Jasmine J.'s
Sunday Brunch
- 12Bank Street Social ClubWhangarei CentralBank Street Social Club is a great place to rock up to brunch on a sleepy old Sunday. They’re open from 9am till 3pm serving their extensive and tasty lunch menu. Last time I went there I had the chicken and avocado burger which came with onion rings AND fries! Two fried things on one plate - I was in heaven.
- 24Two Fish CafeWaipu CoveBrunch on the beach? Why not! The Two Fish Cafe boast an awesome menu that involves lots of delicious Italian-style pizza. You can sit with the friendly couple who own the place or collect your brunch goodies and wander down to the beach to eat with the waves lapping at your toes. Summer perfection.
- 32Cafe Zest & The Waffle RoomKerikeriI come to these guys for their coffee. It’s velvety and creamy every single time. It’s even organic! There’s nothing like having a filling brunch here (go for their eggs benedict) then sipping one of their soy lattes while watching the world go by on the pavement. This is one of my favourite Sunday cafes as I can nip round the corner to the farmers market afterwards.
- 42Birdies CafeKaitaiaBirdies is one of Kaitaia’s gems. They’re a super friendly brunch who bend over backwards to please you. I went there with my little cousins and they were really helpful in accommodating the little ones. We were able to order nachoes for the kids that they split into two in the kitchen, making it one cheap childrens’ feed! The staff kept apologising about the wait but it was hardly anything - maybe ten minutes. Thanks Birdies for the speedy service :D
- 52Trumps Cafe - KaikoheKaikoheThis is one of my regulars when passing through Kaikohe. They’re open for brunch every day except Sunday (fair enough, we all need a rest). I really admire how they take an honest approach to keeping their produce fresh and seasonal. All of their dishes have the just-come-from-the-garden zing!
Jasmine J.'s
Best Campgrounds
- 12Matauri Bay Holiday Park LtdMatauri BayThis is one of my favourite camping spots as meters away you have the wonderful Matauri Bay beach. It’s long with pink shelly sand and a stunning stretch of water that’s great for swimming in. The ocean drops off quite steeply which I like for having a good swim but you’ll want to watch the littles ones. There are great walks close by too such as the Rainbow Warrior memorial on top of the hill. Matauri Bay Holiday Park is a delightful place to spend a summer in, give it a go!
- 22Ahipara Holiday ParkAhiparaFancy a round of golf? Or just want to cut straight to chilling at the 19th hole? Either way you can enjoy the leisure of ocean side golf here at the Ahipara Holiday Park. It’s got something for everyone as they supply level camping grounds, power sites for camper-vans, cabins, motels and a backpackers. Metres away you’ll find yourself at the beach. The holiday park itself has awesome clean facilities and is painted with stunning murals. I always meet the loveliest people here and come away with new friends.
- 31Whangarei Top 10 Holiday ParkWhangarei CentralThis Whangarei Top 10 Holiday Park has made it into my Top 5! It’s super central so you’re only a quick drive to a nice coffee in town. You can even walk to the basin via a great jungley walking track that starts at the edge of the holiday park. The track can take you up a mountain to explore panoramic views of the city. The facilities are clean and practical, they even play groovy music in the bathrooms. This is one of the best Whangarei camping grounds out there, make sure you give it a whirl.
- 44Tapotupotu CampsiteCape ReingaI feel like every Kiwi needs to stay at the very tip of the country. Bedding down in idyllic Tapotupotu Bay is a great experience for adult and child a like. Cape Reinga seems like a different world considering how remote it is and the slightly stopped-in-time lives people lead up there. It definitely feels more like island time! This campsite is calm, serene and balmy in the summer time. The ocean normally laps gently at the beach so you can paddle around without being hyper-vigilant about the little ones. At $6 a night for an adult it’s some of the cheapest accommodation you’ll ever find too!
- 51Puketi Recreation AreaOkaihauPuketi forest is a great remote, true-blue kiwi camping site. It’s on DOC land which means no bringing your pets with you, but it also means there is a marvelous cacophony of bird song every twilight. The camping grounds are an ideal base to explore the forest. There are numerous walking and tramping tracks with varying levels of difficulty. You can easily walk five minutes and find yourself the only one around - magic! For the cave-people among us you can get hunting permits for goats and pigs from the DOC office.
Jasmine J.'s
Where to go for a long lunch
- 12The best pinot gris of my life is what I tasted here. These guys really know how to wine and dine you. Their wines are miraculous and they know so much about them it’s easy to get the perfect one for you and your discerning taste buds. I came here for a work lunch and we got some tasting plates to share. Every little nibble was delicious. You’ll get lost sipping and supping Marsden fare amongst their romantic grapevines in the dappled sunlight.
- 23Karikari EstateKarikari PeninsulaThis place is bliss when you’ve got a few languid hours to spend sipping premium wines and sampling taste sensations. Do their wine tasting first so you know what wines you’re after and you get a bit of a rundown of the place. Then once you start to feel a wee bit giddy head over to enjoy their alfresco dining. I recommend the Northland platter which comes with a selection of breads, olives, smoked salmon, pastrami, eggplant, cheeses and more. This is the little France of the north!
