Caroline C.'s
Best pies in Nelson
- 11The Lunch StopNelson SouthLocated out on Pascoe Street, Tahunanui, this place won the best pie competition in 2012. They use good quality meat and the pastry is crisp and flaky. Delicious.
- 210Toad Hall Store & CafeMotuekaGreat place for a lunchtime pie with lots of different flavours - venison, blue cheese etc as well as the usual suspects. Toad Hall offers great service and high quality food - their pies don’t disappoint.
- 31Washington Valley StoreWashington ValleyA good pie can be had here, tucked away in the back streets of Nelson. Try the Chilli Con Carne pies for something a bit different. Lots of flavour and good pastry.
- 41WestmeatRichmondWestmeat in Richmond does awesome Scallop Pies. Lovely creamy flavour and good pastry. Buy them frozen and heat them up to eat for lunch, yum!
- 51Rolling Pin BakeryMotuekaThe award winning Rolling Pin in Motueka does a delicious scallop pie with bacon and onion in it. Very tasty! It is a traditional kiwi bakery with pies, rolls and breads, lots of good old fashioned kiwi food.
Caroline C.'s
Best of beef and lamb in Nelson
- 15Mint Dining RoomNelsonMint’s chef Grant Dicker has won hallmark of excellence awards from NZ Beef and Lamb and the Trip Advisor Certificate of excellence. Currently on the menu is ightly smoked angus beef sirloin, reubin tortellini, beetroot gratin, feta, beef cheek & mushroom goulash, or try lamb rump, braised shoulder parcel, shepard’s pie cos lettuce, parsnip purée, truffle. Worth going out for even on a cold winter night.
- 21If you want real European quality meat then Philipe is the guy to go to - his little butchery in Nelson’s Marble Arch arcade is treasure trove of quality meat - beef and lamb included - all prepared to perfection. He’ll do special cuts and preparations for you and always has lovely little extras to tempt the taste buds.
- 31Marcel'sNelsonOtherwise known as the Butcher, The Baker and the Chocolate Maker, Marcel has an excellent range of fresh meats on sale at his lovely shop in Morrison Square, Nelson. He sells quality NZ Beef and Lamb as well as bakery items and some yummy home made chocolates.
- 45If you want someone else to cook your beef for you try the angus steak at Hopgoods: Pure Angus beef fillet, mushroom gratin, parmesan polenta & pine nut salsa verde. Yummy. Hopgood’s has a reputation as Nelson’s finest dining and lives up to the hype. Located on Trafalgar St near the Cathdral.
Caroline C.'s
Where to take your dog in Nelson
- 13Beach CafeTahunanuiClose to the back beach at Tahunanui, these guys do goof coffee and lunches and are close to the dog walking area at the back beach, so I often go here after a dog walk along the beach at low tide. There’s plenty of outside seating and places to tie the pooch up in the shade
- 23Maitai ValleyNelsonThe Maitai Valley is a great place to take your dog for a walk - nice long footpaths, (look out for mountain bikers) and a network of tracks to explore. Enter from the west end of Nile Street, plenty of parking and doggy foo bags available!
- 33Suter CafeNelsonAfter a walk in the Maitai, stop at the Suter Cafe (by Queen’s Gardens) - close to the river on Bridge Street. There’s an outside deck area where you can sit and keep an eye on fido, and nice shady trees for him to sit under if it’s hot. The staff will often bring him out some water if they are not too busy.
- 42Grampian WalkwayNelsonThe Grampian Walkway is accessed from the top of Trafalgar Street. It’s a good steep climb up to the TV aerial on the top - with excellent views across Nelson and Tasman. Lots of nice fossicking for doggy friends in amongst the trees. There are stock on the walkway so make sure you can keep your dog under control before you head up here. Melrose house is handy for coffee after….
- 51Teetotal FlatsSaint ArnaudThe Teetotal dog walking reserve at St Arnaud is worth knowing about - most of the other walking areas here are out of bounds to dogs (it’s a National Park) so this is one of the few places you can go to give the dog a run. It’s located on the West side of the township, just along the main road.
Caroline C.'s
Where to go for dinner and a movie
- 13State Cinema NelsonNelsonState Cinema Nelson has its won in-house Pizzeria, Stefano’s. It’s the perfect combination for a pizza (or pasta) before or after the movie. You can take your wine or coffee into the theatre with you and the food is always excellent and well priced. It does get busy so allow plenty of time before the movie for your dinner.
