Hungry in Hamilton

On-trend flavours, classic baked goods and a lot of other delicious things happening in the Waikato.

Hamiltonians are suddenly spoilt for choice, as a rush of fresh eating options take rootin the river city. The evolving food scene includes new offerings from local operators and established out-of-towners. Much of the action is unfolding on the eastern side of the Waikato River, where Made marketplace– opening early this month – gathers some of the region’s “most exciting makers, creators, doers and shakers” under one roof. Stellar newcomer, The Green, is a degustation-only restaurant championing Waikato produce for a maximum of eight diners a night. Down the street, the new 70-seat Sage restaurant recentlyopened. Pastries and bread are flying out the door of tiny new Rüdi’s bakery in central Hamilton, while visitors who venture into neighbouring suburbs will discover the lesser-known foodie finds beloved by residents.

THE GREEN
This is your home until midnight, chef Karl Martin-Boulton tells guests who lean forward to watch eight courses unfurlacross a shared, counter-style dining table. There is intimacy in both the setting and the culinary storytelling that roams from tales of buttered cheese in his working classEnglish early childhood, to the uncle’s house in Te Aroha where he tasted his first bacon and egg pie. In this chef’s capable hands, the latter is reinterpreted as bacon jam and creamy egg espuma (foam) in the base ofa crispy cupped morsel.During Martin-Boulton’s tenure as chef/ patron at England’s Old Downtown Lodge, the restaurant earned a place in the Michelin Guide and was named among Britain’s top three percent. Back in New Zealand, he was determined to open an eatery in the city that welcomed his family when they emigrated 20 years ago. “Hamilton is a growing city, a beautiful place,” he says. “And the Waikato, in general, is this amazing place we haven’t really discovered. It’s a bit of a wonderland to me. There are so many people willing to grow or do something different.”Martin-Boulton makes butter using cream from Raglan’s Dreamview Creamery andbuys fish and chocolate directly from suppliers there. Organic vegetables come from Tomtit Farm, 9km up the road, while meat is grown and butchered by a family in nearby Cambridge. He also forages for edible wild flowers and plants that grow alongside the Waikato River in front of the restaurant. Knives, leatherbound wine lists, individual cheeseboards and crockery are locally crafted, too.

Watch eight courses unfurl across a shared, counter-style dining table.

MADE FOR FOOD
In fact, Martin-Boulton has his eye on water jugs made by his neighbours at Mystery Creek Ceramics. This candy store of a studio is immediately next to The Green on the eastern edge of the Waikato River. Founder Alex Wilkinson’s distinctive nerikomi-style stacked and sliced clay objects are created, beautifully displayed and sold here. Sign up for a lesson, too.Both businesses sit directly below the main level of the Made complex, which occupies the magnificently redeveloped regional council building. Floor-to-ceiling windows and decking face river and trees while sheaves of wheat, hand-picked by the developer and his father, are suspended from one section of ceiling.The tenants have also been hand-picked, including a Waikato sommelier who has moved home from Melbourne, an artisan butcher from Te Awamutu and Hamilton’s most awarded barista and coffee roaster. While there is a scattering of boutique shops and services and a karaoke room and golf simulator on site, Made’s primary focus is on edibles. It’s the place to find growers of greens and makers of chocolate, sourdough loaves, pastry, freshly baked pretzels, craft beer and plenty more.The city’s beloved backstreet Asian street-food vendor On a Roll has opened a second outlet here; look out for the beef hawker roll, with a perfect ratio of soft wrap to crisp greens and tender, saucy meat.Mezze dishes up Mediterranean platters and savoury stuffed Turkish gozleme, while artisan gelato maker Hannah Wood is launching her first dedicated Little ’Lato parlour there. It is also manufacturing home base for Hamilton’s ever-inventive Duck Island ice-cream team, though their flagship parlour remains just across the street.

