Things to do in Hawkes Bay
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Café Ujazi
Ujazi folds back its windows and lets the alternative vibe spill out onto the street. The superb coffee, substantial breakfasts and sparkly staff are a great hangover remedy. Try the rewana special – a big breakfast on traditional Maori bread.
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Cabana Bar
This legendary music venue of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s died in 1997, but thanks to some forward-thinking, toe-tapping folk, it’s risen from the grave. Visit its website (www.cabana.net.nz) to see who’s on, then get down there and shake your thang.
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Kilim Café
Authentic Turkish cuisine in a rather smart cafe environment, adorned with suitably Ottoman cushions and wall hangings. Kebabs, felafel, hummus, dolmas, pide and meze – all fresh and every one tasty. Eat in or take away.
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Pipi
Shockingly pink with candy stripes and mismatched furniture, Pipi cheekily thumbs its nose at small-town conventionality. The food focus is on simple pasta dishes and Roman-style thin-crusted pizza.
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Filter Room
Surrounded by orchards, these folk offer a large range of beers and ciders, all brewed on-site, plus a $12 tasting tray and tummy-filling food.
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Ocean Spa
A spiffy waterfront pool complex that includes a beauty spa, gym and cafe.
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Marineland
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Hawke’s Bay Museum & Art Gallery
The Hawke’s Bay Museum & Art Gallery is a repository for a wide range of interesting collections and showcases these in permanent displays of Maori artefacts and a fascinating 1931 earthquake memorial gallery (do watch the deeply moving film). There are also excellent locally curated exhibitions and touring shows. It closed from late 2010 for major redevelopment, set to re-open in 2013; revamp plans look exciting.
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National Tobacco Company Building
The National Tobacco Company Building is arguably the region’s deco masterpiece and is located a short ride from the city centre in Ahuriri. Built in 1933, it combines art-deco forms with the natural motifs of art nouveau. Roses, raupo (bulrushes) and grapevines frame the elegantly curved entrance. During business hours it’s possible to pull on the leaf-shaped brass door handles and enter the first two rooms.
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Harstons
The place for live music and DJs. Housed in a former piano showroom which has converted surprisingly well into a music venue (good acoustics, nice dance floor), Harstons brings national and occasionally international artists to town to entertain the late-nighters. A great attempt at big-city sophistication in a city that quite possibly doesn’t appreciate it.
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Opera Kitchen
This modern and stylish cafe has an interesting menu including healthy brekkie options, such as strawberries with passionfruit-curd yoghurt. For the less calorie conscious the full breakfast is a real winner, too. Heavenly counter food, great coffee and friendly staff round things out nicely. Eat in or outside in the suntrap courtyard.
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Diva
The most happening place in Havelock, Diva offers good value lunch (from fish and chips to Caesar salad) and a bistro-style menu featuring fresh seafood and seasonal specialities. Designed to within an inch of its life, the interior is divided into flash dining room and groovy bar (snacks from $5), plus lively pavement tables.
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National Aquarium of New Zealand
The National Aquarium of New Zealand is a modern complex with a stingray-inspired roof. Inside are a crocodile, piranhas, turtles, eels, kiwi, tuatara and a whole lotta fish. ‘Behind the Scenes’ tours (adult/child $31/16) leave at 9am and 1pm and qualified divers can swim with sharks (dive $68, gear hire $36).
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Taste
They haven't quite nailed the décor – it's too brightly lit to be bohemian and too grungy to be chic – but once you're sitting on the balcony admiring the streetscape the interior becomes irrelevant. Both the menu and cocktail list are flavoursome enough to get your tastebuds buzzing.
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Misty River Café
A little bit of continental chic on the functional high street, this darling little cafe makes a lip-smacking waldorf salad as well fresh ham, pasta, nachos and other global favourites. Drop-dead-gorgeous baking. All made from scratch, and to order (enquire about the chicken-salad sandwich).
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Hawke’s Bay Opera House
Although you wouldn’t guess from the sturdy Spanish-Mission exterior, its lavish art-nouveau heart betrays it as an earthquake survivor. Built in 1910, it’s recently had a multimillion-dollar refit and a modern plaza and foyer added. Tours take place during Art Deco Weekend.
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East End Café
In the same building as the Gaiety Theatre, the East End is a breath of fresh air with its spacious interior, toasted sandwiches ($6), fabulous friands, and a concise blackboard ranging from morning eggs to pizza and seafood chowder. Great coffee and juices, too.
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Terrôir at Craggy Range
A surprisingly rustic dining room, housed in the cathedral-like ‘wine barrel’ of the Craggy complex, provides one of the region’s most consistent fine-dining experiences. The views of Te Mata peak from the terrace are almost as impressive as the wine list.
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Silky Oak Chocolate Company
Watch the chocolatiers at work while deliberating over mouth-watering truffles and chocolate rugby balls. The museum (adult/child $8/5) offers a chocolate-drenched history and the odd ancient Mayan artefact. There’s a cafe next door.
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Provedore
A chic little number, from the deco facade in. Partake in some of the best food in Napier, from tapas, to mains, dessert and cheese. With a clutch of good NZ beers and fine wines, Provedore lures the sophisticated barfly, too.
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Roosters Brewhouse
Roosters produces a range of naturally brewed beers ‘made with passion and a great disregard of sensible accounting practices’. Five regular beers plus a seasonal special; tasting room, tours and a sunny courtyard for supping.
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Sk8 Zone
Skaters should head to Sk8 Zone, where there’s an outdoor and indoor skating rink complete with ramps. If you fancy a spin along Marine Pde they also hire rollerblades (adult/child $10/8).
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Bay Espresso
An easy pit stop on the main road, this enduringly popular cafe serves up house-roasted organic coffee as well as handsome counter food and reasonable brunch, best enjoyed in the sunny courtyard out back.
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Hohepa Organic Cheeses
Part of a Steiner-based community of people with intellectual disabilities, this shop sells local produce, including delicious cheese (made on-site), biodynamic fruit and vegetables, candles and clothing.
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Te Aute College
The prestigious Te Aute College schooled many Maori leaders including James Carroll and Apirana Ngata. Call ahead if you want to visit the wonderful carved meeting house and church.
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