Farro Fresh Constellation Drive

I recently discovered Farro and really love it - go there whenever I am on the Shore. They has a great range of fresh produce at really reasonable prices (I got a 1kg bag of baby perla potatoes there for $1.99). The rest of the store has lots of interesting things and the deli is fantastic. They also have a lot of wine you don't see at other stores which is great. I can easily spend half an hour in there just looking around!

There's a great selection of food - especially if you have special dietary requirements. The seafood section is great and the coffee always goes down well.

A bunch of workmates and I have started coming to Farro for lunch every Friday. We buy fresh fruit and vegetables, drool over all of the cookware and gourmet goods, sample everything on offer (the frozen croissant man now knows us all), and then by the time we get to the deli section for lunch, we don't have much room left. Yet we manage! The sandwiches are to die for - especially the mango tandoori chicken. There are also paninis, salads, pies, quiches etc. And then, all the sweet stuff...macaroons, cupakes, whoopie pies, tarts, mini creme brulees, tiramisu. But we always forget the bakery section around the corner, with all the different breads and pastries. It's impossible to choose just one thing. AND there's coffee to go. Perfect...

A few of my workmates and I have made Farro Fridays a regular thing, which I look forward to from Monday (and sometimes cannot wait and end up going twice a week). I am working my way through the salads and sandwiches, not to mention the cakes, and am yet to find anything that I've been disappointed with. On our last trip I trip I tried the spinach and feta risotto pie, which was delicious and not as heavy as it sounds, and a berry custard tart - divine. They have great specials and on Fridays have lots of tasters (and a flirty very French baker feeding blushing girls pastry). Their fruit and vege selection is also great. The only thing is it is so good that it is bad bad bad for my wallet and waistline! 

The great thing about Farro is it is a specialty food store with exotic ingredients but it doesn't have the same snobby feel as many of the others. Particularly good for specialty foods around christmas time!

I could lose days in this foodie heaven! Gorgeous food, lovely staff and a huge range of homewares. We picked up some mussel fritters, spicy red capsicum pesto & coriander & cumin mini pitas = favour country!

If you like the finer foods and can afford them then this place is top notch for nosh

The trend for food shopping in New Zealand tends to fall into two sides of a wide spectrum. On one end, you have independent or small businesses that focus on doing just a few things well: butchers, bakers, delis, etc., including farmers' markets. On the other end, you have the mass-appeal price-markdown super franchises like Countdown and Foodtown. Places like New World, while large, make every attempt to bring quality groceries to kiwis, and are very good at it. But one thing that's often missing is that gourmet patina you sometimes require if you're a gourmand or a lover of only the finest ingredients. This patina comes at a price, an expensive one. Enter Farro Fresh. I'm not a rich man, but there are times when I want fine cheese. When I want gourmet crusts for making my own pizza. When I want to make my own complex burritos using ingredients imported from Mexico. There are times when I feel like cooking an Indonesian or Austrian or Japanese dish and require very specific ingredients to do so. Farro satisfies that itch. They do not have an exhaustive selection of anything, but they dip their toes in everything. From very specific mustards to imported balsamico to pastas. Their deli meats and cheeses are extensive. I can usually find a fresh herb or green that I can't find at New World. Their fish selection, which includes pre-packed sashimi and a variety of crustaceans, is always a pleasure to review. They reveal their love of gourmet cooking by even providing a great selection of cooking tools, from cheese-making kits to pans and utensils you're not likely to find anywhere else. Usually, what I do is get the things I can only find at Farro and then trot over to New World for the rest (because it will be less expensive, although more expensive than the mediocre stuffs you find at Countdown and Foodtown). I love this place and recommend it to anyone who is discerning about the quality of their ingredients.

The new(ish) Farro Fresh store in Mairangi Bay is like a top-end deli, butcher, fishmonger and chocolatier all rolled into one. Already well known for their Mt Wellington store, this one is a great addition to the Shore. Located in the former Carters building supplies location off Constellation Drive.