Tour Your Tastebuds Around Wānaka's Flourishing Food and Drink Scene

Augustines of Central is a boutique preserving company based in Central Otago. Started in grassroots style by owner Gus, Augustines takes the best fruit from the region and cooks it in small batches to create delicious preserves. The delectable range includes Black Doris plums in pinot noir (designed for a lovely insta-dessert or addition to baking) and rhubarb in rosé (perfect for a boujee crumble), as well as favourites such as quince paste (crafted from spray-free Central Otago quince) and tasty chutneys. 

The small town of Wānaka is home to a thriving craft beer scene, with a number of great breweries serving up the best of all things hop-related. Here are three notable drinking holes worth a visit.

b.social is a neighbourly bar, restaurant and brewery, serving up delicious craft beer with a great outdoor area for a deep and meaningful with a mate. Rhyme x Reason is a small brewery and bar with a low-key buzz and delicious tasting paddles, and just a stone’s throw away you will find Ground Up, a brewery on a mission to make beer for the bold with its booming brewery and taproom. With good vibes and good drinks all around, they’re your go-to for a locally made, refreshing brew.

Tucked away in the little township of Albert Town is Pembroke Pâtisserie, a pastry lover’s paradise serving up freshly baked treats and top-notch coffee. The cabinet is stocked daily with sweet and savoury treats, including their famous ham and cheese croissants, almond croissants, custard squares and homemade Belgium and Shrewsbury biscuits, among much, much more. The pâtisserie supports other local producers—you will even find Augustines of Central’s apricots in their apricot Danishes. Grab a seat outside in the sun and enjoy an Allpress coffee served with a sweet little meringue on the side, or stock up your lunchbox before heading off on a Wānaka adventure.

What started as a hobby, Pirate Pickles turned into a welcome escape from the corporate grind and eventually the strong foundation of a Central Otago life for Lorne Knight and Cherilyn Walthew. Since establishing an organic vegetable garden in Hāwea in 2010, the pair now produce handmade pickles, chutneys, relishes, jams, preserves and curds that contain ingredients your grandmother would recognise, and nothing else. Fan favourites include a spicy lime chutney (hailed as the tequila slammer of pickles) and a zingy lemon butter. They also offer a range of seasonal fruit and vegetables direct from their garden, as well as seedlings. Order online or head into Mediterranean Market or Hāwea Store & Kitchen to grab something delicious. 

Just five minutes out of Wānaka is Frog Song Farm, an organic market garden named after the resident frogs of the farm pond. With an underpinning vision of regeneration and revegetation, the garden is run by Lisa Johnston, Greg Inwood and their family using organic bio-intensive principles—meaning what you eat is nutrient-dense and delicious. Great care is taken for the environment and all products are packaged in reusable or compostable containers. If you want to get a behind-the-scenes look at their beautiful grounds, tours can be taken with Forage & Feast and Beautiful Gardens of Wānaka. To stock up on their delicious produce you can order online, or shop in-store at Freshlink or Organic Wholefoods. And be sure to keep an eye out for their Village Nuts cart, out and about roasting chestnuts during the winter months.

Nestled into the Cardrona Valley is a special kind of watering hole. Established in 2015, Cardrona Distillery is a single malt distillery creating exquisite spirits with pure alpine water sourced from Mount Cardrona, flavoured with seasonal and locally foraged ingredients. Their range boasts the award-winning The Source Gin, The Cardrona Single Malt Whisky, The Reid Single Malt Vodka and Rose Rabbit Liqueurs (orange, elderflower and butterscotch), so be sure to pop in for an informative tasting and tour and try before you buy. With a restaurant serving up contemporary and seasonal produce and sprawling views across the grounds and down the valley, Cardrona Distillery is certainly worth a visit.

If you’re in need of some daily bread, look no further than People’s Bread. The brainchild of Ruth and Jeremy Heath, People’s Bread focuses on honest and nutritional food with their freshly milled and spray-free 100% whole grain creations that are lovingly made by hand. Their range includes signature loaves such as the multigrain sourdough superloaf and a tasty buckwheat, brown rice and corn loaf. You can sign up for a subscription for Wānaka and Hāwea delivery, and courier is available for other Central Otago areas. If you want to pick up something in store head on into Mediterranean Market, the Hāwea Store & Kitchen or Freshlink Grocer.

Herbal Culture (NZ) was built on the basis that every plant has a story. After meeting on a herbal course in Queensberry, owners Ashley and Loran (both with backgrounds in horticulture) combined forces to celebrate and share the power of plants. Based in Wānaka, they create unique blends from plants that can be sustainably homegrown in Wānaka and also foraged in the wild. Their range includes boutique batches of loose-leaf tea, herb salts, herbal tonics and topical plant medicine products. Get in touch with the ladies directly or pick up a treat for yourself or someone else from Freshlink Grocer and iSite. You can also drink their teas at Velo and Dripping Bowl.