Somewhere special to eat

Miss Cocoa Coffee

Everything about Miss Cocoa Coffee is ontrend. There are raw cakes and slices from Real Rad Food, cold kombucha in the fridge, pulled pork and bagels on the menu and smoothies of all flavours. Don't be intimidated – this very cool café has great food and coffee at its heart. There's also the bonus of being able to watch the planes from the Croydon Aviation Centre taking off; what better accompaniment to coffee than a Tiger Moth in flight?

Miss Cocoa also incorporates a small pop-up shop, with a good range of – here's that word again – trendy homewares. There's also a good selection of eco-friendly items to help those on a plastic-free journey.

1558 Waimea Highway, Mandeville.

(03) 208 9662, misscocoa.co.nz

The Bafe Bakery

Tiny but mighty, the Bafe Bakery in Lumsden is known for their decadent doughnuts and perfect pies. Owners Chris and Judy Paama bake everything and have gained quite the following thanks to the constant stream of hungry tourists following their noses through the door. Most leave with full stomachs and icing sugar freckles – there is no neat way to demolish a doughnut. 35 Diana Street, Lumsden. (03) 248 7464, on Facebook.

Route 6 Cafe & Bar

Rural New Zealand seems to have a thing for Americana. There are a few diners dotted around the country, but not all have the intrigue of being located in one of the countries more famous buildings. The old BNZ building in the heart of Lumsden was the scene of New Zealand's still largest-ever bank robbery; on St Patrick's Day in 1983, two men wearing wigs and helmets stormed the building taking nearly $107,000. Police charged a man with robbery and of being an accomplice to the murder of the other suspect. Today, the most valuable thing kept on-site is the beautifully restored 1955 Dodge Kingsway. Route 6 offers all-day breakfast, cabinet food, dinner menu (including American-sized steaks), pizzas and the much-loved Burger of the Month. Even the milkshakes are super-sized. 22 Diana Street, Lumsden. (03) 248 7135, route6.co.nz

The Thomas Green

The namesake of The Thomas Green is Mr Green, the first mayor of Gore, who seemed to have a finger in every pie in town. The restaurant does have the air of being the

‘wine and dine' hub of the region, so Mr

Green would no doubt approve. The Mataura Licensing Trust owns both the Thomas

Green and Howl at the Moon (directly across the road). The trust is a community-owned company responsible for the sale of alcohol in Gore. This trust is the reason there's no beer or wine in the local supermarket, but also the reason that Gore has a state-of-the-art multisports centre as 100% of the profits are put straight back into the community. Management aside, the Thomas Green has a very opulent atmosphere with fireside leather couches, a luxe bar and decadent decor that is at odds with its heritage-style exterior. The food is diverse – there are bao buns, tapas and chargrill options, plus the chips are the best in town. Save room for dessert; even the most distinguished gentleman would struggle against the lure of an injectable doughnut.

30 Medway Street, Gore. (03) 208 9295, thethomasgreen.co.nz