- 23The GeckoMotuekaMotueka’s Independent Cinema shows a great selection of worldwide quality films in a relaxed comfortable setting. They have a good mix of indie/arthouse movies and two cinemas available. Comfy seats (It’s just like your living room only with a bigger screen), snacks and coffee available. For dinner go down the street to Chokdee….
- 33Chokdee ThaiNelsonThis is the best place to eat in Motueka - grab a Thai meal here before your trip to the Gecko. Chokdee has great service, excellent value for money and tasty Thai flavours. It’s not flash or expensive and a very good option for a casual night out with family or friends. They also do take aways which are very good value - order in advance and pick up after the movie!
- 42Village TheatreTakakaGolden Bay’s little Village Theatre shows a great mix of new releases and film festival movies. Located on Commercial Street in Takaka, the Village Theatre is a non-profit cinema with comfortable seating and state of the art digital projection and 3D capability. They even have their own film festival. The Village Theatre offers a range of movies catering to all tastes as well as live shows, events, fundraisers and special interest films.
- 51Eatery on the RockTakakaIf you need somewhere to eat before or after a movie at the Village Theatre, the Eatery on the Rock is a good bet. It ranks no.1 on Trip Advisor for restaurants in Takaka. The food is excellent - tasty and interesting, lots of choice. The service is excellent and the hosts, who also run an accommodation business on site, are very friendly.
Caroline C.'s
Nelson's Best Family Outings
- 16ProkartsTahunanuiThis is a cool place for a fun family excursion. Karts are available for kids as young as three (with an adult co-driver!), plus the fun karts for age 9 and over, and the Pro Karts for 14 and over. Run a group race for the whole family, or just enjoy a cool cruise around the track seeing who is the fastest in the family.
- 23Family outings extrordinaire at the Gentle Cycling Company. If you want to give family biking a go, hire bikes here and head off for a day on the Great Taste Trail. They have lovely comfort bikes, kiddie seats and even a toddler trailer, plus they know all the good places to go - where to stop for afternoon tea, how to avoid the hills and how long it will take you to get from A to B.
- 32Rainbow Ski AreaSaint ArnaudMid Winter fun for all ages here - in the snow of course. Rainbow Ski is a hybrid club field with professional tuition, great memberhsip packages and excellent facilities. It’s located just East of the St Arnaud township. There’s a shuttle up the access road, a cafe, ski hire and beginner, intermediate and advanced ski options. Tuition is available for all levels of ability and even if you are not a skier, it;s good to relax in the cafe and watch the kids having fun.
- 42Anatoki SalmonGolden BayThere’s something about the thrill of giving a kid his or her first experience of catching a live fish. Entry to Anatoki Salmon, in glorious Golden Bay, is free. The ponds are full of glossy salmon waiting to be caught, and you only pay for what you catch, You can then have the fish prepared to take home for dinner or eat it at the cafe there. Yum and fun all in one go.
- 52Wilsons Abel Tasman LtdMotuekaNelson is the gateway to the Abel Tasman, and Wilson’s do a great job of getting people out in to the park. They have excellent day walk options - drop off and pick up, in between which you walk between the park’s beautiful sandy beaches, have a picnic on the sand and introduce your family to the delights of Nelson’s best known National Park. Wilson’s also have kayak hire, multi day itineraries and can arrange accommodation in the park.
Caroline C.'s
Where to find the best comfort food
- 13Hot soup on a cold rainy day gets my vote. Plus it’s a bright friendly place with lots of creative people and yummy baking. Enough to make you forget the winter blues and put a smile on your face!
- 25DeVille CafeNelsonThis is a great favourite all year round but in winter the outdoor area is heated with big gas heaters, and they provide blankets for your chilly knees. There’s also plenty of warm indoor space, a great breakfast and lunch menu, and once a month they have live music on a friday night. Excellent cheese scones and great blackboard menu.
- 33Located on the Mapua Wharf, even in the winter this place is nice to visit. On a crisp winter day you can sit outside and enjoy the vista of the Waimea Estaury and Rabbit Island , and if it’s chilly then head indoors for hot soup or coffee.
- 42Riverside Community CentreLower MoutereGreat winter cafe - warm fire, hot soup (parsnip and tomato last time I was there) and a warm snuggly ambiance. This cafe is part of the Riverside Community and the food is an eclectic mix of cultures, always well made and tasty and not too expensive.
- 53Suter CafeNelsonLocated at the back of Nelson’s iconic Suter Gallery, this cafe overlooks the ponds in the Queen’s Gardens and is a favourite lunch spot for its delicious fresh food and great ambiance. The big windows mean whatever the weather you feel like you are in a greenhouse, and it’s a good place for kids in the winter as they have a safe indoor play area.