More than just a café
A welcome addition to Matakana Village, Zen Den is a charming blend of café, retail store, and bookshop that embraces wisdom, wellness, and woo.
The food alchemist
Fabiana Reis has a very deep and personal relationship with food, one that she’s passionate about recreating for others to enjoy. Everything has to be taken into consideration when deciding on the perfect meal, including the weather.
Fire in the hole
The Barbecue Hut is nestled in down-town Mangawhai Village and has set local food options on fire.
Feeding the future
Te Arai Organics is a small, family-run organic market garden, run by husband and wife, Sascha and Maddy. Te Arai Organics grow a wide range of seasonal produce, in organic soil at Te Arai. They supply their delicious salads, cult-favourite microgreens, juicy carrots, colourful beetroot and other seasonal produce to Kakariki Health & Wellbeing in Mangawhai, and some local restaurants. Sascha, the driving force behind the operation, talks about how it all started and their hopes for the future.
Saving grapes
Following the challenges of the summer, many vineyards are taking stock and salvaging what they can, hoping to still produce a vintage. David Hoskins, co-founder of Heron’s Flight, speaks about his experiences.
Keeping it in the family
Salash proudly uses dry-curing methods for their meat that has remained unchanged for over 300 years.
Conscious catering
Passionate about real, good-quality and organic wholefoods and drinks, Nectar Café at Morris and James has recently opened its doors.
In cider knowledge
Bohemian Cider founders Justin and Cynthia Oliver say cider culture in New Zealand is on the rise, thanks to the increasing number of passionate small producers out there.