A foodie's guide to Womad

Heading along to Womad Festival this March? Be sure to get acquainted with this year's stellar line-up of local food vendors before you hit the road.

Get ready festival-goers – Womad is back.

While it comes as no surprise that Kiwis flock from all over for a taste of the eclectic music and arts offerings, let it be known that the unsung festival heroes – the food vendors – are just as impressive as this year's line-up.

Come Friday, March 16 New Plymouth's Pukekura Park will be transformed into a verified melting pot of different cultures, cuisines and musical tastes. The World of Music Arts and Dance Festival, better known simply as Womad, will return to TSB Bowl of Brooklands for three vibrant days of live music, a drawcard for hundreds of music-lovers and dozens of acts from all over the globe.

While New Plymouth may not ordinarily be hot on your culinary radar, by the look of this line-up, that's soon set to change. This year, grab a Temaki Roll on your way to see Dayme, or devour a Heavenly Pie under a shady tree between sets.

Here are the seven mouth-watering offerings every foodie should consider when hunger strikes:

1. Watch musicians cook up a storm at Taste the World
Be sure not to miss out on the cooking sessions scheduled to take place throughout the weekend. Get up close and personal with musicians as they swap out their instruments for an entertaining afternoon of kitchen creativity, using a whole host of unusual ingredients.

Hosted by former MasterChef New Zealand personality Jax Hamilton, this delicious offering is not to be missed. For session times and more information, see here.

2. Share a wine with Allan Scott
Join renowned New Zealand winemaker Allan Scott for an intimate session of wine tasting and storytelling. Sample a selection of wines from Allan’s Generations series while learning about the wine he’s made and the stories that surround the industry he’s grown to love. Each sample will be paired with hors d'oeuvres, designed to complement each delicious drop. To learn more, see here.

3. Enjoy a stroopwafel on-the-go at Montfoort
What's not to love about these delicious little morsels? We've long been fans of the team at Montfoort, and can't think of a better way to keep the blood sugar up during festival season than with a tasty little cinnamon-laden stroopwafel. Montfoort make Dutch spiced biscuits with a chewy caramel centre, lovingly-crafted using a tried and true traditional recipe.

4. Fuel up with a temaki roll at Temaki Truck
Festival food is best enjoyed in transit – the easier to inhale, the better. We can't wait to get our hands on Temaki Truck's scrumptious Kimchi Pork Temaki or the universal crowd-favourite – the Spicy Salmon Temaki. Similar to sushi, temaki is a popular Japanese hand-rolled sushi cone, housed in a sheet of seaweed. Filled with everything from seafood to chicken and spicy tofu, deliciousness is positively spilling out of the end.

5. Start your day with a freshly-baked croissant and a cup of black coffee from Petit Paris
With three action-packed days of music and festivities ahead, Petit Paris have your Womad weekend breakfast well and truly sorted. A verified slice of parisian perfection located in the very heart of New Plymouth, French boulanger Charly, French patissier Steve and Kiwi chefs Kate and Kimba, take pride in offering a deliciously decadent selection of French treats to savour.

6. Reinvigorate your senses with a hot chai from Mister Chai
Come sundown, there's nothing better than cosying up to a hot and reinvigorating tea during the final act of the night. Tim and Jess – New Zealand's favourite chaiwallahs – create delicious, organic chai, all of which is brewed in batches and served in compostable cups direct from their hand­-painted, solar­-powered cart.

7. Savour a sweet treat during sunset with Lalele
A scorching Kiwi summer calls for gelato – by the truckload. Good thing the team at Lalele Organic will be on-hand throughout Womad weekend, serving their moreish range of frozen and guilt-free delights. Lalele Organic work with producers and organic growers within the Bay of Plenty region, using only Trade Aid coconut milk and chocolate. Chill out with unique flavour combinations like strawberry, coconut and lavender, cocolatos and avocado or coconut and French tarragon popalatos – we're positively salivating at the thought.

Womad Festival New Zealand, Friday, March 16 – Sunday, March 18, TSB Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth. For festival and ticketing information, see their website here.