For good food Italian-American style, Bonzai Pizzeria has it covered. Take your pick from garlic bread and pizzas from a menu boasting over 20 different pizzas. A good restaurant with friendly service and a great selection of alcoholic beverages.

For good pub-grub or some tasty Italian pizzas, Porto Bello is for you. There’s a great fire to warm up next to during the winter months, and the space is great for a large group or a romantic dinner for two.

This is one quirky cool pizzeria. Jack’s has the most amazing Italian menu staples like Spaghetti Bolognese, Napoletana and Funghi pizzas and Pasta Carbonara. The filling and really tasty meals, are exactly what you need on a cold night on the Little Totara River.

Fat Pipi’s is world famous in Hokitika and a must visit for out-of-towners. The larger indoor and outdoor space is perfect for chowing down slice after slice of delicious pizza. The toppings are always perfect and the service is pretty darn great too. Love Fat Pipi’s!

This waterfront restaurant specialises in seafood and pasta. Choose from pasta dishes like Don Alfredo, Bellisimo and Pasta Napoletana, or seafood dishes such as tuna steak and green lip mussels. The spectacular few tops off what is likely to be a great little meal.

For Italian food made with love, head to Francesca’s in Wanaka. Here you will be served up with authentic Italian cuisine, topped off with some classically Italian hospitality. A must visit when you’re in Wanaka next!

Located in a lovely historic cottage (built way back in 1882), Farelli’s is an Italian restaurant with class. The restaurant started life in 2012, serving up Italian cuisine cooked with local produce and passion.

There are many things to love about Farreli’s - one of them in particular is the Early Bird Special (I’m talking $15 for a pizza or amazing spaghetti bolognese). Make sure you get in between 5.00pm - 6.30pm any day of the week. This is rustic Italian food at its greatest!

For authentic Italian food with views of the spectacular lake, Cafe La Dolce Vita has all your bases covered. The pasta is made fresh and by hand on site - there’s a whole load of dishes to choose from including a handy kids menu for young families.

A fantastic little Pizzeria Restaurant, Naturally Fiordland Cafe, get some tasty pizzas which are easy on the tastebuds and the wallets. There’s free wifi, great service and gluten-free bases are available too!

There’s load of choice at La Toscana, with a massive pizza and pasta menu. The pizza bases are made fresh on site and there is even a great selection of homemade desserts to choose from. A great place to go if you are feeling hungry!

Named after the town in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, Capri Restaurant is a small cafe in Gore. The friendly service will have you coming back for lunch time and time again!

If you love for quality Italian food, at a price you can afford, then check out Venuti on Colombo Street. The slightly barren surrounds add to the uniqueness of the this restaurant. Venuti’s customer service is truly amazing, the wine matches superb, and the meals, out of this world good!

This little Italian restaurant in Akaroa opened in the summer of 2007 and has been a hit with locals ever since. With more of a Mediterranean bent to the angle, you can still expect to find Italian-inspired pizza, tortellini and tiramisu (among others) on the menu.

A High Street mainstay in Rangiora for over twelve years, Capone’s is the restaurant for all your Italian culinary needs. Located in a historical building, Capone’s dishes up the usual delights such as risotto, pasta and pizza, along with rack of New Zealand lamb and pan fried fish.

Let the kids explore the rich history of the West Coast at the History House Museum. Specialising in everything West Coast related pre 1920, the kids will have much to learn and discover. There is an excellent collection of photos and the staff are super informative and helpful!

The Hokitika Swimming Pool is a fun place for kids. There is a pool available for private hire for pool parties (which includes a BBQ and an inflatable pirate!) and there are the obligatory swimming classes. This is a great community swimming pool.

Sign your kids up to the Grey District Aquatic Centre’s Swimming School. Here they will make new friends and, of course, learn to swim. For all different levels and ages, this is a must-do on the kids’ activites list.

Your kids will love trying out martial arts at United Jujitsu. It’s a great activity to keep them fit, and learning a little self defence is an excellent thing! There are junior Jujitsu classes available all year round at United Jujitsu. This is a great school for your boy or girl to go and learning a new skill.

There are loads of things for kids to see and do at Otago Museum. The Museum’s kids programme is full of fun stuff like Discovery Club, a Discovery World Science Show and short film series!

For a fun day out with the kids, try the indoor curling rink. Open every day of the week, all year round, there’s never a bad time to give curling ago, and it’s great for all ages! This Indoor Curling Rink is a great place for kids to learn the sport or just pick up something curling-related from the cute little shop.

For kids with an active imagination or a love for information and history, take them to the Cromwell Museum. Learn about the old Chinatown which used to be in Cromwell during the gold rush, the pioneering women during that period of New Zealand’s history and the various bridges that played a vital role in finding gold!

Get your toddler dancing from an early age and enrol them in classes at Dance Works. This professional and fun dance studio is a nice place where kids feel relaxed and happy to experience themselves through movement. The kids can learn ballet or more modern styles of dance.