Something magical is happening out west. On Highway 16, as it rolls out of Huapai, you'll find Provenance Matua Valley Eatery & Store. The property, formerly BeesOnline cafe and store, has been taken over by Hip Group's Scott Brown and Jackie Grant and they have plans, big plans, which are just beginning to unfold in glorious fashion.
First up are the abundant produce gardens. Each day these are scoured for inspiration and ingredients for the daily ingredient-led cafe menu. What can't be sourced from these bountiful beds on the doorstep is brought in from Brown and Grant's farm situated not too far up the valley from Provenance. Everything is picked daily and transformed into gorgeous dishes like hotcakes with rhubarb and lavender syrup, whitebait omelette with mustard leaves or house-made sausage and eggs with heirloom tomatoes.
The park-like grounds and buildings they've inherited are impressive enough but with the interior reflecting the same relaxed, elegant design as other Hip Group eateries (Ortolana and St Heliers Bay Cafe & Bistro among others), this time in hues of slate, green and black as well as natural timber, visiting Provenance is a visual feast as well as a culinary delight.
And there's more to come - this productive pair promise a butchery, a cheese-making facility, evening dining starting soon, an outdoor kitchen, a firepit where they'll roast meat, a food store selling their own honey and their incredible house-made gelato. Head west, my friends, you won't be disappointed.
* Open daily 8am-4pm, 791 Highway 16, Waimauku ph (09) 411 7953.
