Delicious high end meal in the quiet town if Napier. Got to say that I want impressed by the lack…read moreof service or freindliness I received once I arrived (alone). I standed at the front for about five minutes before I asked where to be sat. Once they learned I was a food writer the vibes changed a bit. I tried the appetizer sampler. The tomato sorbet was truly a unique tasting experience I quite enjoyed the savory approach. I think the marrangue texture was a little stale but overall great tasting experience and beautiful plating. For my main I got the fish, in which I found a bone but otherwise delicious flavor contrasts and preparation though it was served pretty luke warm. I loved the take on crunchy fish tails (something from my childhood) that the female head chef had. My favorite of the night was the dessert. It was fantastic and had plenty of fun textures at play. Of all, small tweaks and they could be on the Michelin Guide

A true work of art! We had the six course meal and each item…read moreWas cooked to perfection. Sabrina was very knowledgeable about the wines. We had man o war wine and it was fantastic. Highly recommend this place!

Looking for $3 pumpkins? Or how about bags of fresh apricots for $6? Or maybe Feijoa fruit ice…read morecream? Then, you have come to the right place - The Fruit Shop. Their Instagram bio claims it is "Hawke's Bay's best fruit destination"... and I think they are right on track! While I loved the fresh fruit and vegetables at the Hawke's Bay Farmers Market, the fruit and vegetables at The Fruit Shop were more reasonably priced. Plus, real fruit ice cream - and not just the usual strawberry and blueberry, but FEIJOA. Ultimate bonus!!! We literally filled our car with sooooo many goodies from The Fruit Shop and took these all the way back to Auckland. I would highly recommend you stop here next time you visit Hawke's Bay!

Super delicious and complex flavors applied to usual favorites. Great spot right on the water.read more

Cute place for breakfast or lunch! We arrived at 11:30, which was between the time they ended…read morebreakfast and started serving lunch. They sat us anyway and took our drink orders while we waiting. Good selection of beer/cider/wine/cocktails! I had the pork bao bun that comes with an apple/cabbage slaw and really enjoyed it!

This place is so unique and beautiful! There's an old-fashioned sweet shop, gift shop, café,…read moreprivate event room, life-size metal animal sculptures and live animals including ostriches and ducks. All of it is in a lovely garden setting. They have nice spots to sit outside including picnic tables, patio tables and chairs and a swing for two. Our tour guide told us not to sit in the café because the service was slow. He lives nearby so we took his word for it. The prices in the gift shop were high but the items for sale were distinctive. I recommend enjoying the ambience and buying some sweets to go.

Still a gorgeous garden with interesting sculptures and beautiful things in the shop…read more Unfortunately the service level hasn't improved. Tasty but expensive scone arrived first. Then, after we had eaten the scone, coffees arrived. One had been spilled so the server insisted on replacing which is good. My coffee however was tepid and I drank it in two minutes and then we had to wait again for the final coffee to arrive. This place could be amazing and 5 star if only they could get their act together.

Best place I love to go! Family favourite as well as personal!! Hastings and new Zealand's…read morefavourite place

Our group of 19 came for dinner tonight as part of our tour. Everyone loved the roasted tomato soup…read moreand especially appreciated the temperature..hot ! The steak lovers had a variety of reviews as the preparation was inconsistent . Our table was happy with the medium to medium rare presentation , but another tables came so well done they were disappointed . Not part of our group , but I saw a tray of steaks returning to kitchen that were so rare they were not edible. One of the highlights was our sweet and attentive young waitress who came by every few minutes to refill our glasses. The dessert of crème brûlée was perfectly prepared .

This was a beautiful winery we visited during the summer. It's very historical and you can hear or…read moreread about the winery's history of moving. They also have quite a few old bottles on display. The entrance is very beautiful and make sure to check out the bottle in the floor of the doorway when you walk through the entrance. The wine tasting was pleasant and the person giving it was knowledgeable. We tasted both whites and reds, but we didn't end up buying anything. Our tour guide gave us a mission estate wine glass as a moment though, so that was sweet. Aside from the wine tastings they do in the main area, there is also a restaurant off to the side that I don't think is affiliated with the winery part. There is a nice backyard area with pretty views and flowers.

I write this review with sadness in my heart-…read more The years haven't been kind to venerable eating spot since founders moved on a few years ago our recent visit was 'ordinary' at best, though desserts are still very good, rest of experience lacked finesse at every stage given premium pricing structure this is not a value proposition needs improvement especially very inexperienced front of house / wine knowledge an embarrassment at nation's oldest continuous producer. many better choices in this world class wine region when choosing a premium dining outing sadly this one is no longer a dependable premium / luxury option. overpriced underwhelming lacks charm = a firm 'meh' rating

Appalling service, server had no idea what the dishes were, constantly bringing wrong dishes…read more Food adequate but not outstanding, ambience average and nothing special. Dirty bathrooms. A disappointing experience for a special occasion. Not what we have experienced from previous fine dining establishments especially when our meal bill was $180 for two people... don't recommend as there are far better places....