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One of the Locals: Your Insider's Guide to Central Otago

Building exterior of Sanga's Pies.

Between the Pinot Noir flights and cycling trails, you may be wondering what life looks like for those who call this region home, and where they’re getting a great cup of coffee.

From Playgrounds to Pancakes: Your Kid-Friendly Kāpiti Coast Guide

Two children running on the boardwalk in and amongst native bush.
Kāpiti Coast

Filled with family-friendly outings, the Kāpiti Coast is perfect for little explorers, curious teens, and grown-ups who still know how to have fun.

Dining Your Way Around the Kāpiti Coast

Chef finishing plating a dish on the kitchen at 50-50.
Kāpiti Coast

Chill community vibes, stunning beaches, and mouthwatering eateries, the Kāpiti Coast has it all.

Plan Your Kāpiti Coast Getaway: 7 Neat Stays

Table and chairs on a balcony overlooking the coastline.
Kāpiti Coast

Whether you’re after glamping luxury, off-grid escapes, or boutique hideaways, there’s something to suit every mood and moment on the Kāpiti Coast.

A Taste of Tairāwhiti’s Food Trucks: Your Guide to Gisborne's Best

Food truck in a carpark with the road in the background.
Gisborne

Gisborne’s food truck scene is bursting with flavour, creativity, and community spirit, offering everything from authentic Greek souvlaki to indulgent desserts, handcrafted pizzas, and real fruit ice creams. Whether it’s at a private or public event, parked up by the beach in summer, or simply going with the flow, Gisborne’s food trucks sure know how to serve up delicious dishes that reflect both the diversity of global cuisine and the abundance of local Tairāwhiti ingredients.

We celebrate the neat restaurants, cafes, shops, and galleries around New Zealand. Whether you're a local or visiting you'll find something on Neat Places to tickle your fancy.

New and Notable

Lustre Kitchen and Dining

Staff member places a food dish down on the table with wine glasses and other plates.
Place Kāpiti Coast
Restaurants key icon.

Lustre Kitchen and Dining is a hidden gem in Paraparaumu that oozes class and indulgence, where rustic and contemporary flair come together for a truly special venue for any...

NZ Native Oils

Cat sitting outside of NZ Native Oils.
Place Kāpiti Coast
Goods key icon.

Hidden away in Otaihanga, NZ Native Oils is a place where the world slows down, where you’re invited to heal through the pure goodness of natural remedies.

Soul Pilates

Customers walking on the footpath outside the building of Soul Pilates.
Place Kāpiti Coast
Stay and explore key icon.

Soul Pilates brings something fresh to the Kāpiti Coast: a studio that’s as much about good vibes as it is about strong movement.

The Roastery

Warehouse building exterior with roller doors open and customers walking in to The Roastery.
Place Kāpiti Coast
Cafes key icon.

Who knew Paraparaumu’s coffee scene was this good. You’ll find one of the picks of the bunch at The Roastery, set in a converted warehouse on Sheffield Street.

WineCraft

Shop frontage of WineCraft with bike outside the front door.
Place Kāpiti Coast
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It’s instantly clear that WineCraft in Paraparaumu isn’t your usual bottle shop.

Southpaw Brewing Company & Taproom

Aqua blue building exterior and outdoor seating at Southpaw Brewing Company & Taproom.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
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Southpaw Brewing Company & Taproom, found in Christchurch’s seaside suburb of New Brighton, is proudly community-focused and this small, independent brewery is...

Neighbourhood Cantina

Building exterior of Neighbourhood Cantina.
Place Gisborne
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Neighbourhood Cantina is a Mexican restaurant that has quickly become Wainui’s “local” and, thanks to Gisborne’s compact nature, a go-to spot...

Hill Road Orchard & Farm Shop

Shop interior of Hill Road Orchard & Farm Shop with tables and shelves of products set up.
Place Gisborne
Goods key icon.

Hill Road Orchard is the beating heart of Gisborne’s famous Hill Road Orange Juice: fresh, unpasteurised, and squeezed straight from oranges grown on their own...

Stories

Highway 35: The Slow Road to Something Special

Road runs alongside the coastline, the waves on the beach meet the sand.
The route north from Gisborne is more than just a road, it’s an experience, unfolding through landscapes as striking as they are diverse. State Highway 35 is a ribbon of tarmac draped along the Pacific Coast, curving past surf breaks, sleepy bays, and tiny townships where the welcome is as warm as the sun. Rich in Māori culture and framed by pristine natural beauty, this is not a drive to hurry. If possible, it’s a journey to linger over, one stop at a time.

Fresh and Local in Gisborne: Tairāwhiti's Food Producers on Show

Store with a table in the middle with plenty of fresh produce and other products.
Gisborne

In sunny Tairāwhiti Gisborne, food is more than just what’s on the plate. It’s also about the hands that sow, tend, harvest, bake, press, pour and shape it. A tumultuous few years (featuring both a global pandemic and multiple severe weather events!) have seen an already closely knit region band even more tightly together to survive and thrive.

11 Independent Food Producers of Central Otago

Two customers inside the roadside stall of Forage and Gold.
Central Otago

When winding through Central Otago roads, you may have noticed that it’s never far between roadside stalls, orchards and fertile gardens. When we think of this beautiful region of Aotearoa, we cast our mind to plucking juicy stone fruit straight from the tree, jars of homemade preserves with sweet handwritten labels, and a community that loves to be elbow-deep in soil.

The Best Places to Dine Alfresco in Central Otago

Woman sitting at an outdoor table with a glass of wine in her hand and dish of food in front of her on the table.
Central Otago

There is something inherently joyous about dining in the great outdoors, and when your surroundings are as attractive as Central Otago, that just adds another layer of special seasoning to the experience.

The Ultimate Four Seasons Guide to Central Otago

Autumn views looking out across Jackson Orchards and the lake in Cromwell
Central Otago
No matter the month on the calendar, Central Otago delivers something special.

12 Hour City Itineraries