New Zealand?s Vegan Hot Spots

Posted by kamal on July 20th, 2016

Foodies with an eco-conscious palate have an evolving choice of cafés and food outlets throughout New Zealand where vegan goodness is the by-word to delicious flavours and wholesome sustenance. There are many popular cafés and restaurants in the main visitor centres that offer some vegan options for those with a preference for natural, and those offerings can be very … very good.
Auckland: Little Bird Unbakery

New Zealand’s cult vegan destination is surely ‘the unbakery’ - Little Bird Organics in Auckland. At three cafés around central Auckland, where everything is made from scratch, the salad bowls are legendary, and so is the ‘cheesecake’. Little Bird’s unbakeries are found in Ponsonby, Kingsland and Britomart.
Auckland: Revive

Revive is an Auckland institution that has been keeping vegetarians and vegans happy in Auckland since 2005. The menu changes weekly with an extensive range of salads along with daily meal, hotpots and dhal specials. The café has also released a series of successful cookbooks so customers can recreate their favourite dishes at home.

Auckland: Misters

Misters Real Food has a strict food philosophy using only wholefoods, free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar. While not exclusively vegan, their vegan options are hard to match and their infamous lunch bowls are extremely popular with the locals.  Using only the best organic, local and seasonal produce, the results are in the taste and nutrition.

Hectors Restaurant in the heart of Auckland’s Heritage Hotel pays particular attention to the needs of vegetarians and vegans. Newly launched menus in the restaurant and lobby bar are entirely plant-based. A whole section of the kitchen is animal-product free, right through to the coffee machine using only soy and rice milks. Executive chef Jinu Abraham, who specialises in plant-based cooking, trained in India.

Auckland: Farmer’s Markets

Even in Auckland - New Zealand’s largest city – you’re never far from a farmer’s market. On Saturday mornings local producers and farmers set up in Britomart Square, in downtown Auckland, where city slickers can buy fresh organic produce for the week. Oratia Farmer’s Market, a short 20-minute drive west from Auckland, is set on a vineyard. Each Saturday morning locals and visitors stock up on fresh bread, fruit and veg. In a beautiful rural setting, Clevedon Farmer’s Market (a 40-minute drive south of Auckland) is one of the region’s premier markets. Be tempted by the seasonal offerings of fruit and vegetables picked as recently as the night before if not early on market morning.

Wellington: Maranui

Maranui, right on the beach above the surf club in picturesque Lyall Bay and just 10 minutes from Wellington city, is a Wellington institution. So much so that when the building was severely damaged by fire, the hospitality industry got together to help them raise the funds to open up again. The vegan fare is delicious and they proudly proclaim themselves as the ‘best coffee in the bay’.

Wellington: Midnight Espresso

Wellington’s infamous Cuba St is a colourful strip in the heart of the city.Midnight Espresso, found at number 178, is laid back and relaxing, they also offer a range of predominately vegetarian and vegan counter and menu food. Vegan donuts here are extremely popular and often sell out.