New Zealand restaurant guide website

First impressions: A magical blend of nature, history and animal interaction combine with a stunning and vibrant café environment. This is a special family friendly location, unique to the Nelson region.

Ambience: A relaxing café experience set in a tranquil parklike setting. Refreshing, delicious, different!

Food Style: Encompasses a scrumptious range of café food from their signature gourmet burgers and homemade soups to healthy child friendly options. Something for everyone. Also available are summertime outdoor Spit Roast evenings - a truly unique dining experience. Bookings are essential to these very popular evenings.

Perfect When: Family adventures take you to Golden Bay, when planning functions and get-togethers or just when you feel the need to get back to nature.Private functions also available.

Open: 7 days September to April, excluding Christmas Day.                                78

First Impressions: Set in 4 acres of award-winning gardens and cast rock formations; expect the exotic and the unusual with a Pacifica accent.

Ambience: Tapa cloth, carvings, statues, and the garden give this café a relaxed feel and provide a visual feast to enjoy.

Food Style: International eclectic style, blending inspiration from 30 years of travelling the world. Influences include Asian, French and Pacific Rim. Large menu, lots of choice from dressed crab and braised neck of lamb, flambéed King prawns to garlic-studded steaks and a vegetarian dish of the day. Local and regional wines.

Perfect When: You require a beautiful location with superb cuisine for lunch or dinner.
Island accommodation available, conferences, weddings, and special occasions catered for. Art Gallery.

Open: Summer 7 days, lunch 11am - 2.30pm,
dinner 5.30pm till late.
Winter open 5 nights Tuesday - Saturday 5.30pm till late.                                  79

First Impressions: A legendary street front café in the heart of Takaka. Relax outside covered from rain or sun and watch the world go by, or hide away in the beautiful beer garden with a pint or an Italian wine.

Ambience: Global flair and warm atmosphere make it a meeting place for both colourful locals and people from near and far.

Food Style: Delumptious - from a great breakfast selection with a variety of organic breads to freshly made cabinet food, excellent burritos and spanakopitas, glorious brick oven gourmet pizzas including “Southern Style” Cajun chicken with brie, cranberry sauce and sour cream. “Popeye” spinach, black olives, feta and pesto; “Seafood” Marina Mix with mussels, squid, prawns and fine cuts of fish, topped with avocado and a garlic aioli dressing. Exquisite coffees, sumptuous sweet slices and outrageous wheat/gluten and dairy free cakes.

Open: Monday - Saturday 11am till late in summer and
10am till 10pm winters.                                                                                      80

First Impressions: Located in a century old theatre, the café provides a warm bohemian atmosphere unique to the Golden Bay area.

Ambience: Since 1977 the café has slowly evolved, now the oldest original café in the South Island, the funky colourful décor is a visual feast.

Food Style: The reputation for quality espresso is well-known, a colourful display of counter food is a daily ritual. Pacific style curries and fresh pasta are a feature of the cuisine. The Wholemeal Café cookbook is a great Golden Bay souvenir.

Perfect When: You visit Golden Bay.

Open: 7 days.                                                                                                      81

First impressions: Nature comes to the fore at the Brigand Café Bar! Through the big steel gates you will discover a brush fenced and decked area with a boulder water fountain, hewn macrocarpa tables, native ferns and lush foliage.

Ambience: Relax, enjoy, this is hospitality Takaka style. Enjoy an open fire both inside, and outside under cover for the smokers. A lovely natural environment in the summer sunshine or for cosy winter days and nights. Children’s sandpit too. Open mike nights (every Thursday) hosted by Ron Valente aka Gypsy Pickers - a fun-packed night.

Food Style: Try a light meal like the lamb, vegetarian or salmon salads. The spare ribs are huge, and famous far and wide, as is the generous sirloin steak. Fish of the Day, Golden Bay Mussels… the choice is impressive and the menu makes the most of fresh local produce. Well-stocked bar with tap beers, regional wines, spirits and liqueurs, plus non-alcoholic drinks.

Perfect When: Nature and nurture is the order of the day!

