A grand building and an extraordinary experience to match. Impeccable service and the beautifully presented food can’t be faulted. The locally grown wines are some of the best in the land. On a calm sunny day you can see it all – a vineyard setting and an elevated sea view across the Pacific Ocean framed by the chalky cliffs of Cape Kidnappers. A wonderful destination.

Impressive Indian food, which equals the very attentive and personal service. The food is scrumptious, the menus divine and the wide variety enables diners to choose anything from shared small plates through to banquet-sized meals. Situated in the Art deco quarter the building has been tastefully modernised, while retaining its historic origins. A selection of private dining booths offer an intimate experience. A favourite with international visitors and locals.

It’s hard to decide which is best – the food or the service. Hosts Steve and Ruth Beere have the recipe right with the menu and understated service perfected. Mint offers a stylish casual or romantic dining experience on beautifully set white table clothes, and with a variety of private spaces the restaurant is equally suited to host an important meeting. The food is a beautiful visual palette of tastes set it the contemporary interior of an 1897 historic house on Marine Parade.

Thanks to the founding Marist brothers in 1851 the first New Zealand vineyard was born and an outstanding historic venue remains. Mission Estate Winery always provides the personal touch along with consistently great service, and beautifully cooked and presented food. The setting is beautiful with a manicured formal lawn, fountain and gardens, and extensive views across Napier.

An exquisite space in a beautiful historic venue and garden with lots of wow factor. It’s popular for weddings and events and offers The Villa and The Wine Cellar as a smaller dining option when booked. It’s renowned for superb food and a sophisticated night out and has an excellent wine list.

Buzzy, funky, relaxed with a unique Bohemian vibe. And you’ve got to love pink, because Pipi’s is hot and pink. It has seriously good pizza, great deserts and is a favourite with locals and out-of-towners. So if you like eating in a fun cosy atmosphere, with lots of noise and charm, this is the pick.

Great fast-food pizzas for the family, with some good online specials and for those fussy eaters you can even build your own. Among the traditional are some hunky options for meat-lovers. Try the chilli lime pulled pork and there’s even a kiwi all day breakfast pizza. Vegetarians aren’t left out with a deli vege and camembert option. Some good sides and yummy deserts.

From Napier to Hastings and Havelock North and everywhere in between you will see the pink iconic food truck all over Hawkes Bay. You may have to fight off the crowds at its regular weekly spots and if there’s a special event on it will probably be there. The pizzas are as good as Pipi’s restaurant and gluten free bases and ice cream deserts are available. To find out where they are this week download the Pipi app or find out more at www.pipitruck.co.nz.

True Italian style thin based crispy bases topped with delicious tastes and cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven. Eat at the beach or enjoy with a glass of wine from nearby Milk & Honey restaurant or preorder your pizza to snack at the village movie local The Globe Theatrette.

Yummy gourmet wood-fired pizzas served with one of the best views in the Bay right on West Quay overlooking The Marina. Try the Asian-inspired Jaydn Duck – roast duck, hoisin sauce, cucumber, spring onion and coriander or the Retro General Lee – smoked chicken, avocado, blue cheese and cranberry. Enjoy a glass of Hawke’s Bay wine from the extensive wine list in this historic wharf building.

Share the love and seduce the senses with plates of hand-picked produce from a lovingly nurtured garden, crafted and cooked under the expert eye of award-winning chef Francky Godinho, and interlaced with the best of Hawke’s Bay wines. Whether it’s for a relaxed lunch or an elegant evening meal it will be a memorable and charming French provincial experience under the summer vines.

Whether you want to bring the love back into your relationship, pop the question, or for a truly special occasion in a fine dining restaurant never underestimate the power of a romantic backdrop. The Marina Restaurant is set in a beautiful historic building, with crisp white table clothes, sparkling glassware, top-notch food and the right amount of French influence and should never fail to impress.

You can’t get much closer to the seaside than this. Sit beachside with a cocktail or glass of bubbles. Hold hands under the table or simply watch the world pass by and be seduced by beautiful ocean views and the sounds of breaking surf. The Boardwalk is open for brunch until late and has a menu loaded with choice, to suit everyone.

Express your love with a romantic dinner for two in intimate elegant surroundings under the care of professional attentive staff and food to die for. Lots of different spaces in which to hide away. Finish dinner with a decadent chocolate dessert.

