After months of searching, judging and tasting, the winner has been announced.
A huge congratulations to the NZ Café of the Year 2016, The Bespoke Kitchen from Queenstown!
In addition to the top title, The Bespoke Kitchen will get to enjoy $60,000 worth of prizes including a Melbourne café tour, national PR coverage, a Dish editorial package, and the lease of a branded Renault Kangoo for a year.
The NZ Cafe of the Year 2016 national winners are:
NZ Café of the Year 2016 – Supreme Winner
The Bespoke Kitchen (Queenstown)
Best Rural (joint winners)
Red Shed Palazzo (Drury, Auckland)
The Clareville Bakery Café (Carterton)
Best Suburban
The Bespoke Kitchen (Queenstown)
Best Metro/CBD
Elizabeth Cafe & Larder (Tauranga)
Classic Kiwi
Sweet Vanilla Kitchen (Lower Hutt)
People’s Choice 2016 Winner
Nick’s Café (Waiuku, Auckland)
NZ Café of the Year finalists:
The cafés that have made the judges shortlist for the competition are:
AUCKLAND REGION:
Best Metro CBD: Foxtrot Parlour (Auckland); Scratch Bakers Headquarters (Auckland); Wellesley Street Kitchen (Auckland).
Best Suburban: Corelli’s (Devonport); La Forchette (St Heliers); Luscious Café (Onehunga).
Best Rural: Frenchot (Waiheke Island); Red Shed Palazzo (Auckland); The Jetty Licensed Café (Helensville).
Classic Kiwi: Aroma Shed Café (Auckland); Carriages Café (Kumeu); VOLT Espresso (Auckland).
UPPER NORTH ISLAND REGION:
Best Metro/CBD: Abracadabra Café & Bar (Rotorua); Elizabeth Café & Larder (Tauranga); Victoria’s Café Kitchen Bar (Taupo).
Best Suburban: Central Deli (Mt Maunganui); LOLA Breakfast Bar & Licensed Café (Hamilton); Violets Coffee @ Pit Lane (Hamilton).
Best Rural: Colenso Country Café and Shop (Coromandel); L’Epicerie (Whakatane); The Refinery (Paeroa). Classic Kiwi: Baxters Café (Whakatane); Food For Thought (Thames); Sweet Painted Lady Cafe (Matamata).
LOWER NORTH ISLAND REGION:
Best Metro/CBD: Element (Whanganui); Little Black Bird Eatery (Hastings); Maina (Hastings).
Best Suburban: Aurum Coffee Roasters and Café (Hastings); Gusto Restaurant & Café (New Plymouth); Source (Napier).
Best Rural: Café 39 South (Owhango); Essence Café (Fielding); Kristy’s Café (Whanganui).
Classic Kiwi: Aroma’s Coffee Lounge (New Plymouth); KR’s Café & Catering Ltd (Fielding); Mothered Goose (Bulls).
WELLINGTON REGION:
Best Metro/CBD: Prefab (Wellington); The Flight Coffee Hangar (Wellington); Victoria St Café (Wellington).
Best Suburban: Benedicts Café (Lower Hutt); Café Polo (Wellington); Franco’s Trattoria (Wellington).
Best Rural: Saddleback Café (Wellington); The Clareville Bakery & Café (Carterton); The Village Grinder (Masterton).
Classic Kiwi: HOME Café (Wellington); Mount Cook Café (Wellington); Tiki Lounge Café (Lower Hutt).
CHRISTCHURCH REGION:
Best Metro/CBD: Columbus Coffee Riccarton (Christchurch); Café Kudos (Christchurch); Café Metro Merivale (Christchurch).
Best Suburban: Red Post Café (Culverden); Thyme Café (Prebbleton); White House Black (Christchurch).
Best Rural: Arabica Licensed Café (Ashburton); Legends Café (Pleasant Point); Waipara Springs Winery & Café (Waipara).
Classic Kiwi: Little River Café (Little River); Meshino Espresso (Christchurch); Mocca (Timaru).
SOUTH ISLAND REGION:
Best Metro/CBD: Kiki Beware, Refreshment Room (Dunedin); Nova Dunedin (Dunedin); Vudu Café & Larder (Queenstown).
Best Suburban: Graze (Queenstown); The Bespoke Kitchen (Queenstown); Vanilla Bean Café (Richmond).
Best Rural: Kai Whakapai Café / Bar Wanaka (Wanaka); Melrose House Café (Nelson); Penguin Café/ Bar (Takaka).
Classic Kiwi: Chantilly Café (Blenheim); Maggie’s Kitchen (Greymouth); Vogel Street Kitchen (Dunedin).
2016 People’s Choice regional winners
Congratulations to the 2016 People’s Choice regional winners! These are the café’s that received the most public votes for each competition region and will automatically go into the judges shortlist. The café with the most votes overall will be the 2016 People’s Choice winner.
The 2016 People’s Choice Regional Winners are:
Auckland region: Nick’s Café (Waiuku, Auckland)
Upper North Island region: Piccolo Licensed Café (Taupo)
Lower North Island region (Joint Winners): Café Jacko (Palmerston North); Springvale Café (Whanganui)
Wellington region: Sweet Vanilla Kitchen (Lower Hutt)
Christchurch region: Pukeko Junction Café & Deli (Leithfield, North Canterbury)
South Island region: Jester House (Tasman, Nelson)
