Caroline C.'s
Super Value Salads
- 18The mixed bowl of salad from the cabinet at Founders is great value and very tasty - three different salads for under $10 and very tasty they were too- Great for lunch to to accompany a tasting platter at this gorgeous cafe.
- 25DeVille CafeNelsonDeville do a yummy Caesar Salad: Caesar salad with bacon, greens, poached egg, anchovy and grana padana on toasted brioche with either roasted garlic or blue vein aioli for $18. You can add chicken or smoked salmon - always fresh and very tasty.
- 33Panama Kitchen & BarNelsonNew to Hardy St, Panama does a yummy grilled Haloumi Salad with beetroot, asparagus, tomato, capsicum & char-grilled bread salad & balsamic reduction. Generous portion of Haloumi and you can choose gluten free bread should you need to . Available in small ($17) or Large ($20) and very good value.
- 43The Boat Shed CafeNelsonOne of my favourite salad orders in Nelson - the grilled prawn salad with feta, avocado, cress, rocket, endive, black olives, lemon & mint for $19.50 is good and tasty for lunch or a light supper. The lemon and mint really brings out the flavours of the prawns, yummy
Caroline C.'s
Best Beaches
- 11Cable Bay BeachCable BayThis is my number one summer swimming beach -mainy because it’s only half an hour by car from town but feels a little bit remote and special. There’s a great camp ground there and also a cafe, so nice place to hang out for a day or two, but also perfect for a beach picnic or evening swim. It’s a lovely sheltered cove with safe swimming, no nasty currents and usually pretty quiet even in the height of summer
- 22Rabbit IslandRabbit IslandRabbit Island is one of Nelson’s favourite summertime beach hang outs. People flock here but it never seems to matter how busy it is, you can always find a shady spot to park, picnic, play cricket or just lie back with a book. The beach is flat and sandy, ideal for sandcastles and beach games, and the pine trees in the reserve behind provide welcome shade on hot days. There are barbecues, toilets, showers and changing rooms, and also some nice family orientated cycle tracks as well
- 31Tata BeachGolden BayTata Beach is my favourite Golden Bay beach - it’s reasonably sheltered, has lovely golden sand and if you are feeling adventurous you can kayak or paddle board out to the Tata Islands a little way off shore. And when the tide is high its lovely to swim or paddle around the rocks at the western end of the beach - look out for seals - and round into the tidal inlet behind. Perfect holiday beach.
- 41Rocks Road Swimming SpotNelsonThis isn’t really a beach but well worth knowing about . Park at the Basin Car park on Rocks Road and walk along the road towards Tahunanui until you see a ladder down to the rocks below. At high tide you can swim straight off the rocks in to the sea and wave at the cars going by on Rocks Road. A very Nelson thing to do, especially on a warm evening.
- 53Wharariki BeachGolden BayGet out of town and head west to Wharariki Beach - this is a stunning West Coast Beach at the top of the South Island, at the western end of Golden Bay. It’s foot access only and takes about 20 minutes to walk from the car park to the beach, but well worth the effort. There are amazing rock formations, massive sand dunes and crashing waves. It can be very windy here though and there are often seals here. This is a wonderful beach for walking and fossicking, and is part of the Puponga Farm Park, so lots of other places to explore as well
Caroline C.'s
Best Fishing Spots
- 11Mapua WharfMapuaAnother wharfy fishing spot - again plenty of cafes etc around for a coffee break, and a strong tidal pull here so maybe go for high tide. There is no commercial activity here apart from the bike ferry, but lots of sailing boats moored in the river mouth. If it’s warm you can entertain yourself between reeling in the fish by jumping off the wharf.
- 21Wakefield QuayNelsonWakefield Quay is a little hive of activity on a sunny weekend when the tide is in. It’s close to the port so look out for ships coming in and out, but there are often fishermen there - young and old, waiting for a bite. Why is this spot so good? It’s close to town, handy for a coffee at the restaurant on the quay, there is parking close by and if you don’t catch anything there’s Guytons fishmonger right there so you can always fake it with a bought fish for dinner!
- 33Tahunanui Back BeachTahunanuiHead down to the back beach for a spot of surf casting to catch a snapper or two. Park at the westerly end of the Tahuna Beach car park and its not far to walk to the water’s edge. The tide can be strong here but at low tide you can cast out into the middle of the channel, just watch out for dog walkers and kite surfers.
- 41Boulder BankWakapuakaThere are lots of options to fish around the Boulder Bank - if you have a boat then head out through the cut and fish on the seaward side - there have been good snapper out there this year. If you don’t have a boat then road access is at The Glen or closer to town down Boulder Bank drive - good surfcasting along here most of the time.
