Mangaweka cafe is a visitor hot spot and power point

Cliff Randall charges his electric van at the Papa Cliff Cafe in Mangaweka. Photo by Bevan Conley.

A row of bright red kaka beak plants are thriving outside the Papa Cliff Cafe in Mangaweka.

"They have been eaten by sheep and then they got snowed on but they look better than ever now," said cafe manager Terri Anderson.

Prolific rain may have helped the plants survive and it was bucketing down during the second week of the school holidays.

"We have had quite a few families stopping off on their holidays," said Ms Anderson.

The cafe caters for all tastes from hearty big breakfasts and their signature Man Burgers for hungry truckies to grilled pumpkin or Cesar salads for lighter appetites.

"We make everything here and source ingredients as locally as we can," said Ms Anderson.

Coffee is sourced from a Palmerston North supplier who imports and roasts them and baking is a speciality with sweet treats like éclairs, brownie and lemon meringue pie on the menu.

As well as their meals and baked goods, the cafe sells fresh, locally grown asparagus and the walls are decorated with locally produced art works for sale.

"We go the extra mile" is a Papa Cliff slogan and diners are invited to phone their orders in so their food is ready when they arrive.

"We share a fair bit of cheek too," said cafe assistant Nicole Ohara.

"People enjoy that along with their food."

A blackboard sign that reads "Free coffee, topless waitresses and false advertising" is an indication of the cheekiness cafe staff enjoy sharing with their customers.

Since owner Shaz Grayson opened Papa Cliff in July 2016, the cafe have hosted hundreds of visitors from around New Zealand and overseas.

In June this year Jono Pryor and Ben Boyce of the Jono and Ben Show stopped by to take the Man Burger challenge and there have been travelling groups of car and motorcycle enthusiasts stopping by.

And since June this year, the cafe has welcomed a new group of motorists - electric vehicle drivers.

Rangitikei's first fast charge station for electric vehicles installed next to the cafe has been popular and the number of visitors is increasing said Mrs Grayson.

"There can be up to 15 drivers stopping to charge up on some days," she said.

Cliff Randall of Wellington Electric Bikes was charging his Nissan ENV 200 van the day the Chronicle stopped by.

Mr Randall said the van has a range of 80 to 100km between charges and it was his first long trip since he bought the vehicle six months ago.

"I have been to an electric bike conference at National Park and apart from a bit of 'range anxiety' between Palmerston North and here, it's been a great trip," he said.

Mangaweka is likely to be especially busy on the first Saturday in November when the annual Fakes and Forgeries exhibition opens at the Yellow Church Gallery and the Mangaweka Christmas Fayre Market will be held in the village Hall.