Nowhere does late summer like Hawke’s Bay. Photo / Supplied
Nowhere does late summer like Hawke’s Bay. Photo / Supplied
Wrap up the summer season in Hawke’s Bay. Picture cosy vineyard dates, lively festivals, and gourmet feasts to make the most of the lingering light nights, writes Anna King Shahab
The short stretch between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve isn’t normally a time I’d consider heading off on asignificant road trip to attend a concert. But my most-played artist of 2023, Bicep (always love the annual statistics from Spotify) playing at Black Barn vineyard just out of Havelock North was enough of a drawcard to have me clicking “buy” and planning a two-night stay in the region.
See out the rest of summer in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Kirsten Simcox
It turned out to be a not silly idea at all – the travel went smoothly, the weather was typically fantastic, the locals lovely, and the refreshment stops refreshing indeed. Plus it felt great knowing we were spending money in a community with a long road to recovery ahead of it after last summer’s atypical weather events. I only wished I’d been able to stay longer. But with so many excellent events on the region’s calendar into the tail end of summer (and nowhere does late summer like Hawke’s Bay), the reasons to visit again are many. In fact, I’ve already booked my next trip to be there for F.A.W.C.! in March. Tourism is a vital earner for this region and events play a big role in that – and Hawke’s Bay does events particularly wonderfully, with venues exuding historical charm or scenic splendour, or both. Here I share highlights from my recent visit, and a look at what’s coming up.
Arriving in the region by road from the north via Esk Valley, the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle, which swept along the coast last February, was chillingly obvious even just as glances from State Highway 5. The area was under metres of water and the aftermath is chilling almost a year on. While many businesses haven’t and perhaps won’t be able to re-open, some have and they need visitors back. Consider Kiwiesque for accommodation – if you’re travelling with a group, this vineyard-based option would be perfect. Linden Estate reopened in October after repairs and welcomes visitors to its cellar door to sample wines made from its vineyards, and to its restaurant, Valley D’Vine.
In Hawke's Bay, consider Kiwiesque for accommodation – if you’re travelling with a group, this vineyard-based option is perfect. Photo / Supplied
With our concert taking place at Black Barn, a five-minute drive from the centre of Havelock North, we opted to stay in Havelock North, and Porters Boutique Accommodation was an excellent choice – right in the heart of the village, our room was spacious and serene, with a balcony looking towards Te Mata Peak and a super comfy super king bed. The undercover parking, with an EV charger, was very handy.
Porters Boutique Accommodation sits right in the heart of Havelock North. Photo / Porters Boutique Hotel
One of the beauties of the region is its multiple centres that beckon to be explored. Havelock North was a great base, vibrant with numerous cafes, restaurants and bars (shoutout to Malo, which I’ve found consistently great, and newbie Latin American sweetie Mijita). Short drives got us to plenty more culinary options and cultural attractions in the twin cities Napier and Hastings. In between, the long, straight easy-driving roads are dotted with cellar doors, cafes, and orchards – and peak to late summer is the very best time to get your stonefruit fix in the region.
One morning was well spent wandering through Napier, stopping for breakfast at Hāpi, a wholefoods-focused spot sharing space with the treasure trove that is Chantal Organics. After a satisfying and nourishing brunch of chicken broth, green salad, and paleo toast topped with gravlax we perused the shop shelves and came away with a few treats to snack on while road-tripping.
Another afternoon was spent in Hastings, which has of late seen a burgeoning of artisan businesses bringing new life to the civic centre – you’ll want to visit with an appetite. Ya Bon French bakery is a must for coffee and pastries. Icecream fans can’t miss Rush Munro’s shipping container, open every day for summer – we were lucky enough to find one of their novel Hawke’s Bay flavours on, the Peak-Top Picnic – manchego, honey and fig icecream topped with Craggy Range Sheep Dairy manchego and walnut crumb. Others in the limited edition lineup included a lamb fat fudge, and a fish and chip take featuring snapper eye water!
