Our stop here was by chance. We were quite hungry and looking for a quick lunch on our drive from…read moreAuckland to Rotorua. We pulled into an unassuming building and were greeted by some wonderful smells inside. We tried a sampling cheese plate and a selection of other goodies. The inside was a bit spartan, but had everything we required. Service was a little on the slower side, but it was off-season. To be honest, it gave us just the break from driving we needed. Everything was delicious, service was friendly, and we bought a little cheese for the road.

Few food options for sale (it was fall there so maybe they put out more in the busier summer…read moremonths) but they do have foodservice options, great coffee and pastries...and oh so important - free wifi for which they give you a code on a slip of paper and once entered the code us good for an hour. Nice stop between Coromandel and Taupo.

This is an award-winning small batch chocolatier; they also offer drinking chocolate…read more Caramels are the semi-solid type, which isn't my favorite, but the flavors are spot on and interesting (like feijoa), while also offering favorites like lemon and salted caramel. This is high-end, fancy chocolate, with pretty brushed designs. They also do bars, hot chocolate bombs, and a chocolate spread that has a much better label than Nutella. You may see it listed as being on Barton Street; Casabella Lane is a small pedestrian-only lane off Barton Street, lined with small shops and leading to a cute little courtyard with a fountain. If you like artisan chocolate, you need to check them out.

Stopped in here for dinner with the full family (3 generations) and it didn't disappoint with…read moresomething for everyone. The sharing plates are really nice - pick your meat and it comes with choice of 2 sides (we had truffle fries and the eggplant veg of the day). Beef with chimichurri was perfectly prepared and feeds 2 people depending on how hungry you are (and if you have starters). The focaccia bread with the whipped ricotta I also found really tasty and great to share. Everything well prepared; to take to the next level could explore bolder flavours. For kids, I appreciated the options on offer (although always wish there was a real vegetable) and the kids appreciated that it came with ice cream, chocolate sauce and sprinkles. There are different seating zones - all lovely. In the front area it has a nice cocktail vibe to it, some with lounge velvet covered seating. In the back indoors, good for groups with larger tables and industrial chairs fitted with velvet covered cushions. Then in the far back some high top tables outside. Service was all friendly and they've lucked out attracting some good local talent.

I was craving a salad and after looking at menus from restaurants in the area, I picked Iso Bistro…read moreto try their Green Vege Salad. It came with lettuce, avocado, couscous and a vegan mayo dressing. It was delicious and completely satisfied my craving. The mayo has a citrus note to it, which provides the acidity needed for the avocado. The couscous was cooked perfectly. I have no complaints. I always like to end on a sweet note and the lemon tart was calling my name. It was divine! The crust was buttery, the curd was silky, and the lemon packed a punch. It took some willpower to stop myself devouring it, but I also wanted to savor every bite. The atmosphere has a date night vibe, but you can still wear casual clothes and it would be fine. Service was friendly and I never had to ask for my water to be refilled. I do suggest making a booking. I was a walk-in requesting a table for one and luckily the lounge area had a small table enough to fit one plate and two glasses.

Baker's Delight is a staple in the Clyde Shopping Centre and offers a wide selection of fresh…read morebreads, baguettes, croissants, and sweet rolls. My kids absolutely love the cinnamon rolls, though we have to regulate the amount of icing they take in by scraping off some of the excess icing. I know, I know... that's a bit over-the-top, but the amount of icing on each cinnamon roll is colossal. If you've got a sweet tooth, you'll love this place. My partner and I really like the blueberry and lemon glazed scone. Also, get your fresh bread, rolls, croissants, etc, here. They're amazing! There's no coffee available, but there are plenty of cafés nearby to satisfy your caffeine fix.

