Lisa B.'s
Best Vegetarian Places
- 11Kin & Co Fine FoodsOakuraKin & Co are an amazing new deli/cafe that has recently opened in Oakura. If you’re someone who loves cooking with fresh herbs, spices, and other gourmet ingredients, this is your best bet to find a winner! Most of the food they offer to is is vegan and vegetarian which I love, the have delicious things like halloumi and salad sandwiches, tabbouli mixes, and so many salads it’s insane! I cannot rave about it enough, I want everyone to try it!
- 22Bare ThrillsNew Plymouth CentralIf you ask me, Bare Thrills is the healthiest cafe I have ever been in, and the good news with this place is that healthy = delicious! No joke, everything might be ‘clean eating’, but this food is awesome, and they are so creative with the way that make things! They have several vegetarian dishes and even vegan ones, such as their daily soup and absolutely everything is gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free! I love how they package them up in little biodegradable boxes for you to take away.
- 34ProhibitionNew Plymouth CentralI love burgers, and while becoming a vegetarian, it was something I was determined not to give up. Luckily there is this gourmet burger place to satisfy my veggie burger cravings! They will let you pick any burger on the menu (including the meat ones) and swap out the meat for a veggie patty! I love that they have tailored it to what the customers want. I would definitely grab the Yella Belly and get that veg in there!
- 46The Loving HutNew Plymouth CentralThe Loving Hut is specifically a vegan restaurant with a few vegetarian options, the food is so good, not only health-wise, but the taste, oh man it makes me want it everyday! You feel totally nourished after eating there, even if you do slightly fill up your plate too much, it all balances out without the animal products! I love their rice meals and their chickpea curry, something I get every time!
- 55Star Anise CafeNew Plymouth CentralThis is such an underrated little cafe that deserve way more reputation that what it has! It’s gluten free and has many vegetarian options. I love their roasted vegetable salad, with perfectly seasoned pumpkin, and also their eggs benedict with spinach is definitely a go-to meal to eat here. They have an amazing selection of gluten free and vegan cabinet desserts like the lemon square or the chocolate brownie, you must try them after your meat free meal!
Lisa B.'s
Fun Things To Do Under $20
- 19BowlaramaNew Plymouth CentralI went and played mini golf again recently and I still love it just as much as the first time. What makes it a unique experience is the glow in the dark theme, and it’s only $12 for up to an hour of fun! Some of those hole are actually really challenging to get the ball into! There are several where you hit the ball into the box and it could come out the right way or just out the way it came in, you’ve just got to hit it at the right angle!
- 21Modern Buddhism & MeditationNew Plymouth CentralModern Buddism and meditation is becoming increasingly important, not only for the body, but for the soul too. They accept $12 donations or whatever you can afford around that price, so if you don’t have much are cash, it’s no biggie! You don’t even need to book, just turn up with a great attitude and you’ll be good to go. The classes encourage happiness and well-being, whilst making you think more positively about any special relationships in your life; something I think everyone needs a little bit of!
- 32Air-Zone Trampoline ParkMoturoaThis place is bloody amazing! Coming from one of the smaller cities in the country, I haven’t experienced anything like this before. Air Zone has 530m² of interlocked trampolines! This includes wall tramps to try and do flips off of, a foam pit to do tricks into (which has a tarzan rope), and a flying fox to take you over the whole park! If this was around 10 years ago, I literally would have been here every weekend at only $16.50 for an hour!
- 42Seaside MarketMoturoaI love markets, and will go to them whenever I can since there is quite a lack of them in New Plymouth, and the Seaside Market is really something special. They’re set up the first Sunday of every month on Ngamotu Beach and are filled with crafty items, vintage home decor, and live music to give it a more relaxed vibe. The food stalls are amazing too, I think that’s the main reason I go, for the awesome food! The entry is free and the crafts and food are all pretty cheap to buy anyway!
