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Best For DIY
- 14Colonial Trading Company LimitedFeatherstonIf you’re in need of tools, building supplies or any handy gadgets for your DIY project, this place is sure to have something useful. They stock top notch handtool brands like Stanley, Klein and Crescent. Everything is high quality with many European made goods and the owner is friendly and will point you in the right direction.
- 21Thistle Building CompanyMastertonIf you’ve been thinking about extending your home, doing up the shed or even designing a completely new building on your property, give these guys a call, especially if you’re not sure where to start. From setting your budget to getting building consents, they can help with taking the stress out of renovation.
- 32Southdown TopsoilMartinboroughFor a complete garden makeover, get everything you need for a solid foundation delivered right to your door. Southdown Topsoil offers high quality grade topsoil for growing the perfect green lawn or your next big landscaping project.
- 42If you want to keep the heritage of a building or home, these craftsmen know their stuff. Those beautiful old homes can be draughty so the team offers retro fit double glazing to keep you warm in winter as well as cedar restoration, kitchen renovation, conservatory building and painting and decorating.
- 51Pete's JoineryGreytownDo you want a custom kitchen? Or even a custom wardrobe? Pete’s team is excellent at what they do and specialise in kitchens, bathrooms, wooden joinery for doors and windows. For modern design with longevity, this registered master joiner company can be relied upon.
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Best Breakfast
- 18Clareville BakeryCartertonOne of the best places for brunch is Clareville Bakery, try the creamy locally sourced Parkvale mushrooms, Basque eggs or baker’s breakfast. The bread is perfect, crunchy crusty ciabatta and the coffee is the perfect accompaniment. If you don’t feel like a meal, enjoy a bacon buttie, freshly made pastries or real vanilla custard cronuts.
- 22Entice CafeMastertonRight beside the art gallery and Queen Elizabeth park, this cafe is the ideal spot to come on Sunday if you’re feeling like looking at art or a nature walk after a hearty brunch. There’s tasty cabinet food and good, fair trade coffee here too, plus options for those who are gluten free.
- 32Taste Cafe MastertonMastertonIt lives up to its name - this cafe serves seriously tasty food and is a great option for brunch. There’s plenty of options from delicious pastas, salads, yummy brunch fare and amazing pies. The coffee is good and the service is excellent, a perfect start to ease into a lazy Sunday.
- 43The Village GrinderMastertonStepping into this light and airy cafe on a Sunday instantly makes you feel in weekend mode. Grab a newspaper and order from the delicious brunch menu, the eggs benedict is a good choice as well as the french toast with berries. This place is also good for families, there are long tables or settle in with a flat white and a big breakfast one of the outside seats in the sun.
- 56The Village CafeMartinboroughLots of different teas, a variety of tasty, generously portioned brunch dishes and warm atmosphere make this Martinborough cafe very popular for Sunday brunch. The lambs fry dish, home cured salmon and bacon, and Mexican style eggs are not to be missed. Consistently good coffee and there’s plenty of space for big groups.
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Long Lunch Ideas
- 12Coney Wines LtdMartinboroughMake sure to book a spot at this Martinborough winery for a luxurious lunch over the long weekend, as it’s very popular. Chill out in the courtyard surrounded by the vines and treat yourself to some wine tastings matched with some delicious dishes. The place has a nice vibe and don’t be afraid to ask questions, the owner, Tim Coney, is great to chat to.
- 21Poppies MartinboroughMartinboroughPeruse your way through a platter of delicious cold cuts, cheeses, artichokes and fresh bread matched with superb wine at Poppies. You can take your time, soaking up the sun and friendly atmosphere and learn something new from the owners, Poppy and Shane, who are more than happy to tell you about the wine making process.
- 37Bar SaluteGreytownFor a leisurely lunch, share some delicious tapas with friends and people watch on the main streets of Greytown. Have a cocktail or two - try the Pomegranate Caprioska or try a wine produced by one of Wairarapa’s many wineries. The food is really excellent so if you have friends or family visiting for the long weekend, this is the place to take them.
- 43Gladstone VineyardCartertonIf you have children, there’s plenty of space for them to play here and even a playground to keep them occupied while you have a long lunch in the idyllic garden cafe at Gladstone Vineyard. The menu ranges from light meals like avocado and chilli prawns to scotch fillet with creamy mushroom sauce. For a fun, family-oriented lunch, this is the ideal spot.
- 57With its sunny back garden area, deck area and wide open windows at the front, this is a nice place for lunch. You can easily spend a couple of hours here with a cold beer snacking on fries or chicken wings, before you tuck into their delicious open steak sandwich. There’s usually a good drinks special on so you can celebrate the long weekend.
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Best campgrounds
- 14Castlepoint Holiday Park & MotelsCastlepointThere’s a good choice of accommodation options here to suit all budgets at this seaside location. For big groups, the bunk house is a great option, or for a couples getaway take up a cosy cottage, and there are also plenty of grassy spots to pitch a tent. It is set in an amazing location, right in front of the ocean with great views of the famous Castlepoint lighthouse.
