1-day Itinerary

Served up in stylish fashion and spread throughout this culinary region, the Icons Itinerary is your first lip-smacking taste of Hawke’s Bay; a delectable day at a city-based eatery, historic winery, award-winning producers and growers, and one of New Zealand’s leading restaurants.

MORNING

Start your day with a locals’ favourite, Mister D in Napier City. Mister D is the brainchild of seasoned restaurateurs Prue Barton and Dave Griffiths, formerly of Auckland’s Vinnies for 15 years, who wanted to bring a touch of big-city-bistro to Napier’s world renowned Art Deco landscape. Everything on the breakfast menu here is spectacular, but for a taste of the region, go with the Big Rock ‘n’ Roll Breakfast, filled with Hawke’s Bay-grown delicacies such as Te Mata Mushrooms and Wild Game Salamis sausage.

After a substantial breakfast, it is time to discover why Hawke’s Bay is considered one of New Zealand’s premier wine growing regions, with a Versatility of the Grape tour at Church Road Winery. Founded in 1897, Church Road has been at the forefront of New Zealand’s wine story for over a century. This tour will show you, with glass in hand, the multiple ways that Church Road are using grapes for more than just the production of wine. From pressed juice to balsamic vinegar and barrel aged spirit, this is a behind-the-scenes look at the world of wine. Topped off with a seated tasting in the winery’s historic underground wine museum, you’ll leave with a new appreciation of the humble grape. Or, if you have worked up an appetite already, then Church Road’s cellar door restaurant Verde does an impressive platter. Alternatively, wait for the next stop!

AFTERNOON

It’s time to get up close and personal with two of Food and Wine Country’s most iconic producers. As you head towards the village of Havelock North, you will find Te Mata Figs on the right hand side.

A few short minutes with co-owner Murray Douglas and you’ll be enrapt by his enthusiasm for the ancient fig. Organically certified and family-owned and operated, Te Mata Figs grows around 30 varieties of fresh figs and produce a wide range of fig products, including jams, pastes, salami, chutneys, bars and so much more.

Take a tour around the fig orchard, before devouring your choice from their fantastic lunch menu at their onsite Figgery Cafe. Locals’ icon has to be the antipasto platter, which is loaded with local cheeses, olives, charcuterie and figs, every way under the sun.

Continue into Havelock North to discover Arataki Honey. Established in 1944, Arataki is home to more than 1.5 billion bees and is New Zealand’s most popular honey brand. Immerse yourself in thr world of honey at Arataki’s visitor centre. Here you can spy queen bees, sample a huge range of honey and partake in a specialised honey-food pairing workshop. In summer, you might even be lucky enough to head out and meet the bees yourself!

EVENING

An iconic Hawke’s Bay day is best finished at one of the region’s most iconic wineries, Craggy Range. Situated in the shadow of Te Mata Peak, Craggy Range’s expansive grounds are as spellbinding as their award-winning wines.

Visit the Cellar Door for a tasting of their family or prestige wines; be in awe of the sheer brilliance of the Sophia Barrell Room; or head straight to the two-hatted Craggy Range Restaurant, where Head Chef Casey McDonald’s emphasis on quality, local produce ensures you are eating the very best that Hawke’s Bat Food and Wine Country has to offer.