Exceptional, unpretentious and a superb restaurant food experience all in Sir James Watties former country homestead. Make it an all-nighter and have a romantic get-a-way in one of the 12 suites and take advantage of the magnificent grounds and facilities, among them the spa retreat, tennis court and outdoor pool. Your partner will love you forever.

If you love local let the committed team of experts at HTL Hardware source the right product for you. They’ve got some big customers on their books and have been in business for 34 years so know their stuff. One hundred per cent satisfaction guaranteed.

A lush green lawn is the instant way to complete your outside living spaces. All it takes to establish one is a daily watering for a couple of weeks and within a few days those precious life-giving roots will start to thrive. Instant Green offer a range of services and expertise to suit both smaller residential and large-scale projects.

Some of this stuff looks just like new – Better Used Furniture has a huge range of modern, second-hand and antique furniture to suit any make-over. Run by the same family since 1981 they are the largest dealers in The Bay and you are bound to find something just right, even for a little bit of retro or a preloved piece you can flick a bit of paint over.

If it’s time to get that dream bathroom and kitchen underway, Steeles have an extensive showroom in Karamu Road showcasing the latest trends. With 30 years servicing The Bay the locally owned and operated team of experts will make sure you select the right product for your job making the decision process less painful. Don’t delay, because right now Steeles is offering their design service free.

Three generations in the business and 50 years of building around Hawke’s Bay – you can’t much more established than that. Jason Brittin runs a team of experience builders who can take your project right through to completion, whether it’s for new builds, alterations and renovations or landscaping and pools.

At the helm of this main-street café is master baker, John van der Berk, known for his award-winning pies. They also do superb breakfasts – try the Big Bakers breakfast, with bacon and sausages, eggs, tomatoes, hash browns and ciabatta toast with options of steak or mushroom sides, or for the sweet tooth how about the French Toast Stacker. Either dine inside or sit out and watch life in the Art Deco city slip by.

This bakery café is a great spot to sit outside under the budding vines and people-watch while savouring the tasty breakfast and lunch treats. It’s said by some to have the best coffee in the village.

This groovy and popular café has the best spot on Tennyson Street to soak up the morning sun. You can always guarantee a good coffee and there’s plenty of counter food and an excellent brunch menu, with vegetarian options. Busy and buzzing.

A funky eatery with a great breakfast/lunch menu, full of character and fabulous baked goodies and known for a wide range of gluten-free options. Warm and cosy in winter and uplifting in summer, with doors opening out to the pavement tables.

Stretch out the day and unwind under the vines on Sunday November 9, at Clearview: The Winemaker’s Long Table Lunch. Dine on a specially prepared four-course menu inspired by fresh local produce matched with selected Clearview wines. For more information visit www.fawc.co.nz.

If you’re over 18-years-old this is a wonderful opportunity to have a very long two-day lunch. The much-celebrated Labour Weekend festival is back and showcasing the finest of the regions food and wine. On Saturday some of Gisborne’s best wineries host cellar door visits. The action on Sunday is set at Awapunui Stadium, where local eateries team up with the region’s wineries to deliver some amazing food matches. For more information go to www.gisbornewineandfoodfestival.co.nz

Located in the premium Gimblett Gravels wine growing region of Hawke’s Bay the skills and tastes of chef Stephen Tindall never disappoint. Dine alfresco in relaxed vineyard surroundings or inside and sample a red from the wonderful Te Awa wine cellar collection.

On a sunny day FG Smiths courtyard and kitchen garden is a great place to chill and sample the chef favourites made from fresh seasonal Hawke’s Bay produce. There are wonderful breakfast power smoothies and interesting gluten free options like tempura fish accompanied by Smiths tartare sauce and shoestring fries, or try the more daring ox cheek with peanuts, chilli lemon, cucumber pickle on flat bread, and choose a wonderful Hawke’s Bay wine to match. Take some time to browse Aroha and Friends designer store next door.

Located on the road to Cape Kidnappers and the gannet sanctuary this award-winning winery does amazing lunches ready to be matched with the wineries award-winning red and white wines. If you don’t want to drive out, get on your bike and take the scenic Hawke’s Bay Landscapes Ride cycle trail out to Clifton. Dining in comfort under the vines can’t get much better and what a way to savour a long lunch. Try the Clearview Reserve Chardonnay – one of the best.

This seaside eatery is in a quaint rural setting at the end of the Hawke’s Bay Landscapes Ride cycle trail and near Gannet Beach Adventures departure point. There are extensive views across Hawke Bay, a great menu and wine list and lots of inside seating should an easterly blow up. Walking the long pebbly beach is a great way to end the meal.