- 22Greytown CampGroundGreytownSurrounded by bush and home to many native birds, this campground is a nice place to stay for a break from city life. Close to the public swimming pool, playground and sports field, it is set over a large area, perfect for letting the kids loose. Off the main street of Greytown, its out of the thoroughfare but still close enough to get to the shops for supplies.
- 34Martinborough Top 10 Holiday ParkMartinboroughThis well run campground is handily located within walking distance to Martinborough’s cafes, shops and wineries. This peaceful campground offers nice, clean studio units, cabins and of course, camp sites for tents or campervans at very reasonable prices. And a bonus - there’s also free wifi.
- 43Pahiatua Carnival ParkPahiatuaSituated by a river, this campground has a great swimming hole to cool off in and beautiful native trees to set up camp under for shade in hot summers. You can also easily go for bush walks or head into the township, just a short walk away. They have cabins as well as camp sites, a covered picnic area and a plenty of space for a game of cricket.
- 51Ladyhawke Mobile Home ParkEketahunaThis campground has an intriguing history with a more than century old homestead complete with legends of ghosts. It has a nice setting, sheltered and well fences, with peaceful gardens and friendly animals. You can also arrange meals if you don’t feel like cooking or heading to the main street, just a ten minute walk away.
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Cheap Eats
- 14Everest BistroFeatherstonHave a delicious lunch for under $20 at Everest, a nice joint set in an historical building in the quaint town of Featherston. Sample one of the freshly made pastries or breads, sip on some great coffee or enjoy something from the extensive lunch menu. The Spanish omelette or Teriyaki chicken salad makes for a nice, light summer meal.
- 22Masterton Bakery and Coffee ShopMastertonThe friendly folks at this cafe serve all sorts of sandwiches, rolls and pies at the right price. The chicken rolls are good and there’s the classic bacon and egg and ham varieties too. Grab a cool milkshake and a sandwich to go, sit in the park just five minutes away and enjoy the sun.
- 31Castlepoint Hotel & GuesthouseCastlepointIf you’re on a day trip out to Castlepoint, you have to stop at the hotel for their $15 lunch specials. Build up an appetite by walking up to the lighthouse or above the lagoon and come to the hotel and pair a nice, chilled beer with classic fish and chips, salt and pepper squid, pasta of the day or nachos and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of this country pub hotel.
- 42Castlepoint StoreCastlepointThere’s nothing like an icy treat at sunny Castlepoint. For a cool, cheap snack after sunbathing or swimming at the beach, grab an icecream or iceblock and chill outside watching the amazing view of the ocean and holiday makers having fun. At only $1-$5, there’s a flavour for all tastes.
- 51Wild Cafe at PukahaMastertonStop in at the Wild Cafe, part of the Pukaha Mt Bruce wildlife sanctuary. Eat out on the deck, overlooking the forest canopy making and soak in the great view. The food is fantastic and reasonable priced with a range of yummy cabinet items and a small menu of light meals, plus everything is made fresh on the premises.
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Healthy takeaways
- 12If you’re hankering for takeaways but you don’t want fish and chips, get some fresh, veggie filled Thai dishes from here. There’s lots to choose from like grilled salads, delicious soups flavoured with lemongrass and lime and tasty stir fries which are a bit better on the waist line and much more tasty than a piece of battered fish. The service is good and you can order over the phone so no waiting.
- 24Sushi PlanetMastertonSo this is only open during the day, but you can pick up a pack of tasty sushi for a healthy dinner later. They have the traditional seaweed rolled sushi with prawn, salmon, seaweed or chicken teriyaki plus California rolls, prawn and salmon on rice, rice balls and miso soup. For an easy, healthy meal, Sushi Planet is a great choice.
- 36The Milk ChurnCartertonSo this is a pizza place but the pizzas aren’t heavy or greasy - think nice, crispy thin bases and you can get them in small, medium or large so you don’t have to go overboard. Try the classic Margarita or the yummy Vesuvio - pepperoni, olives, sundried tomatoes and mushroom. They also have some delicious salads if you need some more veggies on your plate.
- 42Apache Jacks MastertonMastertonTex-Mex can be pretty unhealthy but there actually quite a few options on the Apache Jacks menu for the health conscious. The tacos and fajitas are delicious, the meat is char-grilled, and you can opt out of having the cheese. The Cajun blackened fish is also good, served with veggies or a salad, plus and you can choose a jacket potato instead of fries.
- 52Zest Cafe & CateringMastertonFor fresh sandwiches with nourishing ingredients, Zest have some good options. Kind of like Subway but better! You get to choose the type of bread, fillings and salads, just the way you like it so it’s good if you want to have control over exactly what you’re eating.