Hawke’s Bay 3 days of food, markets and bit of everything road trip

Start the day discovering the tastes of Hawke’s Bay by following a self-guided trail. The day starts with a flourish with a pickup extreme chocolate drink from Silky Oak Chocolates. Then it’s off on a short roadie tour of Clive & Pahowai Road roadside stalls in search of premium olives. Perhaps an afternoon pick up with luscious Rush Munro ice cream. Then finish the day in Napier. Napier is gourmet heaven with innovative restaurants, cafes and the joy of art deco. What is there not to love about pastel colours from soft pink, grey, dove blues and pale green painted on stunning 1930’s buildings.

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Find more about the story of chocolate at the intriguing boutique museum with its collection of chocolate  paraphernalia, including a 2,500 year old Mayan Chocolate pot at the Silky Chocolate museum. The adjoining shop is an ode to chocolate lovers with gift boxes, an array of chocolate flavours to discover and gourmet treats from premium raspberry jam and assorted goodies. Silky Oak Chocolates is located in Taradale.

Hohepa Cheese & Shop. Through Biodynamic farming, Steiner education and Anthroposophical medicine, Hōhepa’s holistic sustainable approach is truly unique. Hohepa Cheese is made locally here in Hawke’s Bay at our boutique Cheesery… Shop hours are Monday – Friday 8.30-4.30pm. On Saturday’s the Cheese is sold in weekend markets.

Telegraph Hill Olives. Find luscious plump olives within a stone’s throw of Hastings. Cold pressed olive oil by the bucket load and in every supermarket yet it’s the olives in marinades that is the treat. Pesto, tapenade, relish and dried olives scenting the shop with the taste and fragrance of the Mediterranean. And you will not be able to resist tasting the drizzles, sauces, vinaigrettes and oils themselves. The tasting room is the place to get started.

Find the brewery that rivals any vineyard for a rural relaxed setting. There is a 1970’s caravan bar, safari style dining tent and out door seating under the hops. The kids will be very happy with the extensive play area while you soak up the country atmosphere. Enjoy a vegan friendly, un-filtered seasonal beer range and delicious wood fired pizza. A must-go Godsown Brewery is a unique NZ experience.

A staple of summer is ice cream. Rush Munro is a national icon in the business of ice cream with over 17% real fruit packed into each scoop. Savour the rich creamy melt in the mouth moment. Sit down in the Ice Cream Gardens in the shade on the white wrought iron furniture surrounded by geraniums and roses. Counter options now include fudge and cakes. It is sweet goodness.

Spend the late afternoon and early evening exploring Marine Parade. There is the fetching Soundshell art deco pavilion, sunken gardens, a viewing platform and national aquarium tempting a further look. For walking enthusiasts explore local walks, Bluff Hill lookout and the nearby Botanic Gardens. Perhaps stroll across the road to the exquisite art deco Masonic Hotel for nibbles before dinner. Read more about what to do in Napier … Napier Travel Guide.

Hunger Monger

Preferred fish n chips (or burger) on the beachfront, sitting in the Marine Parade sunken gardens or Hunger Monger eclectic, mis-matched stylist setting. Perhaps you want oysters or fish tacos or the ubiquitous fish n chips. Remember the joy of loaded fries topped with your favourite goodies. Its takeaways and the beach are a match made in foodie heaven.

Sunset dinner in picturesque Ahuriri

Five minutes drive from Napier’s CBD, art deco seaside suburb of Ahuriri is packed with delicious dining options to suit every appetite.

Delve into the Hawke’s Bay pantry with artisan goodies, fresh fruit, craft drinks and pop up emerging producers showcasing wares at the weekend markets. Discover the treats in store in the Hawke’s Bay. The Bay is home to the largest apple and peach orchards and has over 5,000 hectares of wine grapes (reds, chardonnay) in New Zealand. Bite into a juicy fresh yellow flesh nectarine, a sweet apricot or black doris plums. Linger over beautifully craft collectables made by locals passionate about their craft.

There’s nowhere better to be on a Saturday morning in summertime than the Growers’ Market at Black Barn Vineyards. As well as all the seasonal local produce, the market delights with fresh baked breads, locally roasted coffee, flowers, meat, pickles, olive oil, lavender products and more. Saturday morning – November to March, 9.00am to 12.00 noon.

Hastings City Growers Market will run every Saturday morning in the Hastings CBD Mall, from 7.00 am to 10.30 am Heretaunga St, East. Locally grown or produced food products and ready to eat food items will be available, as well as music and cafe-style seating.

Napier Urban Farmers’ Market Saturday 8.30am – 12.30pm

Every Saturday morning in the heart of Napier city in Clive Square, 8.30am – 12.30pm for the very best local seasonal produce and artisan products. Discover an offshoot of the Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market, conveniently situated in the heart of Napier, It is a perfect little market that blends easily into the shopping district of Napier. Enjoy freshly roasted coffee, yummy goodies, vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, preserves, baked goods and more. Meet and greet the growers or makers. Sample fresh local products direct from the source. For more information about markets read more … Weekend markets in the Hawke’s Bay.