Private functions, groups, families welcome.

Open: Summer 7 days till late. Winter: Friday/Saturday 11am till late, Sunday to Thursday 5pm till late. Open mike night every Thursday.                                     82

First impressions: Golden Bay at its ‘relaxing’ best. This unique outdoor dining environment offers lots of space to wander around the café and garden and view local treasures and works of art.

Ambience: As a coffee house, roastery and gallery there’s plenty going on including a sensual feast of aromas, tastes and creativity for the visitor. A favourite spot with locals.

Food Style: Inspired and inspiring; the menu changes regularly to capture the true flavours of seasonal produce year-round. From Eggs Benedict to delicious fritters to pancakes and breakfasts to succulent lamb, the flavours are clean and crisp.

Perfect When: Coffee, art, cuisine and chilling out are the order of
the day.

Open: Daytime hours, 7 days a week. Order coffee beans online anytime.           83

First impressions: This unpretentious Kiwi café/bar extends a big warm welcome and offers lots of great reasons to stop and take some time out. Local artwork by Nikki Winter.

Ambience: Relax at this seaside destination and feel like you’re on holiday. Great food and creative menu. This is the perfect chill out space for a cold beer or wine and a good conversation.

Food Style: Interesting and ever-changing blackboard menu with many choices and an accent on fresh seafood. The wine list features fine Nelson wines and a good choice of boutique beers. (Harringtons on tap).

Perfect When: Travelling around Golden Bay and you need to replenish. This authentic Kiwi café/bar provides consistent quality.

Groups by arrangement. Off licence also available.

Open: 7 days 10am till late.                                                                                 84

First Impressions: Casual seaside dining on spacious decks or among native gardens in the courtyard area. Contemporary design blending into natural bush. Opposite Pohara Beach.

Ambience: Relaxed, welcoming, captures the essence of the Golden Bay lifestyle. Cosy open fire in winter, big screen TV, private dining room available.

Food Style: Extensive menu specialising in seafood and local produce, gourmet pizzas to dine in or takeaway. Fabulous Friday night burgers. Choice of regional wines.

Perfect When: You’re in holiday mode and want a relaxing and satisfying dining experience in a stunning location with no fuss!

Group functions by arrangement.

Open: Summer; 7 days from 9am.
Winter; Monday - Tuesday from 4pm,
Wednesday - Sunday from 11am for lunch and dinner.                                       85

First impressions: This historic Courthouse was built in 1901 and is a well known landmark in the centre of Collingwood. Loads of character and changing art exhibitions.

Ambience: The café exudes warmth and charm. The focus is on providing delicious food, fine wine and excellent coffee.

Food Style: Breakfast on a toasted bagel with Anatoki Salmon. Savour Dukkah with local olive oil or a Malaysian Laksa for lunch. Dine on fresh fish, an Indonesian curry or succulent venison fillet. Delicious cakes and excellent coffee. Licensed.

Perfect When: Fresh local produce, organic and GE free ingredients are important to you along with great taste and good hospitality.

Open: Phone for bookings and opening hours please.                                         86

First Impressions: Classy Country Café with wide covered decks and welcoming outdoor fire. This unique eco tourism venture also incorporates a possum leather tannery, a shop and a rata tree nursery. The mission statement “undressing the possum to redress our forest” says it all!

Ambience: Relaxing atmosphere amidst lush native bush surroundings alongside the Kaituna River. Sensual smell of wood smoke, melodious bird song, soft tones of café jazz . . . paradise found.

Food Style: Specialising in wild game meats and fresh garden salads. Gluten free and vegetarian options. The café is renowned for its quality espresso coffee and is fully licensed. Friday evening steak BBQs and weekly Sunday Roasts . . . bookings essential.

Perfect When: You want to treat your friends and family to a special days outing in the country. Walk the Kaituna track and soak up the splendour of the rata forest before socialising over a leisurely lunch at the café.

Open: 7 days 10am - 5pm Winter. 10am - 10pm Summer.
Wild Game Spit Roasts for large function groups.                                               87