Stop the car! We’re on the road but we’re taking it slow this summer, exploring the best of food and drink up and down the country. Hitch a ride with Viva as we explore Northland, the Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay and Queenstown. This week we’re headed to the bounty
Do you want to sink your teeth into sun-warmed fresh fruit? Taste of Summer in Bayview, just north of Napier, has the best summer fruits — strawberries, nectarines, apples, plums and peaches (drip-down-your-chin delicious). Plus, they make fresh fruit icecream and preserves to take home. Open seven days, 728 Main North Rd, Bayview.
If you need an aperitivo to get the appetito stimulated, Bar Teresa takes the pre-dinner drink to new heights. Run by Italian Andrea Marseglia (and named for his nonna), this hidden bar (you’ll need to walk through the back door of Napier’s Harvest Deli to find it) offers a rotation of aperitivi, all slightly twisted and created using what is fresh, seasonal, and often foraged. The cocktails here come with a side of drama — you’ll see foams floating above punters’ heads and vapour-filled bubbles bursting across the bar. Grab a seat at the bar to be surprised and delighted. Tuesday to Saturday, 132 Emerson St, Napier.
At Hunger Monger on Napier’s Marine Parade, there are no frills, no fuss, just fresh fish and good vibes. The menu is a seafood lover’s dream — oysters, chowder, fish tacos, ceviche, sashimi, pāua, fish burgers, bouillabaisse and, of course, deep-fried fish and chips. And that menu is uncompromising — you won’t find a scrap of meat, so if kaimoana is not for you (or your dining companions), best stay away. Tuesday to Saturday, 129 Marine Parade, Napier.
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Advertise with NZME.Hawke’s Bay’s newest cellar door is Cone & Flower, in the Esk Valley, run by four brothers, and brings together Petane Wine (single-vineyard handmade wines) and Zeelandt (a brewery that’s been turning out craft drops for 10 years). With a shared outdoor dining space amongst the vines, this is not your ordinary pub grub offering. Instead, the menu offers fine dining such as king prawns with Mexican chilli and grilled peach, steak tartare, and grilled octopus with charred greens. Thursday to Sunday, 14 Shaw Road, Eskdale.
If you’re heading south, on the way to Cape Kidnappers and Te Awanga Coast, great coffee on the go can be found at Box Espresso. They serve First Hand coffee (and delicious pastries and doughnuts) from a stylishly refurbished shipping container in the heart of Clive. Open seven days, 168 Main Rd, Clive.
At GodsOwn in Maraekakaho you’ll find a great beer garden where you can enjoy craft beer and woodfired pizzas, all while dining under the canopy of the first hops farm in the North Island. There’s also an epic kids’ playground for little people and a big yard for playing ball and burning off that road trip steam. If you’re setting off a little later than summer, guests are invited to take part in the hops harvest that kicks off mid-March. Friday to Sunday, 3672 State Highway 50, Maraekakaho.
Owners Kate Galloway and David Ramonteau have created a little slice of New York right in the centre of Hastings with this plush tasting room, where you can sink into the glossy bistro chairs or bar stools and sample the distillers’ array of fresh botanical gin and artisanal liqueurs. A favourite is the Hasting Distillers L’Opera — a bitter orange aperitif, not to be missed. Wednesday to Saturday, 231 Heretaunga St. East, Hastings.
No trip to Hawke’s Bay is complete without stopping at the roadside stores. Scott’s Strawberry Farm sells all kinds of fresh fruit, but you can guess what they’re famous for. Just outside of Havelock North, swing past early before the queues build up and the day’s stock runs out. Monday to Saturday, 286 Te Aute Rd, Havelock North 4172.
Mary’s is so much more than just a wine bar. It’s a sophisticated neighbourhood bistro, slinging classic cocktails, Craggy Range wines (Mary’s is named after Mary Peabody, the wife of Craggy Range founder Terry, and the menu was created by Craggy Range’s head chef Casey McDonald), and a modern bistro menu of tofu tostada, fried chicken and pickles, braised lamb shoulder, and pan-fried catch of the day. Monday to Saturday, 15 Joll Rd, Havelock North.
A must-visit when in the area, its iconic pink exterior is hard to miss. Step inside and you’re immediately made to feel like you’ve walked into someone’s home. Its delicious range of woodfired pizzas is a must, as is the organic chicken liver parfait, quince jelly with flatbread, washed down with a drop from the local vineyards, of course. Tuesday to Sunday, 16 Joll Rd, Havelock North.
