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The Best Restaurants in Palmerston North (2026)

Plated dishes waiting on the pass at Nero Restaurant, Palmerston North.
Story Palmerston North
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.

Things to Do in Palmerston North: A 12-Hour Guide (2026)

People sitting at high tops in a brick brewery building.
Story Palmerston North
Toss any preconceptions you might have, there is A LOT to do in Palmerston North. If you like food, drink, art, shopping, and friendly people, you’ve come to the right place. Here are the best things to do in Palmerston North, laid out as a day from breakfast to a nightcap, checked and updated for 2026.

Things to Do with Kids in Palmerston North (2026)

A leafy path through the conservatory at Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North.
Story Palmerston North

With big parks, bush walks and plenty of places to keep the kids busy, a family day out here doesn’t require loads of planning - plus there’s plenty of good food and coffee nearby to keep the adults happy. Better yet, lots of the best parts are free.

Meet the Makers of Palmerston North

Pouring liquid clay into moulds at the Mabel Vickers pottery studio, Palmerston North.
Story Palmerston North

Palmerston North has always had a strong creative streak. You don’t have to look hard to find artists, bakers, jewellers, framers, designers, florists and all sorts of makers who imbue the city with its funky character.

Creative Spaces Around New Zealand to Inspire Your Next Mindful Hobby
Story Central Otago

In a world increasingly dominated by screen time, many New Zealanders are seeking out something more tangible. Pottery classes are filling up months in advance, knitting needles are clicking back into fashion, and creative workshops are becoming social occasions in their own right.

Neat People: Jemma & Adam's Guide to Palmerston North

Portrait of Jemma Cheer and Adam Curry, Palmerston North.
Story Palmerston North
As locals since forever, Jemma Cheer & Adam Curry know Papaioea Palmerston North better than most.

Laid-Back Lodges of Manawatū: A Quiet Guide to Slowing Down

Guest looking at the view from the balcony.
Story Palmerston North

The Manawatū knows how to do unhurried well. Drive twenty minutes and you’re among rolling farmland, native bush and big skies.

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

Customers at the bar at Brew Union.
Story Palmerston North

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.

Make a Day of It: Your Palmerston North Activity Guide

Group of three walking through the forest.
Story Palmerston North

River on one side, ranges on the other, with arts and sport woven into the fabric of the city: Palmerston North is friendly, practical and quietly creative.

A Day Guide to Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North

Large palm trees on both sides of a road.
Story Palmerston North

If you only have a day to spend in Palmerston North, make sure you spend most of it at Victoria Esplanade.

Palmerston North: NZ's Underrated Coffee Capital

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

Your Self-Guided Urban Arts Tour of Palmerston North

A sliver metal sculpture of a house frame on stilts.
Story Palmerston North
Palmerston North is a city that continues to surprise us with its abundance of neat cafés, shops and galleries, so it’s no great revelation that it’s also home to an active arts scene.

Where to Shop for One of a Kind Pieces in Palmerston North

Two tall white concrete look vases on the floor next to a wire basket.
Story Palmerston North
Where to Shop for One of a Kind Pieces in Palmerston North.

Best Walks in Palmerston North and Where to Treat Yourself Afterwards

The sun setting over Edward Pit Park on a clear day.
Story Palmerston North

Six of the best walks in Palmerston North and places to visit for treats afterwards.

Dine Around the World At Palmerston North’s Best International Eateries
Story Palmerston North
If there’s one thing we love about globe-trotting, it’s the food. Nothing beats picking up a Bánh Mì on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City or sidling into a cosy Izakaya down a Tokyo alleyway. 

Dine your Way Around Palmerston North

Pizza and other food on the table.
Story Palmerston North

When it comes to New Zealand’s foodie destinations, Wellington is almost always top of mind. But just above Wellington, you’ll find Palmerston North situated in the heartland where many of our most prized ingredients originate.

Innovation and exploration in Palmy and beyond

Mahalee and Benoit with their family on the streets of Palmerston North.
Story Palmerston North
Like many people you’ll meet in Palmerston North, Mahalee and Benoit Guieysse aren’t originally from the region, but they’re some of its most genuine ambassadors.

Palmerston North's Secret Handshake

Simon and Catherine from Pork Chop Hill
Story Palmerston North

Te Motu o Poutoa/ANZAC Park, affectionately known as “Pork Chop Hill”, is a lookout point, observatory, and car park perched on a bluff above the Manawatū River. Like many Palmerston North locals, creatives Catherine Russ and Simon Francis hung out there as teens. In 2014 they established an independent clothing label PORK CHOP HILL. The iconic t-shirts can be seen all over the city.

Charcoal Maker and Master

Naga Tsutsumi sitting on a chair.
Story Palmerston North
Naga Tsutsumi is one of Palmerston North’s most cherished artists. His large scale charcoal drawings are considered and full of movement and detail to explore.

Jemma & Alex - The Last Church of Āpiti

Gemma standing in the doorway at Apiti Church.
Story Palmerston North
Kiwis Jemma Brackebush and Alexander Robertson of Palmerston North are a busy pair. They have created one of Palmerston North’s quirkiest, quaintest and most lovable accommodation options: The Last Church in Āpiti.