How do Nelson hospitality venues stack up?

Last week I told you about some of the restaurants I have visited in the last few weeks, obviously while I was away I ate at other places too so I thought I would run a tape measure over how Nelson’s cafes and restaurants stack up to those in other places.

In short, very well. It goes without saying the menus are similar but different in that they tend to reflect regional foods and the style of food locals enjoy as well as the previous experiences of the chefs.

Let’s take three premium restaurants, Inati in Christchurch, Soul in Auckland and Hopgood’s & Co in Nelson, as the first example. The food in all three is exceptional, as is the service. The venues are inviting and relaxed, that means it doesn’t matter if you are in jeans and shirt, or in a suit you will be made to feel both welcome and important. This semi-casual environment coupled with perfect service and delicious food is very difficult to achieve for any restaurant.

The biggest difference is that at Inati every dish is designed as a dish to share between two people with the dishes you order coming from the kitchen when they are ready, not necessarily in the order you might expect.

At Hopgood’s the menu has classic offerings of snacks, starter, mains and desserts. Eat in a more causal way at the bar and the small plates are ideal for sharing. The food offerings are quite different too but at both places you know any dish you order will be delicious and cooked to perfection.

Another restaurant we had an exceptional dinner at was Soul at the Viaduct in Auckland. This is another that never fails to exceed expectations with perfectly cooked, delicious food. Take the Crayfish Crumpet as an example. A soft and fluffy house-made crumpet topped with diced crayfish in a delicate miso sauce with dices of grapefruit and served with fresh mint and pea tendrils was exquisite.

The other dishes we enjoyed were equally beautiful in both presentation and flavour. My only very minor niggle was the lack of seriously aged wines on offer. However, with a very busy restaurant of this size it would take a huge investment in stock to age wines, so they focus on having a wine list that is packed with excellent wines of more recent vintages and there is something on their wine list to satisfy any wine lover.

When it comes to waterfront casual dining let’s compare places like Harbourside in Tauranga and Beach at Sumner in Christchurch with Jellyfish and The Apple Shed at Mapua as well as The Boatshed in Nelson. All are very good with different offerings.

At Beach in Sumner you can enjoy a perfect, generously sized, wood-fired pizza with a craft beer or maybe try the fish and chips with a glass of Waipara sauvignon blanc. My Caesar Salad with chicken added was generous, light, fresh and tasty, just the way it should be.

I wrote about Harbourside last week so I won’t go into detail about that, but I can say the three Nelson restaurants stack up exceptionally well when it comes to food and service compared to those we visited on our travels.

One of my favourite lunch places in Nelson is Hardy Street Eatery, it’s a favourite because I love the style of food that is absolutely consistent in quality so I know it will be great every time I dine there.

In Tauranga we discovered a little Café, The Med, next to our hotel and it is just as good as Hardy St Eatery in a totally different way. They make fresh pasties in-house each morning so a soft, fluffy croissant with my usual double shot long black is the perfect way to start the day. The menu is designed to be an all-day menu and there were plenty of people enjoying a full cooked breakfast every time we walked past as well as queues of people lining up for freshly made sandwiches, rolls and pastries to take away. This is a wee gem worth looking for next to Hotel on Devonport next time you’re in Tauranga.

In a much smaller way Someday Somewhere in Bridge St is similar to The Med but doesn’t have a cooked-to-order menu. Kymberly makes her sandwich bread fresh everyday and when it’s gone there’s no more. Those of us in the know buy lunch before 11am while she still has some in the cabinet. Kymberly also makes everything else fresh each day, from warm scones to light berry-filled muffins, you know whatever you buy will be delicious and made with lots of love and care.

In a nutshell I think Nelson eateries stack up incredibly well with some of the best places we visited in Christchurch, Auckland and Tauranga so get out there and enjoy some great food in the watery Nelson winter sunshine.

Good wine and great food should be shared so the most important thing for me on my travels was to share these dinners with people who are special to me. So, make sure you have friends, family or loved ones with you as you explore the delights Nelson has to offer.

Published in the Nelson Mail 12-06-2024