NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Travel

New Zealand's community-minded diners serving more than food

By Jessica Wynne Lockhart
NZ Herald·
27 Jul, 2021 05:01 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Shining Peak brewery in New Plymouth. Photo / Natalie Waugh

Shining Peak brewery in New Plymouth. Photo / Natalie Waugh

Not for sale

Indulging and giving back don't have to be mutually exclusive — you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Here are nine New Zealand restaurants, cafes and breweries proving that the act of dining out can help support our local and global communities.

Addington Coffee Co-Op, Christchurch

Ask any tourist where to find the best coffee in Christchurch, and they'll likely tell you to head to C1 Espresso in the city, known for its pneumatic tube food delivery system. But ask any local, and they're more likely rave about the brunch at Addington Coffee Co-Op. Nestled in a suburb that was crowned the country's most liveable in the 2021 Sweet Spots rankings, this cafe describes itself as "existing for others". Its profits support a fair-trade apparel manufacturer in India, whose products can be purchased in the Addington Store, a gift shop within the cafe. addingtoncoffee.org.nz

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Fresh produce at Wholegrain Organics, Palmerston North, a vegan bakery and store that teaches teenagers how to cook nutritious food. Photo / Supplied
Fresh produce at Wholegrain Organics, Palmerston North, a vegan bakery and store that teaches teenagers how to cook nutritious food. Photo / Supplied

Wholegrain Organics, Palmerston North

Best known for its handmade sprouted bread and carob bars — sold at coffee shops and stores throughout the country — Palmerston North's Wholegrain Organics isn't just another vegan cafe. It's also a grocery store, bakery, farm and registered charity that supports the region's youth. Through Wholegrain's Hands-On Food programme, teenagers learn how to cook and serve nutritious meals, including the wholegrain pizzas, seasonal soups and vegan slices you'll find on offer here. wholegrainorganics.co.nz

Everybody Eats, Auckland, Wellington and Pāpāmoa

Designed as a response to both waste food practices and food poverty in New Zealand, Everybody Eats has reinvented the restaurant wheel for social good. Each week, a different volunteer chef or restaurant takes over the kitchen, meaning the three-course set menu is never the same. When you're done eating, you can "pay-as-you-feel", with a $10 donation being enough to produce three meals for those in need. Everybody Eats has locations in Auckland (in Onehunga), Wellington (in Te Aro), as well as a pop-up every Monday at Bluebiyou in Pāpāmoa. everybodyeats.nz

Shining Peak Brewing, New Plymouth

There are few places where the local bar isn't the social hub of the community, a concept that New Plymouth's Shining Peak Brewing takes to the next level with its "Drink Beer Do Good" project. Each month, the brewery donates 5 per cent of its monthly revenue — which works out to 30 to 50 per cent of its profits — to the community. To date, the brewery has given more than $85,000 back to local Taranaki organisations, including the surf lifesaving club, the emergency shelter and the animal shelter. shiningpeakbrewing.com

The Cozy Corner, Taupō

It's hard not to feel warm fuzzies when you read about the Cozy Corner's many community-minded initiatives. With a special eye on the environment, it diverts 80 per cent of its waste from landfills (including giving food scraps to a local farmer), rewards guests who bring their own takeaway packaging, and even scours its pots with local pumice rather than chemical cleaning agents. Its wholesome food will leave your feeling warm inside. Catering for different dietary requirements, you can expect to find vegan and keto meals, and even a kids' menu with items such as gluten-free crepes with Nutella and ice cream. thecozycornertaupo.com

Kebab Kitchen, Nelson

Yusuf Corten knows what it's like to go to bed hungry. That's why when he bought Nelson's Kebab Kitchen four years ago, he started giving away free meals to those in need. But you won't see claims of his community commitment on a flashy website or in marketing materials. Instead, he regularly posts on community group sites offering food to those in need, while a sign on the door of his shop reads: "Don't be embarrassed. If you're hungry and need food, we will feed you." He's also known for his generosity towards paying customers, with portion sizes that won't leave anyone feeling hungry. facebook.com/kebabkitchennelson

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Sherwood, Queenstown

Ranked by Expedia Travellers as one of the top 10 most sustainable hotels in the world, Sherwood Queenstown has been known for its commitment to the environment since opening in 2014. Not just a hotel, the property also features a large biodynamic vegetable garden, a zero-waste bar serving organic wines, and a yoga studio. At its heart though, is its wholefoods restaurant. Here, you'll find dishes made from ingredients grown on-site, foraged or sourced locally, such as blackfoot paua Bolognese. sherwoodqueenstown.nz

The Pantry, Invercargill

Let's be real: Invercargill likely wouldn't top the list of places you'd expect to find a cafe catering to vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and keto diets. And yet that's exactly what you'll find at the Pantry on Grace Street. A speciality food store known for cabinet food goodies and hot drinks, the cafe also creates revenue for the South Alive charity and its community projects, with the goal of nourishing the community. thepantry.co.nz

Okere Falls Store, Lake Rotoiti

On the edge of Lake Rotoiti, Okere Falls Store doesn't bend to market trends. Instead, environmental sustainability has been part of the cafe and beer garden's core value system for nearly two decades. Owner Sarah Uhl is a founding member of the Rotorua Sustainable Business Charter, and the products she sells in her shop and serves at the cafe reflect this. Don't miss the kimcheese toastie, or the bratwurst sausage served on a ciabatta roll with sauerkraut and tom sauce. okerefallsstore.co.nz

For more New Zealand travel ideas and inspiration, go to newfinder.co.nz and newzealand.com

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Travel

Premium
Travel

Kiwi self-made millionaire Simran Kaur on dreams and 'failing upwards'

Travel

The top five treats to taste on your Disneyland holiday

Travel

Why spending a night at the Rydges Gold Coast is a big mistake


Sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Travel

Premium
Premium
Kiwi self-made millionaire Simran Kaur on dreams and 'failing upwards'
Travel

Kiwi self-made millionaire Simran Kaur on dreams and 'failing upwards'

What does it take to achieve a dream? The Air NZ Dream Seats ambassador explains.

17 Jul 02:00 AM
The top five treats to taste on your Disneyland holiday
Travel

The top five treats to taste on your Disneyland holiday

16 Jul 03:29 AM
Why spending a night at the Rydges Gold Coast is a big mistake
Travel

Why spending a night at the Rydges Gold Coast is a big mistake

16 Jul 12:53 AM


Your Fiordland experience, levelled up
Sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

25 May 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP