The Mighty Waikato

As spring beckoned, I took the opportunity to zoom down the new Waikato Expressway from Auckland for an easy, breezy few days of exploring, eating and drinking in Hamilton and Raglan. What I found was passionate, skilled and motivated owners and producers doing their bit to put this region on the map for locals and visitors alike.

Hayes Common
33 Jellicoe Drive, Hamilton East

Established almost six and a half years ago, Hayes Common is the go-to restaurant for many Hamiltonians, and understandably so. Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday-Saturday and brunch on Sundays, it has an inviting, sophisticated yet relaxed vibe. Here you can kick the day into top gear with a brunch cocktail or feel like a health goddess with a Nourish Bowl loaded with brown rice, rocket salad, roast butternut, golden sauerkraut, beetroot hummus and nori. Later in the day head straight for the Bao Buns with pork belly, pickled radish and sticky sauce or Potato Gnocchi with roast butternut, bresaola, hazelnut, ricotta and burnt sage butter. It would be fair to say you can’t go wrong here – the Hayes Common Team are hitting it out of the park.

Weave Eatery
Sky Point Building, Waikato Innovation Park, 3 Melody Lane, Ruakura

Bear with me here – located in the middle of a commercial area, and a little off the beaten track you might wonder about Weave as a foodie destination, but this utter gem from Hayes Common operators Lisa and Brent Quarrie, is well worth a visit. Head chef Ashley Brodie is an absolute rock-star – the breakfast dishes we enjoyed were some of the best I have ever had, with fantastically punchy flavours and textures and stunning plating. The most popular dish on the menu is Ash’s Chilli Scram – scrambled eggs with chorizo crumb, spring onion, shaved pecorino, pickled cauli, chilli jam and turmeric sourdough toast. Another stand out was the Mushroom Toast, with miso and onion purée, Midnight Baker toast, mushroom cream, crispy onions, nori and togarashi. Even the Avocado Toast (pictured) was elevated to epic-feast levels.

Gothenburg
17 Grantham Street, Hamilton Central

With stunning floor-to-ceiling windows and a view out over the Waikato River, Gothenburg is filled with soft, natural light. In warm weather there is also a terrace where you can enjoy a drink or two with your tapas – and here tapas is the name of the game. The whole menu is comprised of tasting-sized dishes, and covers a variety of flavour profiles and international moods. We opted to stick to something of a theme with our choices – with Charred Greens with Kimchi Butter and Crispy Shallots, Ora King Salmon with Soy Mirin Dressing, Spicy Kim Chi and Pork Dumplings and Crispy Twice-cooked Lamb Ribs with Sticky Glaze, Lime and Chilli. Needless to say there was no room for dessert!

Duck Island
300A Grey Street, Hamilton East

World-famous in New Zealand, Duck Island ice cream is loved in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington for its iconic scoop shops, and nationwide, via supermarkets, for its delectable and innovative range of ice creams. With over 30 flavours, this burgeoning enterprise began life as founders Morgan Glass, Kim Higgison and Cameron Farmilo transformed their side-hustle into a fulltime gig. Passionate about producing a premium product, they are equally focused on providing scoop shops that enhance the communities where they are located by providing venues to gather, connect and share. With a quarter of their range vegan and gluten-free, they’re on a mission to ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy their exciting range. Top of the flavour pops are Fairy Bread, Milk Chocolate Fudge and Salted Caramel – but keep an eye out for even more adventurous flavours as they launch a competition for school children to submit new taste combinations. The winning entry suggestion will be available to buy with the proceeds from sales going back to the school that the pupil attends – an even better reason to dig in!