The Green Luggate Village

Sitting happily in sunny Luggate Village is The Green, an unassuming collection of modern sheds, which happens to be one of Wānaka's finest wee retail precincts. Located on the Wānaka-Cromwell Road, this precinct offers hospitality, art, wares, parking (and ice cream) in abundance, and has become a favoured community hotspot.

Having sat as vacant land for years, the site took a community-first turn, delivering a much-needed hub for the village and a chance for local artisans to share their work. The Green offers a welcoming home for small operators; a place that both patrons and proprietors cherish.

It’s a mini-market square, but with a boutique spin. An open-air gravel courtyard with stylish timber tables and bench seating is corralled by the handsome sheds themselves. Rusted corten, aluminium, silver corrugated: each slightly different but fitting the rural locale, each could easily serve as a frame from your favourite Wes Anderson flick. So let's spotlight a few.

Southfire Gallery showcases ceramic artworks made from Central Otago wild clay. Next door, the Artē Collective houses six Wānaka artists spanning painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, and jewellery. Across the way, Shop Curated offers a fun selection of gifts and homewares, while Highway Barbers delivers sharp fades and tidy cuts. Pukunui Coffee fuels your browsing, and over on the grass, Central Scoop, a retro caravan parlour, serves real fruit ice cream to enjoy in the sun or beneath the trees. There's even the local community playground out back for the kids.

The vibe is unhurried and everyone's welcome, all ages, plus dogs, cats, (and even the occasional pet lamb!) During the week, tradies and tourists stop in for smoko and a nosey. Come weekends, it's buzzing with family and friends. The Green is where town meets country, and the collision is a good one. Stop in, stay for a while, and don't be surprised if you make a new friend, meet a local artisan or cute pup, and come away smiling.