27 December
Get to know... Aotearoa’s summer hot spots
With an array of beaches, islands and mountainous vistas, Aotearoa has no shortage of summer hot spots for you to enjoy this holiday season. Along with our smorgasbord of nature, we’re lucky enough to have some of the best hospitality in the world which can be found in each nook and cranny of our island nation.
More so than ever does community and collaboration play a part in the hospitality industry, and what better way to encourage locals to support locals, than for everyone to get to know each other a little better. So, to help you make the most of your time off, we caught up with some of our local favourites for a quick Q&A chat to learn about them and their local area.
We're proud to collaborate with local kiwis producing coffee cups, providing plant-based packaging alternatives and working together to promote a circular economy and composting services. Enjoy summer, and get to know the locals.
CHRISTCHURCH
35 New Regent Street, Christchurch
98 Cashel Street, Christchurch
Owners: Ruby and Jed
Give us an overview of your business?
First and foremost we’re all about FUN. Oh, and lip-smackingly delicious gelatos, sorbets, coffees and desserts! We were born out of the challenging earthquake times and have continued on through this unprecedented year even more determined than ever to remind people what’s good in the world: like sharing a scoop with a friend! Rollickin is all about creating exciting new lip-smacking flavours and staying in touch with our Christchurch community and wider New Zealand.
Every 2 weeks we create 3 brand new specialty gelato flavours that tie into what’s happening in the world! We utilise local suppliers, use organic milk and never skimp on quality. We have nothing to hide with what goes into our dreamy creamy products – which is why our newest store on Cashel Street has glass windows to the kitchen so you can watch us whip it fresh! Our chef team kicks off at 4 am in the morning so everything can be freshly made daily, all in-house.
Our small team is innovating and sharing new ideas regularly. We meet with the entire team each and every week so that we can plan ways to improve and aim to give everyone, no matter what walk of life they’re from – the same great Rollickin experience. We now have two groovin’ cafes; 35 New Regent Street and 98 Cashel Street
If you were a customer, what would you order from your menu?
If we were a customer we’d be ordering a Take Home Dessert Box! Perfect for Christmas and New Year Parties! They contain any gelato or sorbet flavour of your choosin’ and the fun assembly info and goodies to re-create one of our legendary desserts for your loved ones.
What's the best thing to do in your local area?
The best thing to do in our local area is to hunt down the penguins! This art installation is a neat way to explore our groovy CBD.
On your day off, where are we most likely to find you?
On a day off, you’re likely to find us…resting our scooping arm!
What inspires you in the sustainability space?
What inspires us in the sustainability space is the capacity to band together: just like our team of 5 million tackled the health crisis this year. If we all play our part, sustainability initiatives make the real difference.
COROMANDEL
24 Wharf Road, Coromandel 3506
Owners: Ellie and Leigh
Give us an overview of your business?
Wharf Road is a day-time cafe in Coromandel. We serve breakfast, brunch & lunch alongside some sweet Allpress espresso and NZ wines and beers. We like to keep things local and seasonal where we can, fresh and tasty always.
The cafe was started 4 years ago by us, Ellie and Leigh, two friends with hospo backgrounds here and in the UK. We thought that there was space in Coromandel for something new and landed on the site after Ellie got back from overseas. We came up with the concept for Wharf Road pretty quickly and, although the cafe has grown and evolved, we have managed to largely stay true to our original vision.
If you were a customer, what would you order from your menu?
The cilbir eggs have been on there since day dot and is definitely a customer favourite. This summer we are loving the wedge salad: iceberg wedge, charred corn, avo, radish, burnt eggplant dressing, parmesan, chilli nuts. So Good.
What's the best thing to do in your local area?
Driving Creek Railway is the big local attraction. We actually took all our staff up there last week for beers and a barbecue at the top - epic views and fun train ride. You will also find our little sister site, Biscuit, up there for coffee, bakes and ice creams. Otherwise, at this time of year, you can't go wrong with the beach. Waitete Bay is our fave.
On your day off, where are we most likely to find you?
See above!
What inspires you in the sustainability space?
Wharf Road is a vegetarian cafe and that has always been a very important part of the picture for us. This ultimately comes from a desire to be sustainable and as environmentally aware as we possibly can, without sacrificing taste. Sustainability is a complicated issue and we have always felt that a holistic approach is necessary. It is not enough to be meat-free but then serve all our takeaway meals in plastic boxes, which is why we use decent packaging. We feel that sustainability is as much about community action as it is about individual choice, and look to movements such as The Realness for inspiration.
HAWKE’S BAY
Georgia: 42 Tennyson Street, Napier South
Sparrows: 1 Austin Street, Onekawa, Napier
Owner: Benny Fernandez
Give us an overview of your business?
We’re a small, family-owned Specialty roaster in Hawke’s Bay, and operate 2 specialty coffee bars in the city of Napier, Georgia and Sparrows. We love coffee and love to share our passion with people who appreciate quality.
If you were a customer, what would you order from your menu?
At this time of year, we always have something cold on! Either traditional cold-drip coffee, or immersion cold brew for black coffee drinkers, served over ice with a wedge of local citrus fruit. Our iced lattes are en pointe too.
What's the best thing to do in your local area?
We’re super lucky here in the Bay. We’ve got something for everyone! Beaches, hands down THE best Bordeaux style wines in the country, food/produce, restaurants (check out James Beck at Bistronomy, Sam Clark at CFS or Jason Brown at Elephant Hill) all the gigs (Blackburn is the finest live music venue in the land) and of course as much sun as you can handle!
On your day off, where are we most likely to find you?
