The New Zealand Rugby Museum is a compelling shrine to the heritage and glory of our national religion. Photo / ManawatuNZ.co.nz
Any self-respecting urban safari must surely start with food and Palmerston North's edible arsenal of temptations. Foodie finds are thick on the ground along the hospo sweep of Broadway Ave, which beckons like the world on a plate.
I joined the effervescent weekend crowd who flocks to Brew Union, which has cultivated a red-hot reputation as a trendy social nexus. It was absolutely cranking. This ebullient industrial themed brewpub boasts 21 taps of New Zealand craft beers and cider alongside wood-fired pizza, house-pressed burgers and lip-smacking sharing plate options. Add to that, a dizzying array of 100 gins.
I ordered up a Brew Union Golden Ale, which was delightfully crisp with a hint of grapes and citrus, alongside a sensational buffalo prawn pizza. Hand stretched to order, Brew Union's wood-fired pizzas have a crisp and slightly smoky crust, a chewy bite and artfully topped with super-fresh ingredients.
Just a few doors down from Brew Union, another firm local favourite, where reservations are highly recommended, is Haru Japanese restaurant. The all-wooden interior delivers a warm and rustic ambience, while the food is meticulously presented and utterly divine. The dinner set is brilliantly crafted if you happen to be indecisive. I plumped for the tempura platter, which comprised a generous assortment of prawns, fish, seasonal vegetables and dipping broth. It's a reasonably priced menu and the service is faultless.
Turning heads in Palmy, the city's latest addition to the foodie scene is Little Savanna, a South African-fusion restaurant, with a zest for fresh seafood and a passion for flame-grilled meat. Enjoy sumptuous, generous portions at great value with outstanding service, all in a wonderful setting, from the bustling indoor dining space to the alfresco courtyard. Their build-your-own platters are particularly eye-opening, as are their combo mains. Order up a combo, like Scotch fillet and calamari, served with garden salad and Cape Malay chilli chutney.
Another must-try destination eatery on Broadway is Munch, which specialises in catering for people with food allergies and intolerances. Entirely gluten-free and nut-free, they offer keto, vegan, low fodmap and vegetarian options. The concept is proving wildly popular with a wide range of diners – particularly for new food adventurers seeking to dabble. Fancy a coconut milk cappuccino and vegan banana muffin? You'll equally be illuminated by their art-filled walls.
Speaking of art, The Square's seven hectares are dotted with a plethora of monuments, fountains and artful installations, ranging from the soaring lantern-crowned Hopwood Clock Tower to the glorious Carrara marble statue of Te Peeti Te Awe Awe, the Rangitāne chief who was instrumental in selling Palmerston North to the Crown in 1865.
That gracious statue is just one of 32 designated installations that comprise the city centre's eye-catching Arts Trail. Grab an Arts Trail map from the i-SITE in The Square and you'll be able to feast your eyes on this eclectic array of murals, mosaics, installations and sculptures on a leisurely 90-minute stroll.
I absolutely adore Paul Dibble's tribute to the memory of the extinct huia, Ghost of the Huia. Equally commanding is his dramatic work outside the Regent on Broadway, where a dainty dancer faces off against the steely gaze of a tuatara.
Then there is Numbers, a whimsical, joyful piece, comprised of a series of stainless-steel cubes joined in a loop, to which random numbers in sheet bronze have been riveted on.
Phil Price's bright blue wind-activated kinetic sculpture, United Divided, is another stand-out as is his majestic bronze sculpture, Pacific Monarch. Kids love the giant beetles crawling over the walls of Te Manawa, the city's landmark Museum of Art, Science and History.
Complementing Te Manawa's treats is the neighbouring New Zealand Rugby Museum, a compelling shrine to the heritage and glory of our national religion – and how rugby has shaped the nation. Home to the world's first museum dedicated to the oval ball, it was established 40 years ago as a tribute to the founding father of New Zealand rugby, Charles Monro, who is immortalised in bronze, on the outside forecourt.
Amid the treasures from our formative years as a rugby-playing nation, I was struck to discover the first Kiwis to play overseas, in 1884, sported a dark blue jersey, decorated with a hand-stitched gold fern. It was the New Zealand Native tour of Britain in 1888 when the black jersey and silver fern emblem were first worn.
A quirky exhibit is the stuffed kiwi in his specially designed wooden travelling case – it was the "Invincibles" mascot when they toured the UK and France in 1924-25. The mascot was to be handed over as a gift to any team that beat the All Blacks. But invincible the team proved to be and the kiwi returned home – its final resting place being the museum
A charismatic city haunt that always seduces me is alluring George Street, a bastion of boutique and bohemian chic owner-operated stores, plus a slew of convivial cafes, like Cafe Cuba, Barista and Moxies, which have underpinned its gravitational pull. Dubbed Palmerston North's Parnell, the beautifully maintained character buildings of the street accentuate the precinct's allure.
• Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB's resident traveller on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.