Puhoi Valley Cheese Co

Nothing like a drive in the country on a sunny day.  We often pop in the car for the 40 min drive to Puhoi Cheese Co for brunch. We always have the platters - cheese, meat or antipasti.  A glass of wine followed by the amazing ice cream. Then we stock up on cheese to take home. Really like this place and the menu gets better each time we go.  Excellent service, too.

Chocolate? NO WAY! Give me cheese any day and Puhoi cheese at that! Popped in on the way up north for a weekend away and thought the cafe at Puhoi Valley Cheese Co was so lovely with plenty of room for kiddies to stretch their legs on a long journey. They have a lovely range of cheeses and we came away feeling VERY satisfied =)

Went for lunch with my husband and sister-in-law recently.  We made a divine meal out of 2 platters and an awesome bottle of wine.  Finished off with decadent ice cream cones and milkshakes :)  I hadn't been to the cafe here in about 2 years and I was very pleasantly surprised by the wonderful, extensive renovations they have carried out.  Also has a large garden and play area for next time I go and take the kids!

They've just spent what looks like a fair amount of money completely renovating the cafe & restaurant and it looks great. They have a large cheese room (as you'd expect!) where you can also pick up some of their other products - like their awesome yoghurt. They also have a separate ice cream bar which will be great for the summer. The grounds are great for the kids, with a playground and lake with fountains. The food isn't cheap but is good quality.

We braved the pending weather on 29 December to kick back and listen to some music at the "Twilight Occasion". The cafe looks amazing after recent renovations and an excellent venue to hold such an event. The rain came but it turned out to be an amazing night just the same. The Puhoi staff were very accommodating when the rain washed out the stage (became dangerous) and set up stage in the cafe. The music was amazing, excellent local artists. The food was great and being inside gave a really nice a atmosphere. Thanks Billy TK jnr for the CD - a fantastic and generous gift to all who braved the weather. Please Puhoi, do it again next year!

A mere 40 mins from central Auckland and we were winding our way down lovely back country roads ( simple well signed posted turn off from the motorway north).  A couple of k's and we found the Puhoi Cheese Shop & cafe.   OMG KUDOS Puhoi  Cheese.  I'm very impressed and as for the cheese. Fabulous.. I bought 3 and got 1 free ( thank you for the voucher)... what amazing cheeses..   We bought a 6 year old parmesan ( OMG), a blue, and two quite different bries.  Fabulous fails to describe them and not too pricey.  I paid $27 for 3 good chunks. The cafe had some to die for looking ice cream selections.. a limited lunch menu (divine baps & filled rolls, salad & homemade pie.  It was 3pm so we may have missed the good stuff).   I'm sure it wont be long till they add a cooked selection.  Best part is you can eat lunch while watching them make the cheese. The setting is lovely with a large fountain in the little river nearby, an excellent playground for childtren and large run-around areas. What a gem for a Sunday country drive.

Oh well next time on my journey up north I will drop in as usual.  They will be open again in July.  We always pop in for a bit of a journey break as its such a nice setting with the lake, gardens and ducks.  Normally a coffee drinker, I always have the chocolate here because it is so yummy.  I love trying out the different cheeses and always end up stocking up. Pinoneer Blue is my favourite, I love it with a nice glass of Pinot.