Our tour guide driver told us about this spot and said they had won a pie competition in New…read moreZealand. Works for me! When we stopped by, others were driving up to grab and go, so it seems to also be a local favorite. The pastry on my veggie pie was super flaky and the filling was hot and well seasoned. It was a curried type of veggie pie. I also got their port and plum pie, which was one of three sweet pies. I liked the filling - the port was prominent and the fruit was good. However, I didn't like the pastry on this sweet pie much - wish it had been the type on the savory pie, but it was more of a biscuit/cookie texture.

Loved the mince meat and especially the STEAK MEAT pies!…read more The other wonderful treat was the caramel slice and the passion fruit custard slice! They are so good!!

Great lamingtons, nice coconut latte, friendly staff, clean and welcoming cafe. Also had a good…read moreselection of retro kiwi snacks like pies and cream buns.

We've had a lot of pies while driving around the North Island; when we arrived in Hamilton, I asked…read morea local kiwi in the grocery store where to get the best to-go pies nearby. She told me to drive 15mins away and eat at Hillcrest. I am so glad I ran into her. These were the best pies of our journey. We tried the Mince Curry, Mince and Cheese, Chicken Cranberry, and Lamb Pepper Yum-Maz-Ing. These pies had more filling stuffed into them than anywhere else. The buttery, flaky crust created a warm pile of goodness. The Curry Mince was by far the most unique, spice focused, hearty pie we've had. We wished we got more than one because we didn't want to split it in half and share. The cheese was gooey, but not overwhelming like some pies from elsewhere, the cranberry felt like they picked it fresh from a garden and baked it in what I ordered to stay natural tasting, and the lamb was seasoned well.

For all you ex-pats that miss some of your favourite treats from the Motherland. Have a wander down…read morehere and walk away with a basket full of goodies to bring back memories of how life used to be in the ole days.

Buzzy busy provincial town of Matamata in the mighty Waikato province!…read more As we are driving to East Coast from Auckland, this is our 1st stop. Hobbiton is nearby, Matamata has changed a LOT since I was last through 15+ years ago. Many dining choices, and we opt for EAT, a 4.5 star on Google after 200+ reviews. Mom n pop store, looks like 3 generations front and back of house....had to walk through Kitchen to get to the loos! Hive of activity, clean place putting out FRESH made on premises REAL food. Wife chose sausage roll, house chutney on the side, I went for power green salad. Both dishes were delish. She said a 4.5 for her filling choice, nice pastry, lotsa meat, a good cafe standard Kiwi favorite. My kale dominant salad, pricy @13nzd, too little for a lunchtime Main total food ingredient costs, at most, 3 bucks, flecks of salty goatmilk feta notwithstanding. Dressing lovely, greens tender (for kale) Forgot the nuts! 2 tablespoons of chopped roasted cashews atop, upon serving, would have rescued it imho. Lose a star for PORTION SIZE error, but a 'gold star' for creativity. Rated a 4 outta 5. Coffee by barista onsite was tasty hot and appreciated, a four again. Attitudes fair, they're working hard this time of year, a destination now HOBBITON brings many people through this formerly sleepy hollow. 3 on the Yelp scale. Value also a 3 on the yelpmeter. Impressive menu for a little place. Would return and recommend. 3.55 stars rounded up.

We loved our visit to Matamata and one of the our favorite parts was Eat Urban Foodstuffs! This…read morecute little cafe had wonderful staff and AMAZING food. In our two day stay, we ended up having three meals here. They have fantastic coffee drinks, raw juice and fruit/veggie smoothies, a deli -style counter with delicious salads, pastas, etc., a made-to-order menu with fancy breakfast and lunch items, and INCREDIBLE desserts / pastries. Can't say enough good things -- LOVE IT. *My only negative critique is that for first-time visitors it is confusing to understand all of the options available. The menus are oddly placed with drinks on one wall and the made-to-order food menu on the wall behind the deli counter. We witnessed multiple customers come in, look through the deli counter and drink menu, then go to leave without realizing that there is a whole other menu they had not discovered yet. Do yourself a favor and go here!