Great local vendor offering taste samples of most of their products. Very well organized and…read morepresented store. There's a small cafe offering sweets and savories and sandwiches on site. When I was shopping, they were giving a tour to a Bus load of school kids. Cool!

Simone, Simone, Simone! We cannot say it enough thank you so much for helping us out. I didn't know…read moreyou need to book a tour, but Simone volunteered to make the trip worth it after she finished ringing folks up. She helped us understand how each honey was made and the origin flavors you could still taste within each one. She became a dear friend before the end, and We will definitely be back to see her, have some amazing ice cream, and learn more about the bees while we guzzle their honey #PSA:SaveTheBees

The Honey Merchant is the most delicious smelling store in Matakana. Tucked away behind the main…read moreroad this little store hides. When I visited it was a little empty, but this was because their exports had been so high recently. You can see why they are successful, the honey is beautiful. I tried the Manuka blend and it was so good I took the jar home for $36. Afterwards I looked back thinking it was a bit of a silly purchase, but the jar is still going and everyone in the house loves it. They also do a lush cosmetics range. The body wash set went down a treat with nana and they do some high end natural skin care which I'll try once I'm a high roller

Manāki (meaning to look after, care for, show respect or kindness to in Maori) are the world's…read morefirst sustainable producer of fresh New Zealand whitebait. I have only tried whitebait once - at Soul Bar & Bistro a few years ago, so was very excited to check out Manāki Whitebait's fritter stand at the Matakana Village Farmers' Market a few weekends' ago. We arrived just before 8am, so were the first in line - YAY! The whitebait fritter itself was dreamy - it is a whisked mix of eggs, whitebait and salt and pepper, served on a slice of Ringawera bread, with a squeeze of lemon. Simple, yet delicious. I recommend making this your first stop at the Matakana Village Farmers' Market, because upon receiving my whitebait fritter, there were already about 20 people waiting! I spoke to a man from Orewa who drives to the market every Saturday, so he and his wife can have a whitebait fritter for breakfast - sounds like a great idea! Highly recommend.

Awww this place is super super cute. Our family has a bach just up the road at Langs Beach and this…read moreis our go-to for any little things we've forgotten or ice cream cravings. When i'm up there with dad, he has been to the store for a newspaper, coffee and fresh buns for lunch before I even wake up. The store is just off the beach and during summer is cranking. The place has fish and chips, scoop ice cream, bread, ice, magazines, essential toiletries and all those sort of things general stores have, like dog food and tea towels and stuff. The service is really cute. The ladies are chilled and friendly and know a lot of the locals by name. Grab an ice cream or some fish and chips and head down to the beach or pop by if you're in the area for any of those forgotten groceries. Just another very kiwi, very cool little spot.

Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, this is a hidden gem. You can taste a wide variety of Puhio…read moreValley's natural cheeses, and learn about the creation process. The cheese lady (sorry I forgot her name) was great about ensuring we ate certain cheeses in order for our palate, which was delightful advice. We ended up eating there, and I'm so happy we did. In our two week NZ tour, the sandwich from here (salami, brie, chicken, and veggies) was by far the best thing I ate. The cheese melted wonderfully and the combination of flavors with sauces was drool worthy. I wish we didn't get stuffed quickly, because I've heard their ice cream is amazing (one trip regret). Also, I have to say the price was so reasonable. You'd expect fr a fancy cheese place to have high priced meals, but my sandwich was massive for a small price, and the pizza my husband got was juicy not greasy, and also a super shocking low price for as large as it was.

There is something magical about a factory shop. Especially if it's a factory that makes cheese,…read moreyogurt and ice cream. Puhoi valley cheese was fully packed today at 1pm. So I just ordered some award winning ice creams and some coffee. The ice cream is fantastic, so creamy and yummy. Same thing can't be said about the coffee, it was almost as weak as water. I m not a big cheese person, but I can't resist a bargain. So I bought the single cream Camembert that is on special. If it wasn't pouring down outside, I would take a stroll around the grounds and maybe even had a play on the swings to work off those guilty ice cream calories.

This fruit and vege shop has become my local after moving to Torbay recently. It's in a really…read morehandy location with the butcher right next door. So I usually just pop up the road to get something for tea that night. There's something awesome about buying locally and I feel a little bit more satisfied with my meal when I do. The fruit is sometimes a little sketchy but if you just dog around a little bit more you'll find good pieces of produce. They have just the right amount of produce. I hate going to fruit and vege stores only to find myself running up and down the huge aisles like I'm at the supermarket. This store is really cute and small so you can find everything because it's right in front of you.

Love the fruits and veg, so convenient. Great prices on flowers and also lots of great vegan foods…read moreavailable.

This is a local gem of a gelato shop. It's outside the main downtown (by just a couple minutes)…read morewith the most wonderful flavors. You can get the standard chocolate if you need, but other flavors include snickers, Easter egg (seasonal), Bounty (coconut and chocolate) and lovely sorbets too. Many are gluten free and there are dairy free options too. Very nice operators who reopened the shop in the evening for us to come in right before official closing time. There's also a nice outdoor area to sit and enjoy when the weather is nice.

Charlie's Gelato Garden is well worth a visit if you are in the area. It is my favourite place to…read moreget Gelato (sorry Giapo!). Charlie's has an amazing selection of gelato and sorbetto. The flavours are constantly rotating with new flavours added regularly. They also have a flavour of the month which is either festive or seasonal. If your favourite (I have many) isn't on display that day they quite often have it out the back and happy to get it for you. The sundaes are a must but be prepared to share as those guys are huge! Their woodfired pizza and strawberries are also amazing but very elusive. It's almost impossible to get the strawberries as they sell out so fast.

Fully freshly made products made in the back! Good assortment of breads, sandwiches, hot pies…read more Friendly staff, VERY reasonable prices, and customer service for accommodating requests! A new regular stop.

Excellent steak and cheese pies. Pastry on point, with good chunks of steak. Biscuits and slices…read morealso good.