Hastings, which has of late seen a burgeoning of artisan businesses bringing new life to the civic centre. Photo / Supplied
In the stunningly kitted out Hastings Distillery you’ll feel transported to any great cosmopolitan centre where bar design is a competitive business – yet you’ll enjoy a tasting of the gins and aperitifs made by this distillery that is uniquely Hawke’s Bay. The distillery has just released an absinthe called Dita – dare you to try it and see if the Green Fairy appears. My pick for summer though is the new Constance aperitif, made with local organic botanicals and a nod to the classic Lillet. Order a Constance Rose Martini there and/or buy a bottle and make it back at home with the recipe shared here.
We were very lucky to nab seats at the counter for lunch at Cellar 495 – but do book ahead as this small wine bar is hugely popular – it’s open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays to Saturdays. Michael Henley, the world’s 495th Master of Wine (MW) was busy running the bar and taking orders from the handful of tables, while chef Carlita Campbell displayed genius in cooking and serving some of the tastiest dishes we’d eaten all year from a kitchen the size of a pantry. The potato donuts topped with chermoula and Ortiz anchovies were a highlight, as was the Waipawa Butchery beef tartare, and a cos salad loaded with goodies including serrano ham and cured egg. With Michael behind the drinks list and offering friendly guidance the wines we enjoyed with our meal were superb. For a late arvo spot in the city, I recommend the sun-trap courtyard of the taproom at working brewery Brave Brewing Co – the hazy ales are especially succulent.
As for the event we travelled down for – electronic music producers and DJ duo Bicep from Belfast – it was the cherry on top of a fabulous two days in the region. The day was balmy but not too hot, buses to and from the venue were very handy, the grassy terraced amphitheatre the perfect space for the sold-out crowd, and the sound and AV setup excellent. The music went from strength to strength and the crowd had the best dance and behaved very well. Encore, encore!
Heritage
With Napier’s cityscape flattened by a deadly earthquake in 1931, the rebuild saw the city gain a distinct architectural flair. The Art Deco Festival celebrates the city’s heritage while commemorating the tragic circumstances behind it. Every February, events take place through the streets, in theatres, galleries, bars, parks and homes – and visitors come from around the motu and around the world to soak up the atmosphere and dress in theme if that’s their thing.
Much like the residents of the city rolled up sleeves in the 1930s, the region is again displaying resilience bouncing back from last year’s cyclone – and this year’s Art Deco Festival – the first after four years of cancellations, was bristling with joie de vivre. If you missed this year’s event, keep an eye out for 2025′s festival details: artdecofestival.co.nz
Music
Make way for Sir Tom Jones, the Welsh music legend with a career spanning an impressive six decades, as he heads to Aotearoa for an NZ-exclusive performance at Harvest Moon in Napier’s McLean Park. Performing alongside Gin Wigmore and The Magnificent 7 featuring Peter Urlich, Jordan Luck and Eddie Rayner, grab tickets now for Saturday April 6. endeavour.live/harvestmoon
Wine and dine
The region’s renowned and comprehensive food and wine festival – the Food and Wine Classic – has been impressing goers over 11 years. This year’s summer edition has shifted calendar position to March, which brings the bonus of allowing guests to soak up the buzz of vintage time in a region that was last year named a Great Wine Capital of the World, alongside icons such as Bordeaux and Napa Valley. This year’s F.A.W.C! will showcase more than 30 events. The Grand Long Lunch will be a quick sell-out – a five-course menu served in a beautiful secret location, cooked up by a dream team of leading Australasian chefs: local Casey McDonald of Craggy Range, Aucklanders Zennon Wiljens of Paris Butter and Plabita Florence of Forest, Greg Piner from Dunedin’s Marbecks and Callum Hann from the Barossa over the ditch. There’s a plethora of other events, something for everyone. Treating yourself to a delicious food and wine-filled stay in the Bay would make a wonderful way to farewell summer. March 15-24, various venues around Hawke’s Bay. Remaining tickets on sale now. fawc.co.nz
Treat yourself to F.A.W.C! A delicious food and wine-filled stay in the Bay makes a wonderful way to farewell summer. Photo / Kirsten Simcox