We’ve 3 boys which is a full-time lifestyle in itself haha. You’ll probably find us at one of the local breweries, Giant or Brave, out on the golf course or watching kids sport... life is good here.
What inspires you in the sustainability space?
I think we can all do better in this space. Producers, manufacturers, suppliers and consumers. The earth is for us to protect and we have to play the long game for the sake of future generations.
PAPAMOA
Papamoa Beach, NZ
Owner: George Gibson
Give us an overview of your business?
H&T was born in 2014, named after my nephew Henry & his dog Ted. We started selling real fruit ice creams at the markets here in Papamoa and opened our little cafe out of a shipping container. Within a year we had opened our big built cafe where we have been ever since, looking after the locals and all the Auckland imports! We are a relaxed beach cafe where we serve amazing Kokako Organic Coffee, incredible legendary 'Norma Benny's' and famous cheese scones.
If you were a customer, what would you order from your menu?
If it was in the morning, Id get a cheese scone, a Kokako Nitro Cold Brew and a breakfast from the menu, probably involving avo!
What's the best thing to do in your local area?
It would have to be going to the beach. We are only a few minutes walk across the road to the beach, and it’s beautiful.
On your day off, where are we most likely to find you?
At home relaxing or a walk along the beach with my dog Harry and Ted too if he’s lucky.
What inspires you in the sustainability space?
We have used sustainable packaging since day one. I feel as business owners have a responsibility to do the right thing and be as sustainable as possible. I also feel it’s our duty to help educate our customers about the choices they make to make them think twice before ordering a coffee in a takeaway cup when dining in, for example.
PIRINOA
2779 Lake Ferry Road, Pirinoa
Owner: Andrea Didsbury
Give us an overview of your business?
We are situated in the rural village, Pirinoa, South Wairarapa on the journey out to Lake Ferry and Cape Palliser. We are housed in an old Blacksmiths shop on our sheep and beef farm right on the main road. This was built in the 1880s and is an important piece of the history of Pirinoa. We offer a range of delicious cabinet food from sandwiches, pies, quiches and salads to cakes and biscuits. Our shop is a comfortable and relaxed hang out suitable for our local farmers and stream of guests passing through to the impressive Cape Palliser.
If you were a customer, what would you order from your menu?
If I were a customer I would choose our freshly made breakfast burger.
What's the best thing to do in your local area?
The best thing to do in our area is exploring the beautiful South Coast, see the huge seal colony, climb the lighthouse and visit Lake Ferry where the lake meets the sea.
On your day off, where are we most likely to find you?
On my day off I will be relaxing at home on our farm or drinking coffee in the lovely Martinborough wine village.
What inspires you in the sustainability space?
We pride ourselves on having a sustainable sheep and beef farm and like to fill our space at the cafe with second-hand furniture and decor and of course, our leftover scraps go to the chickens and pigs on the farm!
TAUPO
1105 Anzac Memorial Drive, Wharewaka, Taupo
281 Spa Road, Tauhara, Taupo
Owner: Casey Brunsdon
Give us an overview of your business?
Lil Something is a family orientated hospitality business based in Taupo. We operate from the Taupo Airport, Spa Park and in a Mobile coffee cart as well as a catering offering. Lil Something launched in Oct 2019. Our ethos is to operate sustainably and to support local.
If you were a customer, what would you order from your menu?
As a customer, I wouldn’t be passing our rolled Ice-creams with all the trimmings at Spa Park or our pie selection at the Taupo Airport.
What's the best thing to do in your local area?
There is soo much to do in Taupo so we are spoilt for choice but my favourite things would be the Waikato River Float
On your day off, where are we most likely to find you?
My days off you are most likely to find me on one of the many Golf Courses in Taupo.
What inspires you in the sustainability space?
We live in a pretty amazing part of the globe so we all need to make a conscious effort to look after it. In my business, if I can make my footprint a bit smaller, look after my surroundings and do my bit then it will leave a better place for my kids and future generations.
WAIHI BEACH
Waihi Beach Surf Life Saving Club, 2 Beach Road, Waihi Beach
Owner: Bella Rose Mountfort
Give us an overview of your business?
Our business is a small family-run juicery, we source local and ethically sourced fruit and vegetables from spray free and (where possible) organic orchards in Western Bay of Plenty. We stock our supply at the Waihi Beach Surf Life Saving Club, and donate percentages from our sales to the club (as I am a Surf Lifeguard myself). Slurp Juicery was created as a role model business to gain popularity at our Surf Club and the sales from our juices can help improve our club and facilities, to make sure our lifeguards are fit for purpose. The funds from Slurp Juicery also help support me while I train and compete in Surf Life Saving championships and competitions.
If you were a customer, what would you order from your menu?
If I was a customer, I would find it very hard to choose which juice to buy! If it came down to one flavour then I would definitely choose the Tangelo Juice, as the vibrant colour of the drink and the sweet refreshing taste appeals to me the most! The Tangelo Juice is the hero product of our business and our best seller!
What's the best thing to do in your local area?
Our favourite things to do at Waihi Beach is surfing, skateboarding and lifeguarding. Our action-packed family is super into basically all ocean and beach based activities!
On your day off, where are we most likely to find you?
You are most likely to find me shredding the gnar out in the waves, spending time with the family, skating the streets of Waihi Beach with the crew, or scouting out nice new orchards where we can source our fruit!
What inspires you in the sustainability space?
Sustainability is one of Slurp Juicery’s primary goals. As a surf lifeguard, keeping our beaches and environment clean is one of our main priorities, and as Slurp Juicery we are inspired to create delicious drinks for everyone while also keeping the planet safe.