OLD AND NEW
It is fitting that chef Larni Lemaua’s new venture, Sage, is directly above Duck Island. Lemaua worked in the kitchen alongside the ice-cream company founders whenthey operated Chim Choo Ree restaurant. He is promising a relaxed setting and food to share.On the western side of the water, Riverbank Lane is home to fellow newbie Rüdi’s. Brazilian-born baker StefanKelly-Zander operated a pop-up micro bakery in Whangamatā with his wife Fern before the couple settled into their Hamilton location in late August. It is worth rising early to select from the full range of sourdough bread and flaky, creamy,delicious pastries. Do not leave without one of their salted-rosemary braids, made with wickedly crisp and buttery croissant dough.This laneway is also home to well-established and respected local hits. On the street front, Café Kopi has delightfully friendly service and Rocket Coffee to complement counter fare and a couple of daily specials such as lamb curry.Mr Pickles Bar and Eatery is an always-busy, upbeat place serving wafer-thin rounds of octopus carpaccio and stir-fried gai lan to the business crowd as well as to dog owners and people with prams, who stroll directly onto the riverfront patio.Service rolls easily from lunch through to afternoon snacks, dinner and sundowner cocktails. It also happens to stand between two of the city’s most cherished, celebrated and long-standing eateries. Turn one way for the degustation menu and intimate cellar dining option at Palate or the other direction for tapas-focused Gothenburg Restaurant and its grand glass atrium.Finish the evening with drinks at Ernest, a late-night lounge that offers bar bites and a set menu. The venue recently scooped a slew of Waikato Hospitality Awards; best establishment, best front-of-house team and best bartender.

DAYTIME WINNERS
Cream Eatery is an ideal, buzzing breakfast stop in the city. Try the smoked baked beans served with an American-style oaty “biscuit”, doused in the same Luke’s spice mix that’s for sale at the counter. Their cinnamon buns, topped with lashings ofcream-cheese icing are justifiably legendary.On the western edge of the downtown core, Frank Food is a small, family-run establishment with Raglan Roast coffee and an ability to elevate the humble broccoli salad with nuts, bacon and just the right amount of chipotle mayo dressing.Ten minutes’ drive from downtown, Weave Eatery lives up to its location in Ruakura’s innovation park. Occupying one end of a bright, high-ceilinged shared space hung with bold artwork, Weave is warmed by wooden tables and swift service. At 8am on a Thursday, the place hums with the breakfast-meeting crowd, some of whom grab generously stuffed wraps and surprisingly pretty pies to go. It’s worth lingering over a “nourish me” plate; herbed ricotta and grains, green harissa, za’atar and crispy sesame lavosh. It makes sense that this is the younger, newer sister of Hamilton East’s excellent and innovative Hayes Common (now a daytime-only venue).

TAKE-HOME TREATS
Visit Hamilton Beer and Wine Co for an impressive range of the region’s brews, from Pōkeno single-malt whisky to Cambridge Distillery Co Knocknaveagh gin, through to Vilagrad vintage port and Good George beer, cider and tonic. Poke around the shelves for some locally made bites, too,like award-winning AraBello peanut-marble chocolate, which is beautifully packaged and made by an Israeli-born Hamiltonian who honed her craft in Scotland.In suburban Queenwood, foodies will find three great reasons to visit the smallbut charming strip mall. Sleek little Bliss Bakery is coeliac heaven. The counter fare hails from a certified gluten-free kitchen and plenty of offerings are minus dairy. While the emphasis is on sweet treats, the fresh wraps and pies are supplemented by a freezer stacked with garlic bread,quiche, pasta dishes and other gluten-free meals to go.Saturday mornings are the optimal time to visit Fruney next door, for the largest weekly array of pastries. Chocolate-dipped croissant, anyone?However, the vibrant-hued store always offers a selection of flavoured honey and handcrafted chocolate bars studded with freeze-dried fruit or nuts, as well as almonds coated in a coffee-studded chocolate. Look out for the latest Fruney chocolate combinations at Made.Around the corner, Whole Heart health shop has a new owner who prides herself on showcasing local; sauerkraut, roasted coffee, salad greens, spice blends and chutneys all hail from the greater Hamilton area. This is also the only retail outlet for the ancient-grain loaves made by The Stoneground Co.

waikatonz.com

Air New Zealand operates daily non-stop flights to Hamilton from Wellington and Christchurch, with connections across the domestic network.