Take a peek inside Temuka Treasures and discover for yourself an excellent array of antiques and collectables. Packed to the brim with country antiques and Kiwiana, your bags will be bulging when you leave.

If you’re seeking out interesting items from Christchurch past including glass and wooden boxes, head to this place on Papanui Road. There’s also a great collection of Cornish ware and many other fine antiques!

A cute wee shop in Ashburton, there’s a great selection of antiques and collectables. Whenever I’m heading through Ashburton I always take a trip specialise to The Cat’s Whiskers, especially for the kitchenware!

Mac’s is the place to go for second-hand tools and equipment for the farm, garden or home. The equipment here is super high quality and strong so don’t expect any cheap China-made equipment here. This stuff is built to last.

Foragers is a nice surprise on Ferry Road. This place is a real treat and I always go there if I’m looking to pick something up for my kitchen, living room or bedroom. The quality and range of products here is second-to-none even when it’s all second hand!

For secondhand goods, antiques and collectables, swing by Trash Converters. I always stop by on my way down to Dunedin. For the kids there are Hot Wheels and Star Wars figurines and for the adults there are glass bottles and furniture to fill your house with.

If you ever find yourself between Invercargill and Dunedin then take yourself to Black Cottage Trading. Here you’ll find a ridiculously good mix of antiques and collectables that will make your heart melt and your wallet burn a massive hole.

This cave-like secondhand store in Dunedin is filled to the roof with boxes, shelves and (mainly) cups and saucers for you to peruse. It’s a happy messy in here and you’re bound to find that piece of kitchenware to love forever.

If you don’t like buying new equipment and tools then Hampden Stores has all your second hand delights. Why buy new when you can buy quality? Pick up garden equipment, tools, farm items and wagon wheels, along with pretty things like glassware and table cloths.

Riverton may seem like a long way to go for antiques, but Earthware store is worth it, I promise! Specialising in vintage clothing, LP records, furniture, china and general bric-a-brac, this place is super intriguing. Full of interesting antiques and collectables, go see for yourself and pick up something awesome.

Not a business you’d expect to find in Bluff, A Touch of Bluff is super cool. Head inside and pick up unusual bits and pieces from tools, bottles and ceramics to furniture and retrowares. I picked up some cool vintage pictures for a steal way back in 2013!

This shop is huge so if you want to get lost for a day in an antiques store, this one is for you. Hubbers Emporium is a really big antiques and collectables shop that has something for everyone. If you’re thinking furniture, homewares, clothes, pottery and jewellery, head along and see what you can score for yourself.

For vintage clothing and furniture in Invercargill, look no further than Axis. The selection of vintage dresses is superb and I like heading over to Axis when the weather turns cold to find myself a unique wooly hat.

Foragers is a nice surprise on Ferry Road. This place is a real treat and I always go there if I’m looking to pick something up for my kitchen, living room or bedroom. The quality and range of products here is second-to-none even when it’s all second hand!

For the best chocolate cake in Hokitka may I recommend to you, Stella Cafe. The chocolate cake here has lashings of chocolate ice cream with a side of perfectly sweet cream. The only issue with the cake is the piece is never as big as you want it - can we just have the whole cake?!!!

Oh Sweet Alice, how you make such mighty fine chocolate fudge. Hokitika is lucky to have you. Whenever I’m in town I head to Sweet Alice’s Fudge Kitchen - she uses only the finest ingredients and there are no preservatives or nasties in these bad boys, only pure cane sugar, cream and glucose syrup.

Bread and chocolate are the perfect combo. For the best bread and chocolate this side of Arthur’s Pass, head to Stone Oven Bakery. The pain au chocolat and chocolate croissants are so good you’ll want to stuff you face with them every single day. You’ll never get sick of them if you do.

Not only can you get a bargain lunch, a delicious flat white and free wifi, but you can also get yourself a mean hot chocolate. Produced by the baristas of Cafe Neve in Fox Glacier, you won’t be disappointed with their milk, rich and sweet hot chocolates - they’re like a meal in themselves!

For all dark chocolate flavours, Richfields is a top spot. The rich and dark chocolate bars have no added sugar so except chocolate that is perfectly bitter in taste. It’s a sophisticated chocolate brand with the minimum amount of cocoa being 70%. This chocolate will blow your mind!

Van H. have been making high quality European chocolates for as long as I can remember. Churning out handmade chocolate that is so freaking delicious you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. There are no preservatives, no colours, no additives - just pure delicious chocolate. Go visit them today!

My favourite Hanmer hangout. Whenever I’m craving something sweet I take a trip to The Lolly Pot. Of course lollies feature massively on the shelves of The Lolly Pot, they also sell a mean chocolate bar. You can get chocolate from NZ, UK, the USA and even Germany - so if you’re an expat or simply on holiday then you’ll always get a taste of home at The Lolly Pot.

For the most deliciously decadent fudge this side of the Heathcote River, Finn’s Fudge is the place. The fudge craftsmanship is epic and the flavour is so good you’ll take some home for the whole family to share. Great for personal eating, corporate events, gifts and fundraisers.

So Cookie Time is like my favourite place in the whole wide world. Why? Well, not only are the cookies amazing but you get a sneak peek into the factory and you can eat as many broken cookie pieces you can manage. Need I say more?

Craving something sweet? Satisfy your sweet tooth at The Fudge Cottage. This place started off in Christchurch and has spread its wings south. The chocolate fudge is my favourite - I could eat bucket loads of stuff!

The fine Belgian chocolates here are to die for! Whenever I’m in dunedin I head straight there for my chocolate fix. The handy little location and very rare chocolates they have for sale, all help to make this place one of my favourie chocolate suppliers in Otago!

The country’s very first bean-to-bar single origin artisan chocolate maker, White Rabbit Cacao has a loyal following for their amazing tasting chocolate. I’m a fan of their Venezuela Ocumare and Dominican Republic. If you can’t get south then you can get your hands on a few bars via their online store.

For organic chocolate that tastes freakin’ delicious, then you must try Wanaka Chocolate! All handmade and come in snacking size (perfect for any occasion!) you must try the Simply Orange and Simply Mint - they’re ridicuously good!

For chocolate heaven on earth, Koko Black is the place. This slick, sophisticated and incredibly chocolate store in the heart of Queentown is tops. Your heart will melt when you see the chocolate and the displays - this is fashionable chocolate if ever you’ve seen it!