- 32Ziezo RestaurantKerikeriVintage minty green is how this restaurant and weekend-lunch-spot presents itself. Crisp white linen accented with teal paint makes everything look clean and refreshing. The owners are super lovely with the American wife at front of house and her Dutch husband preparing the food. I had the Morrocan chicken on risotto which was spicy and tangy and perfectly filling. Then the sticky date cake with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream was the perfect finish.
- 42Frog & Kiwi RestaurantMangawhaiIf there’s anyone who knows how to have a long lunch, it’s the French! These guys are a real treat so you should take your time to languidly enjoy their lunch menu. My beef carpaccio was amazing, while the venison and duck were tenderly cooked. Frog & Kiwi are worth every penny!
- 51Posh Nosh CafeKerikeriWhen in Kerikeri do as the locals do and pop into Posh Nosh for a lengthy lunch. These guys know their food - it’s prepared and presented immaculately and their coffee is top knotch. I recommend one of their scrummy quiches!
Jasmine J.'s
Cheap Eats
- 14Chang Siam Thai RestaurantKerikeriDine in or take out at this awesomely authentic Thai restaurant. You can get a whole meal for under $15 but I’d recommend taking a few compadres and getting a few dishes to share. I LOVE their green curry, or Gang Keaw Waan as it’s called on the menu.
- 22The Rusty Tractor ticks all my boxes! It serves delicious, massive and reasonably priced food. I got the biggest chicken sandwich of my life there (I ordered it because I was totally envious of the next table’s food). My smoked-chicken-pita-bread-of-heaven came with a big crunchy serving of fries too. This place is really family friendly and has lots of room and toys for kids to muck around on while the grown ups lap up the chilled out ambience and quality food and beverages.
- 31Top RoastsKaitaiaFancy some good ol kiwi fare? Top Roasts on Commerce St in Kaitaia serves up juicy, hearty meals. They’re really reasonably priced and it’s good food to share with the whanau as everyone can pick and choose a good mix of what they like. My favourite part is the pork crackling with gravy - so naughty but SO good!
- 41Foreshores Fish and ChipsKarikari PeninsulaWhat would a cheap summer eats list be without a fish and chip shop? This Kaitaia local consistently serves up golden battered fish and crunchy, salty chips. It’s the kind of meal that you end licking your fingers in glee. They’re generous with their portion sizes and cook up a variety of takeaway food such as sausages, burgers, chips and onion rings. At only $5 for fish and $3.50 for a hot dog this Fish and Chip shop is ideal!
Jasmine J.'s
Healthy Takeaways
- 13Cafe JerusalemKerikeriHidden away in a sweet cobble-stoned alley way in one of Northland’s buzziest towns is Cafe Jerusalem. It’s as vibrant and colourful as it is tasty. I had the vege plate which is a mix of levivot (vegetable fritters essentially) and falafel. The levivot was soft and creamy while the falafel came in round balls that were wonderfully crunchy. There was a great deal of food and the perfect mix of salad, rice and protein meant it made for an easy and nutritious takeaway too - win win! Don’t forget to check out their glam jewellery on the wall too.
- 23North Indian Food KaitaiaKaitaiaKaitaia wasn’t called that for nothing. Kai = food! The North Indian takeaways take it to a whole new level. Yes there are delicious buttery chickens and crunchy samosas, but if you want to keep it healthy like me then opt for one of their daahls or my fave - palak paneer. It’s a curry made out of lightly spiced spinach and a type of pressed cheese. Bonus points for keeping it vegetarian :)
- 31Kebabs TakeawayWhangarei CentralI don’t know about you but when I get hungry my stomach seems to form a perfectly kebab-shaped hole that only a juicy chicken kebab can fill. Kebabs Takeaway in Whangarei is my usual pit-stop on my way yonder into the Far North. I always fill up in Whangarei for the cheap gas and grabs a kebab from these guys while I’m at it. I recommend getting the minted yogurt and spicy chilli dressing, the contrast between hot and cold is the best ever.
- 42If Whangarei is too busy and you just want to grab something on the run try out Happy Dragon Chinese Takeaways in Kamo. They’ll make you salivate with their scintillating saucy specialities such as combination fried rice, beef in black bean sauce and sweet & sour pork. It’s best to rock up as a family because their portions are large and you’ll want to try a bit of everything! Some of my favourite healthy options are the chicken with seasonable vegetables, omelette with a side of steamed rice.
- 51Vinnies TakeawaysPaihiaYou can’t get much more idyllic than the beachfront of Paihia. Fortunately that’s where Vinnies Takeaways is located! Vinnie serves up an awesome array of kiwi fare, from not-so-healthy fish and chips to not-so-bad-for-a-small-town burgers and baps. You may even get to try one of his marvelous egg, bacon and cheese baps with plum sauce. Meeting the man himself is part of the adventure too. He’ll point you in the right direction, tell you about the secret local hideouts and let you pat his friendly dog.
Jasmine J.'s
Coffee!
- 112Remedy CoffeeAuckland CentralBest staff
- 250Revel CafeAuckland CentralQuirky and cool
- 333Alleluya Bar & CafeNewtonGorgeous atrium
- 418Richmond Road CafeGrey LynnComplimentary sparkling water
- 510Fred's Espresso & Soda BarPonsonbyCute and comfy