Dine your Way Around Palmerston North

Two beer nerds who’d been friends for a long time created this homegrown brew pub and eatery, and it shows. At Brew Union Brewing Co, they’ve got a small-scale brewery operation out the front, 20+ taps in the middle and heaps of seating both inside and out in what used to be The Manawatu Meatworks.

On tap, you’ll find Brew Union’s own pours (Swamp Juice Hazy IPA is a must try) while the rest of their tap range is stacked full of beer from other independently owned NZ breweries. Beer isn’t alone here, and Brew Union is also all about taking pub fare to new heights. The focus is on wood-fired pizzas and elevated pub food, because, as the proprietors put it, “We knew we couldn’t have good beer without great food.”

Located on Broadway Avenue, Café LOCAL is a humming hotspot that is just that…local. Open seven days a week, you can find the fine people of Palmerston North here enjoying breakfast, lunch and/or drinks.

Regardless of what time or season you visit, expect dishes that incorporate a ton of flavour, colour and ingredients sourced close to home. The coffees (made with local Arrosta beans) plus wine and craft beer offerings make easy complements to dishes like the ever popular avocado smash, which comes served with house-made potato hash, a feta and basil whip, free-range fried egg, hollandaise, and organic baby rocket. It’s filling and fresh with a bit of crunch and more than a few servings of daily greens.

Libre is a restaurant and bar that feels like a real Mexican Cantina even though it almost couldn’t be further away from that country. If you’ve had the pleasure of visiting Mexico or even Los Angeles, you’ll know that tacos found in New Zealand can sometimes fall a bit…flat. Not at Libre. The taco list here covers all the classics from pork carnitas and carne asada (steak) to lamb barbacoa and de pastor (pork shoulder).

On top of all the authentic options, the taco list also incorporates some of NZ’s favourites with fried chicken, ceviche and beef cheek numbers. Add local Cartwheel Creamery queso de fresco, homemade guacamole or any of Libre’s handcrafted salsas for even more flavour. Libre has also got not one but three sangrias, not just stirred but also frozen margaritas and tequila/mezcal lists that are hard to beat.

Have you been to South Africa? Do you have South African mates? If you answered yes to either, you’ve probably heard about their beloved braais or traditional South African BBQs. Flame grilled meats are always the centrepiece, and any respectable braai also includes some quality beer and wine. Little Savanna, located on Palmerston North's Princess Street, aims to recreate this fun and delicious concept by bringing the braai inside.

Local South African expats agree that the concept has been executed to a tee - many of them come in specifically for Little Savanna’s best-selling ribs and espetada. That second item refers to skewered meats that are fired on the flame and served with melted butter, seasonal vegetables and homemade chimichurri. Little Savanna also has one of the largest drink menus in Palmerston North, offering everything from wine-tasting paddles to flaming cocktails. 

This neighbourhood bistro ticks all the boxes when it comes to excellent hospitality. The fit-out is elegant yet rustic and offers diners several unique dining nooks both inside and out.

The menu is an incredible showcase for local ingredients, and The Fat Farmer’s signature dish is one that tempts almost every diner,  the 1kg ANZCO lamb shoulder is slow roasted on the bone and served with an Indian spiced yoghurt and grilled roti. The kitchen operates with a firm commitment to balance in every dish, and the menu’s variety of small plates make it easy to graze at will. Everything comes out as it’s ready.

New Zealand’s beef and lamb is the global gold standard, but this doesn’t mean any dish made with either of these meats is an automatic knockout. Quite the opposite actually. Nero, however, has it down to a science (literally), and over the last 20 years, they’ve made a name for themselves with their considered approach to the stuff.

Head chef, Scott, is a NZ Beef and Lamb ambassador and specialises in dry-aged meats. His 42-day whiskey-aged beef is a top seller and boasts smokey flavours as a result of the barrel-aged whiskey. Served with seasonal sides that make the filet absolutely sing, this is an experience in and of itself. Whatever you choose here though, you can be sure that you’re getting the freshest, most local cuts prepared with respect and as little waste as possible. Nero’s modern approach to meat is one foodies and conscious eaters alike can get behind.