Hawke’s Bay is brimming with talented artisans, making the most of the Mediterranean-like climate to deliver award-winning flavours of this sumptuous region.

From delightfully fluffy pastries and the perfectly brewed coffee to olives, figs, honey, wine, cheese and sweet treats, this recipe is a fantastic go-to when you want to experience an abundance of Hawke’s Bay’s culinary credentials.

Highlights

  • Freshly-made pastries and coffee for breakfast
  • Tastings of artisan olives, figs, honey and cheese
  • Devour the goodness with a picture-perfect picnic

1-day Itinerary

  • Distance34km

MORNING

Start your day, mid-morning with the perfect pick me up – authentic French pastries from Y'a Bon French Baker and excellent coffee by local coffee roasters First Hand Coffee at Cupple.

Peruse Cupple’s deli section for imported French cheeses, local artisan food products including Pinxto chorizo and of course the Bay's best Sourdough. Select your favourites and begin building your delicious Hawke’s Bay picnic.

Next stop is Telegraph Hill for award winning olives, olive oil and hand crafting innovative condiments, sauces and drizzles. Handmade in small batches and designed to nourish and sustain, everything produced by Telegraph Hill is done “to make life better”. Nestled amongst an olive grove, Telegraph Hill’s rustic cellar door allows you to sample a range of their most popular products.

Continue towards Havelock North and add to your collection from array of goodies from Te Mata Figs. Here at the Figgery Café, Te Mata Figs offer an ever-expanding range of organic artisan goodies including fig pastes, fig vincotto, fig chutneys and relishes, salame di fiche and fresh, preserved and dried figs. If you’re feeling peckish, then the café’s antipasto platter for two is a truly delightful light lunch.

AFTERNOON

Stir in something sweet from Arataki Honey. A local institution, Arataki is home to millions of bees and has every kind of honey you can imagine.

Sample a selection of Arataki’s finest honeys and choose your favourite from clover, rata, rewarewa, manuka, pōhutukawa and many others, all available for purchase from the Arataki Visitor Centre.

Next stop is Hohepa’s boutique cheesery to find the perfect cheese to pair with your honey. Hohepa’s award-winning cheeses are equal parts creamy and deep with flavour and character, so its worth sampling a few varieties at their onsite shop and select the one (or two, or three, or more!) that you can’t leave without.

Your last ingredient can be found at The Picnic in Ahuriri. The perfect spot for everyday decadence, Picnic’s gorgeous cakes, sweet treats and slices are designed to be devoured.

EVENING

Take your picnic to your choice of scenic location – Napier’s Ahuriri Beach, Marine Parade, Sunken Gardens and Botanical Gardens all make for perfect picnic spots – and then simply indulge!

Highlights

1 Y'a Bon French Baker

Start your day like you mean to continue, with a dose of deliciousness from Y'a Bon and Cupple

2 Telegraph Hill Olives

Nestled among an olive grove, Telegraph Hill’s rustic cellar door allows you to sample a range of their most popular products.

5 Hohepa Cheese

Hohepa’s award-winning cheeses are equal parts creamy and deep with flavour and character

7 Ahuriri beach

The picture-perfect spot for devouring your bounty of Hawke's Bay