethells-Beach-Cafe__ResizedImageWzU1MCw1NTZd.png)
Image: Bethells Beach Cafe
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
![Sand Dunz Sand Dunz](/assets/Sand-Dunz__ResizedImageWzU1MCw0OTBd.png)
Image: Sand Dunz Beach Cafe
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!
![Double+Parked Double+Parked](/assets/Double+Parked__ResizedImageWzU1MCwzNjZd.jpeg)
Image: Double Parked
Yum yum yum!
If you can't make up your mind just close your eyes and pick to one of the delicious options below: