Come Hungry: Dining Out in Palmerston North

Food on the table with cocktails at Libre.
Skip the guesswork. Palmerston North feeds people well: from slick rooms serving seasonal produce to lively spots built around wood-fired ovens and house-brewed beer, we’ve rounded up the local favourites worth crossing town for.

Sublime Coffee Roasters

Colourful building exterior of Sublime Coffee Roasters with cars parked outside.
Place Palmerston North
Cafes key icon.

If you’re looking for great specialty coffee in the heart of Palmerston North, Sublime Coffee Roasters on Cuba Street is the place to be.

Hello Sunshine Espresso and Eats

Building exterior of Hello Sunshine Espresso and Eats.
Place Palmerston North
Cafes key icon.

Hello Sunshine in Palmerston North lives up to its name: light, bright and friendly.

Country Road High Tea

Building exterior of Country Road High Tea surrounded by gardens.
Place Palmerston North
Cafes key icon.

Just a short drive from Palmerston North, Country Road High Tea on Oroua Road, Kairanga is a family-run destination offering a taste of luxury in the heart of the countryside.

Barista

Two diners sitting at a table eating with lots of decorative  artwork behind them.
Place Palmerston North
Cafes key icon. Restaurants key icon.

Barista on Palmerston North's George Street is a longtime favourite in the city centre, working a neat double shift as a cafe by day and bistro by night.

Kaitahi Chef’s Table & Lodge

Lodge building exterior surrounded by nature.
Place Palmerston North
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Kaitahi Chef’s Table & Lodge in Aokautere is an intimate hosted dining and stay experience set amongst native bush.

Mouthwater Coffee Company

A man in denim ordering at a red caravan.
Place Palmerston North
Cafes key icon.

A familiar and very welcome sight in Palmerston North, Mouthwater Coffee Company is out to prove that there’s more to food and drink carts than quick, grab-and-go...

Tony’s Pizza

A blue illustration on a wall inside Tony's Pizza in Palmerston North.
Place Palmerston North
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Pizza and craft beer - is there a more iconic duo? If you’re in Palmerston North, you can find both at Tony’s, a craft beer and pizza bar that brings a slice of...

Munch

The large cafe interior of Munch in Palmerston North.
Place Palmerston North
Cafes key icon.

Born out of owner Veronica James’ personal story, Munch in Palmerston North is a truly inclusive café where everyone is welcome, with an extensive and...

Coffee on Ascot

The exterior view of Coffee on Ascot.
Place Palmerston North
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Coffee on Ascot is a warm and welcoming neighbourhood cafe offering organic, fair-trade coffee and home baked snacks, raw slices and healthy treats.

Saigon Corner

The inside of the restaurant.
Place Palmerston North
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Head to Saigon Corner on Princess Street for a taste of Vietnam. This local spot’s modern Vietnamese cuisine has earned excellence on TripAdvisor for over three years straight, and it doesn’t take long to figure out why.

The Herb Farm

Tables outside the main building of The Herb Farm.
Place Palmerston North

Begin your visit at The Herb Farm in Ashurst, just outside the main centre of Palmerston North, with a peaceful stroll through the gardens, where rows of herbs and flowers...

Ebony Coffee Roasters

Building exterior of Ebony Coffee Roasters with a group of people standing outside.
Place Palmerston North
Goods key icon.

Ebony Coffee has been roasting coffee in Palmerston North since 1996. Their Featherston Street roastery, espresso bar and barista school represent and celebrate every stage of the coffee brewing process - even growing.

One of the Locals: An Insider’s Guide to Palmerston North

Customers at the bar at Brew Union.
Forget the algorithm. When you follow the locals, you land on the places actually worth going to: for coffee, kai, fresh air and a bit of culture. Here’s a Palmy hit-list bundled the way residents talk about it.

Amayjen Restaurant

Bar and dining area at Amayjen.
Place Palmerston North
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Amayjen is one of the crown jewels of Feilding’s hospitality scene. Owned and operated by Andrew and Jenni May, this local restaurant earned a Cuisine Good Food Awards ‘hat’ in 2017 and continues to dish up inspired local flavours today.

Brew Union Brewing Co

Brick building exterior of Brew Union.
Place Palmerston North Editor's Pick
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Longtime mates Murray and Jules spent years planning and designing exactly what they thought epitomised the perfect concept, and this shines through at Brew Union, Palmerston North’s downtown brew pub and eatery.

Ginger Bird

Close up of a waitress holding a pie.
Place Palmerston North
Cafes key icon.

Ginger Bird is a countryside café with a big heart, excellent service, homemade treats and barista coffee. The café is housed within two shipping containers, but you’d never guess once inside as the wide windows, light timber and warm lighting give the space a cosy, homey feel.

The Fat Farmer

The busy restaurant.
Place Palmerston North
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The Fat Farmer is a neighbourhood bistro that’s elegant and extremely well furnished but still manages to feel like your mate’s place.

Palmerston North: NZ's Underrated Coffee Capital

A man holding a red cup of coffee outside a coffee cart.
Move over, Wellington - Palmerston North is quietly but confidently building its case as an alternative coffee capital.

Feilding Farmers Market

Fruit for the kids.
Place Palmerston North
Markets key icon.

Many of Manawatū's most talented, passionate and well-known growers, cheesemakers, artisans, bakers, herbalists, apiarists, florists and craftspeople have stalls at the Feilding Farmers Market making this market a celebration of all things fresh and local.

The Crafted & Co

Close up of a burger.
Place Palmerston North

One of Palmerston North’s most loved food trucks, The Crafted and Co., offers top notch burgers and serious treats from three roaming food trucks.

LOCAL Café and Eatery

Building exterior of LOCAL cafe, Palmerston North.
Place Palmerston North
Cafes key icon.

The fit-out is welcoming and bright, with cosy booths, low-top tables, a long communal table, and plenty of patio seating for nice days.

HARU Japanese Restaurant

Diners sitting at tables at Haru.
Place Palmerston North
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A calming central city spot in Palmerston North for top quality Japanese fare. At Haru Japanese Restaurant you’ll be quickly greeted and seated by the friendly staff.

Arrosta Coffee Roasting Co

Staff standing behind the counter.
Place Palmerston North
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Many of Palmerston North’s best cafés use Arrosta Coffee’s beans to construct considered flat whites, long blacks and the like.

Little Savanna

The interior of Little Savanna.
Place Palmerston North
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Little Savanna’s expert fit-out gives this South African-inspired restaurant a unique visual identity on the Palmerston North dining scene. With strong food and drink offerings to match, it’s a complete lunch or dinner destination in the heart of the city.

Nero

A cosy nook of the restaurant with blue tile.
Place Palmerston North
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Nero, a family-owned modern bistro, has made a name for themselves in Palmerston North over the last twenty years with consistently great food and service.

BABCO - Brick Artisan Bread Company

Close up of pastries in a box at BABCO.
Place Palmerston North Editor's Pick
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BABCO, which stands for Brick Artisan Bread Company, was started by husband and wife duo Alice and Jeremy. The Palmerston North pair created BABCO from scratch in every sense of the phrase - it all started with a bread baking experiment in their backyard pizza oven.

Libre

Frida Kahlo poster on the wall in the dining room of Libre.
Place Palmerston North
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On George Street you’ll find Libre, one of the best spots we’ve found for authentic and delicious Mexican food and drink in all of New Zealand.