- 54Taranaki Thermal SpaMoturoaWhile the spring weather can bring some pretty warm days, the nights are still bone-chillingly cold, what’s better than sinking into a hot pool filled with mineral water. Those of us, me included, wanting to hang on to the winter weather will enjoy this and the 30 minutes it takes will definitely be enough to relax; and at only $16 per person, it’s so affordable to do several times a month! The perfect time is to go a bit later when it’s closer to bedtime, it will put you to sleep in minutes!
Lisa B.'s
Where To Watch The Rugby World Cup Games
- 15Treehouse Restaurant and BarNew Plymouth CentralFor many people I know (and me also) The Treehouse Restaurant & Bar is the place they like to come and relax, have a beer, and take a load off; especially now since the Rugby World Cup games will be screened here! They roll out the projector and have both TVs going for people sitting in every corner; talk about customer service! It wouldn’t hurt to grab a nice steak to keep your hunger at bay while the game is on!
- 21Barries Restaurant & Sports Bar is located in the heart of Hawera in South Taranaki, and it offers a classier type of setting to watch the big rugby games on! It’s so spacious and it also has the restaurant sectioned away from the bar to keep the rowdy rugby goers at bay to the diners! It has a nice atmosphere that makes you feel easily comfortable to cheer for your favourite team!
- 33Westside GrilleWestownA separate bar area to the dining area is always a good idea especially when there’s events such as the Rugby World Cup, Westside Grille can provide that along with friendly staff and several flatscreen TVs to watch the games on! With a refurbished exterior and some new menu add ons, you’ll be exciting not only to watch the games, but to eat the food too!
- 45Stumble Inn & Cafe MerrilandsMerrilandsThis is one place that has more TV’s than any other pub I’ve seen around, Stumble Inn does not disappoint when sports games are on TV, especially something as serious as the Rugby World cup screenings! Bring your partner, your kids, or just your mates, anything goes here and everyone is welcome. Make sure to come watch a game around a meal time because the portions are huge!
- 51Shifty's Sports Bar & TABBell BlockShifty’s is the local watering hole for the Bell Block residents in the region, and a great place to watch sport on the big screen. It’s a great place to group up after work to have a post-game debrief, which is defiantly necessary over a pint of beer! This is another pub with multiple screens to get your World Cup fix; you could even have a cheeky game of pool while the match is on!
Lisa B.'s
Good Places for Gardening
- 11Colson Road Garden CentreGlen AvonBuying local is obviously a great thing to do, and the Colsen Road Garden Centre definitely is into selling local! Hidden out past Glen Avon, it’s the perfect place to buy shrubs, fruit trees, flax, or succulents that have been grown away from the city life an can thrive on the country air. I love that they’ve just started selling strawberries, you can never start too early with those!
- 21PalmersWaiwhakaihoPalmers is probably one of the most popular garden centres in the region, which is understandable as they have literally everything you could want; including gift items inside. There are how to guides and all sorts of help you can ask for in-store, like how to create urban gardens which are becoming more and more popular within the city! With stores exclusively in the North Island, this really is a go-to place thats a sure way to get everything.
- 31Te Kahuri NursuriesElthamTe Kahuri Nurseries is open seven days from June to November to get you ready for all that spring planting. Something I love s that most of their young trees haven’t come into contact with any chemicals, they use natural pesticides, and are also grown out in the open; it’s sustainable and good for the soil! The weeds are even pulled out the old fashioned way, by hand; Te Kahuri is one of the few places that could almost be organic!
- 42Big Jims Garden CentreBell BlockBig Jims is not only great for shopping for actual plants and equipment, but they’re also home to a lot of awesome decorative items for the garden. Water features, sculptures, and everything in between is located right here, at at pretty decent prices too. They have a loyalty club you can join too so you can save money in the long run!
- 52Living Trends New PlymouthNew Plymouth CentralLiving trends is what I would probably call one of the best gift shops in Taranaki, and I’m not just saying that! One of the biggest ranges they have is garden pots, they have ones the size of an orange, and ones half the size of a door; it’s ridiculously good! They also have decorative shrubs and plants outside that would really spruce up your garden, just in time for Spring!