An eclectic mix of shops, a compact village square surrounded by green spaces evokes a sense of intimacy and connection between the shopper and retailer. There are no big barn anchor stores situated in monochrome concrete malls, rather a range of shops, cafes and food providers sharing a communal space. There is even a gourmet butcher and several old fashioned bakeries. The area has a number of world class wineries for wine trail buffs to pop into. Read more … Day trip from Napier to Havelock North.

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Delve into the world of beekeeping at Arataki. The Arataki Visitor Centre in Havelock North has tastings, bees and tours where you learn to taste and purchase honey, meet the bees and learn about the honey-making process. Dress up as a beekeeper and get up close and personal with the bees on a bee enthralled tour. There is free entry to the visitor centre.

Heavenly dressings and sauces based on the juice of fresh limes. Imagine lime curd or pickles for your next lunch. Then St Andrews Limes shop is the place to go. While St Andrews Limes are a regular at the Sunday Morning Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market, Hastings there is nothing like browsing in the shop, tasting, sampling and filling the goodie bag with chilli lime infused dressing.

Mediterranean climate zone creates one of the Hawke’s Bay treats with Te Mata Figs.

Based just at the edge of Havelock North village. Te Mata Figs is a must go destination between March through mid- May when over 20 varieties of fresh figs are available to sample. The full glory of figs is celebrated in the onsite cafe and shop. There are delights such as toasted fig bread, fig walnut and blue cheese pizza. For the discerning cook, snaffle a recipe or two, they are complementary and try out salted fig chocolate tart.

Visit the taproom tasting bar and order a platter of fresh figs, artisan breads, olive oil dips and eats and enjoy cider crafted on site. Award winning ciders with the taste of sweet red apples or the original classic award winning green apple cider. The taproom has a rustic feel with wooden no frills seating among the orchard. It is a delight on a warm summer’s day. There are seasonal ciders and fruit ciders with ingredients sourced from local orchards. For fans of seltzer Zeffer produce a range of fruity sparkling ciders. There are alcoholic ginger beers available as well.

Craggy Range is a family owned winery situated in the shadow of the spectacular Te Mata Peak in the premium wine growing area of Hawke’s Bay New Zealand. The restaurant is the winner of two hats at the 2018 Cuisine Good Food Awards Offers an intimate, comfortable, and relaxed space. Fine dining with spectacular views of Te Mata Peak in the Tuki Tuki valley is memorable. Craggy Range ‘s restaurant menu is seasonal with a French provincial influence and designed to compliment the Craggy Range wines.

Havelock North is wrapped around vineyards. One of the more interesting wineries is Moana Park. The winery practices minimal intervention using natural winemaking techniques. Platters of freshly prepared produce, artisan breads and savoury treats accompany wine tastings. On the weekends, during the summer Moana Park hosts live bands and has local food trucks at the winery encouraging patrons to get onto the impromptu dance floor. Viognier fans, this is the place to go.

Consider an extension to your Hawke’s Bay foodie trail and continue travelling south to the Wairarapa and Wellington. You will pass through Waipukurau and Waipawa, Central Hawke’s Bay with their fascinating stories and Tukituki trail for outdoor buffs. Drive south through the Tararua district to the boutique vineyards of the Wairarapa. An easy circuit through pastoral landscapes to outlying vineyard clusters and interesting settlements.

Experience a personalised 40 min guided tour round Tui Brewery. Trace the brewery’s 125 year history, see iconic landmarks and walk through the new state of the art brewery. You will finish up in the brewery bar tasting three beers of your choice from the tap. The Tui Brewery, at Mangatainoka, is approximately 10 minutes drive north of Eketahuna. Tui HQ features the famed Tui tower, the Tuiversity Conference Centre, historic Flagon Room and Tui Cafe. There are guided tours and an excellent gift shop, all things Tui related. Need a cup holder then Tui’S got you covered.

Find Underpants, shop for underpants in Martinborough. Thrive is choc full of New Zealand designed and manufactured clothing. And is the home of Thunderpants underwear. If this is not enough check out backspace, while choosing which funky design matches your underwear credentials, backspace is where local artists host exhibitions.

Enjoy craft beer has a place in a town known for its cellar doors. The Martinborough Brewery Tasting Room sells a range of craft beers including their own ales brewed on site.

Greytown has cute Victorian heritage facades stocked to the rafters with designer clothing, homeware, several spa and body therapy stores and eateries to sustain the energy levels. Greytown shops are nestled in pretty restored nineteenth century main street buildings. The town is entrepreneurial with its charm as the drawcard. For local Wellingtonians it is a break from Lambton Quay with the rural countryside peeping around the shop corners.