Caroline C.'s
Best ice cream shops
- 18Penguino’s is handily situated in an arcade off Trafalgar St and is good enough to have a mention in Lonely Planet. The gelato is all made on the premises, and there’s a great range of regular and "special" flavours. Customers can suggest a flavour and if it is successful they get… free ice creams! Gelato is lower in fat than traditional ice cream so it’s almost healthy, and they also have dairy free sorbet available.
- 210Toad Hall Store & CafeMotuekaI always stop here on my away through Motueka for a Real Fruit Ice Cream. as T.O.A.D Hall is famous for it’s Real Fruit Ice Creams. They use both ice cream and frozen yoghurt and have a large variety of flavours available. Their berries are always sourced locally if possible. and they also offer a variety of gelatos and sorbets . If you are dairy free, they have fruit frostys and sorbets on offer and also have the option of Gluten Free cones, catering to all needs. But best of all they just taste good.
- 31Mapua Wharf is a great destination for a sunny day - by bike or by car - and once you get there there are several options of refreshment but if it’s ice cream you are after go to Hamish’s cafe. Named after Mapua’s resident White Heron, Hamish’s serves over 20 flavours of real fruit ice cream made with local berries, and has an outdoor seating area where you can sit and watch the bike ferry go in and out. The ice creams are generously sized and delicious.
- 41Upper Moutere On The SpotUpper MoutereDriving through the Moutere Hills on a hot sunny day deserves and ice cream. Stop in the village for craft galleries, the Lutheran Church and some great ice cream. Made with local berries, fresh fruit ice cream from here is yummy. They also do coffees and snacks.
Caroline C.'s
Best fish and chips
- 12Milton Street TakeawayNelson EastThis is within walking distance of my house and right next door to a really good pub, so it gets my vote for best fish and chips (but I am probably biased!). The service is quick, the portions generous, the menu goes well beyond the usual basics and best of all, you can go next door for a pint at the Sprig and Fern and they will deliver your piping hot food to you there.
- 21Haven Fish & ChipsStepneyvilleLocated on Wakefield Quay right by the sea, this is the place to go for yummy hot fish and chips to eat from the wrapper on the Quay. On a summer’s evening it’s the perfect spot, and Haven Fish and Chips is a very popular take away - the food is high quality, fast service and fresh, fresh fish. Can’t recommend highly enough.
- 31The Sands Fish & ChipsTahunanuiThe Sands Fish and Chips is located on Rocks Road right opposite Tahunanui Beach and has won awards for its fish and chips. Nice place to sit outside and eat, the food is fresh and hot, great chips, friendly service. Mussels, cod, gluten free options, and a real beachy summertime feel about the place
- 42Anchor Restaurant & BarPort NelsonNot so much a take away, but the place to go for excellent fish and chips eaten outside by the sea. The Anchor is a pub-turned restaurant located right next to Nelson Marina, with a nice outdoor eating area. Their fish and chips are always hot, crispy and full of flavour, as is the service and the rest of the menu.
Caroline C.'s
Best Restaurants
- 15Mint Dining RoomNelsonKnown for it’s award winning food by chef Grant Dicker, Mint is tucked away in the back streets of Nelson but well worth searching out. Mint serves, as far as possible, local food and produce so you can be sure the chestnuts in your local chestnut and white chocolate cake with chai latte sorbet and poached mandarins came from trees growing not too far from here. Yum.
- 21HopgoodsNelsonHopgoods has long held a reputation as Nelson’s best restaurant - against some very stiff competition. The short but flavoursome menu, which changes regularly, features some real delights - warm olives and truffle butter, beef carpaccio, pork belly - lots of yummy fusion flavours and fresh, local ingredients. The ambiance is excellent - casual but plenty of attention to detail. Highly recommended.
- 32Ford's Restaurant & BarNelsonLocated almost next door to Hopgoods, Ford’s has always provided stiff competition and has definitely made its mark in Nelson. Vegetarian, seafood and meat eaters are all well catered for in a menu rich in contemporary New Zealand cuisine . Head chef and owner Gary Ford has won many awards. Ford’s has indoor and outdoor dining, a more secluded area upstairs, great service and is a good place to go for lunch, dinner or even wine and tapas.
- 43The Boat Shed CafeNelsonA Nelson icon located on the waterfront on Rocks Road, the Boat Shed has seen a few owners but the current management have re-established this lovely restaurant as a great place to eat. Try ‘Trust the Chef’ for a selection of the best of the menu -and wash it down with some gorgeous Nelson wines. The location is superb for a summer night’s dining, there are lots of seafood options but plenty of other choices as well.
- 59East Street Cafe has a cool little outdoor eating area and a very well priced menu - the food is not glamorous but it is fresh and tasty and of course healthy being meat free. Nice place to go on a summer evening, and they often have live music.