Lisa B.'s
Best European Restaurants
- 18Petit ParisNew Plymouth CentralI renewed my love for this establishment just recently and it was such a wonderful experience. I went and had a coffee date and we both shared a lemon tart and a caramel slice; it one of the best morning teas of my life, yes because of the food! There’s something about the coffee that’s different from everywhere else, more authentic maybe! I also had a roasted red pepper baguette and it was divine!
- 24Bella VitaNew Plymouth CentralIf I had to pick a favourite Italian restaurant in the whole of Taranaki, Bella Vita would be it. Being Italian, of course they make their own pasta, but it’s so different from here; I literally feel like I’m having dinner in Italy when I eat it, all I need is some tiramisu to top it off! They have a great wine selection to go with the meals as well.
- 32Manou's Cafe & RestaurantMoturoaManou’s is a great all round representation of European cuisine, with dishes like Pane de casa topped with melted cheese with a garlic and chilli butter on the side, in other words garlic bread! I’ve got to say though, my favourite has got to be the Mediterranean vegetable tartlet topped with halloumi, it sounds and tastes like heaven! Or if you’re brave enough you could always try the squid tube! Don’t ask what’s in it, just try it!
- 44Cafe TurquoiseNew Plymouth CentralCafe Turquoise is somewhere I need to visit more often, I can actually say I miss the food if I don’t have it for ages! The kebabs or salads are always my favourite picks and I’ll always have one or the other when i dine in! Now this may not sound healthy, but I love it when they load up with the sauces! I can’t help it, it just tastes so good!
- 53Portofino New PlymouthNew Plymouth CentralPortofinos is the perfect little Italian bistro, it’s probably my favourite type of cuisine in the world and I’m glad there is a place like Portofinos where I can come and celebrate that! My favourite dish (but not by much) would have to be the risotto alla pescatora; in other words seafood risotto with white wine and finished with cream! I’ve had this thing for risotto recently and I’m loving the creamy texture this dish gives to the palate.
Lisa B.'s
Best Bars
- 13The Hour GlassNew Plymouth CentralOne word: Tapas. They are one of my favourite ways to eat, with friends or alone to try a variety of options, The Hour Glass has the best tapas, and has a variety of craft beer to boot. It’s probably one of the best places to come for a low key drink with your mates, as it’s cosy but still big enough to be comfortable. I also can’t stress enough how much I love the furnishings and decor inside!
- 24The MayfairNew Plymouth CentralThe Mayfair is probably one of the top bars I’ve been to in New Plymouth. Not only do they have a great pizza menu which is great to share with friends, but they do amazing cocktails, and have a good atmosphere when the nightlife crowd rolls in. They also have a house DJ on the weekends that provides some great sounds and entertainment! They’ve also hosted some performances such as Six60!
- 31The Basement BarNew Plymouth CentralIf you’re a fan of lasers and awesome lighting, Basement Bar is the place for you to be. Although smaller than the other bars around town, that doesn’t compromise on it’s quality. They host a comedy club that happens regularly and also bring in proper comedians to perform which is a good laugh! Bring some friends on their next comedy night and you’ll be in for an awesome night!
- 4255New Plymouth CentralWith shots and cocktails galore, the options are never ending at 55 with almost anything you could possibly think of! There have been so many of my friends that have hired 55 for a venue for parties and they’ve turned out to be really good get togethers. This bar I would say is more for the younger ones who are out for a raging night, so if you want a quiet drink, this place isn’t for you!
- 53Crowded HouseNew Plymouth CentralCrowded House has just had a total makeover, complete with cute white picket fences out by the entrance. What I love is that this is a place for everyone, from young ones in their 20’s, to shift workers, to woman going for a girls night out; it’s the ultimate watering hole! They have deals going the whole week including Rib Tuesday where you can buy two plates of ribs for the price of one!