12 Hours Havelock North

Overlooking the Tukituki River Valley, Tukituki Glamping is only 20 minutes from Havelock North. Thanks to its outdoor open fire you can camp here all year round (nice to have when the skies and sunsets are so spectacular). Wake up inside the warm and cosy tent to the sounds of korimako bellbirds and tūī feeding off the native plants, and get ready for your fun-filled day in Hawke's Bay's Havelock North. 

A local favourite and for good reason, Hawthorne is an integral part of the close-knit Havelock North community. More than your average regional coffee roaster, they have been serving and roasting coffee since the 1990s, as well as supplying the rest of the country with their impeccable beans. Their espresso bar, attached to the front of their roastery, is a stylishly curated space where you can experience the brand first-hand.

Maina is a great place to stop for breakfast. Smack-bang in the centre of Havelock North with pumping vibes, great coffee, and delish meals, this family-run café and bistro focus on simplicity. Check out the dark chocolate and cherry brioche. 

Wardini Books is an independent bookstore with a touch of magic to inspire your reading choices. Passionate about reading with a wealth of experience to call upon, the Wardinis are always ready and willing to recommend quality books for children, teenagers, and adults alike. They also have a twin store in Napier (add it to your list).

Offering treasures from around the globe, buying trips to Bali and India have always been a big part of the journey for Annabelle Plowman who has a keen eye for detail. Her Havelock North store is a bohemian's dream, with natural and organic furniture, textiles, and lighting throughout. Stay awhile and be inspired by the beautiful items. 

Quality coffee seals the deal at Workroom. Stop by for a tasty cuppa with beans by Firsthand Coffee, a boutique Hawke's Bay roaster operating at the back of the café. The modern space offers warmth during cooler months and a courtyard for sun-seekers. Look up to the blue skies and hear the chitter-chatter of local customers popping in. 

There's something awe-inspiring about sitting at a table in a hilltop restaurant overlooking vineyards and farmlands. Black Barn Bistro is a winery restaurant that uses ingredients sourced directly from small farmers and artisans. You can choose oysters, organic greens and line-caught white fish, among other dishes, and you won't be able to turn down a side of shoestring fries with truffle oil and pecorino. Make sure you leave room for dessert!

If you happen to be visiting on a Saturday morning over summer, swing by the Growers’ Market, nestled in the heart of the vineyard, where local growers, bakers, and producers sell the best produce of the region.

On a clear day, you can see the whole of Hawke's Bay laid out before you from Te Mata Peak, with 360-degree views of the region’s fertile farms, orchards, and vineyards. Work off your lunch or build your appetite for the next stop with a run, walk, or mountain bike through 99 hectares of beautiful parkland on a series of well-graded tracks. Thrill-seekers can take it to the next level with hang-gliding and paragliding to soar over and view the lands from a different angle. 

Image supplied by Te Mata Park. 

On the drive back to town for dinner, stop at Craggy Range for a wine tasting. A combo of clean air, green fields, and care for the land has produced mighty fine wines that have a well-earned place among New Zealand’s finest restaurants. With a focus on quality, the wines are unashamedly exuberant and quite simply, delicious. The good news is, you really can try them all! 

Cave into that rice craving! Piku is an izakaya-style (a.k.a. gastropub) Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar in the heart of the city. Beautifully executed and very Instagrammable, the menu goes beyond the classics. Try the Volcano Roll, Chicken Kara-age with kimchi mayo, and a selection of Yakitori, skewers cooked on a traditional Robata Charcoal Grill. They even have dedicated vegan and kids' menus, too. 

When the night is still young step into the courtyard for a Japanese-inspired cocktail with a buzz of the London-Japanese scene.

You’ll be thinking pink in this unique and unassuming pizzeria. Giving off homey, cosy vibes, the hues of pink are certainly a selfie-worthy backdrop you won’t find anywhere else! The Pipi Café culture is to help yourself to drinks. Yup, there’s a self-service fridge where you can pick any drink you want, then tell the staff at the end what you got, a novel experience. For the pizza, you can’t go past the classics: Margherita and Funghi.

With a unique beverage offering, you will want to work your way through the menu at Malo. The perfect haunt for you and your best cocktail-drinking buddy, the talented bar team offers a delicious list of cocktails, from classic to mocktails and Malo originals. Did somebody say Chilli & Grapefruit Margarita? We’re in.