Overseas travel may be off the books right now, but why not plan a few local trips? It’s less admin to plan, and there’s the added bonus of supporting New Zealand businesses – especially those that relied heavily on tourism. My guide to Waiheke Island is an easy 40-minute ferry ride away<\/strong>, and can be done on a relatively small budget! If you had plans to live out a wine-soaked summer in Tuscany or the likes, you can drown your sorrows at the vineyards on Waiheke.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Guide to Waiheke will cover<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting there:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wine tasting<\/strong> – $10 for four wines; each variety is introduced and served one at a time at your table. It makes for a longer experience, which is quite nice because you can chat in between each tasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food <\/strong>– includes woodfired pizza ($24-$30) and platters ($38-$45); menu is designed to be shared<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Situated at the top of a hill, the sweeping views are absolutely gorgeous up here. It’s an easy 5-10 minute walk away from Cable Bay. Sitting in their tent-like bistro, which has a canvas roof, hardwood beams and is surrounded by lavender bushes, you could easily be somewhere in Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wine tasting<\/strong> – $11 to $15 depending on whether you want to try lighter, fresher wines (like pinot gris and ros\u00e9) or richer varieties (like merlot and syrah).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food<\/strong> – more casual dining at the Archive Bistro, and more expensive \u00e0 la carte options at the main restaurant. They also have a plant-based menu! We shared the sourdough with Mudbrick’s own olive oil and brown butter ($12). As well as the octopus ($27), mushroom ravioli ($32) and parmesan and truffle fries ($12). It’s safe to say brown butter is the only thing I want to spread on my bread from here on out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another wine and beer combo, with Alibi Brewing Co. located on the estate. Tantalus is always highly recommended by those familiar with Waiheke, and rated #1 on Trip Advisor for things to do on Waiheke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wine and beer tasting<\/strong> – $10-$15 for five wines, and $10 for four beers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food<\/strong> – the adjoining Alibi Brewer’s Lounge does casual food (like sliders, hot dogs, burgers and truffle fries) while the main restaurant does a set three-course menu ($98 per person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Half way there in my guide to Waiheke wineries. Hopefully energised by the wine and food you have consumed so far, you will need to trek up a steep set of stairs to reach Casita Miro but the view of Onetangi bay is worth it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wine tasting<\/strong> – $18 for a flight of five wines; by appointment only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food<\/strong> – featuring a tapas style menu, their food is heavily influenced by Spanish cuisine and the wider Mediterranean area. Think paella, tagine, Spanish cured meats, bread and olives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wine tasting<\/strong> – $15, or $28 for a premium tasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food<\/strong> – the menu is designed by Nic Watt, executive chef of Masu. Their sharing platter sounds epic for $65; for 2-4 people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This one is perfect for beer and cider lovers, as they are Waiheke’s original craft brewery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wine and beer tasting<\/strong> – flight for $20-25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food<\/strong> – they have a more casual menu with items like buffalo chicken, burgers and pizza. Don’t get me wrong, I love platters and grazing boards, but by the end of the day I just wanted something a little less… refined?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So there you have it – six winery recommendations to get you started! My guide to Waiheke is definitely inexpensive compared to usual travel plans, so you can afford to splash out a little if you want. My friends and I found the best way to experience all the great food was to get a few dishes to share at each restaurant… plus we walked 17,000 + steps that day! It’s safe to say we worked up an appetite pretty quickly. And if you want a break from wineries, there are plenty of beautiful beaches, walking trails and caf\u00e9s to visit as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Happy travel planning! If you want me to write a guide to other New Zealand places like Queenstown or Dunedin, comment below or hit me up on Instagram at @balanceyourplate<\/a>. For more local foodie content, check out our article on Favourite Eateries in Auckland.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"