On the menu

A trip through some of downtown Napier’s tastiest offerings.

BAKED
One streetside corner of Napier’s historical fire station building has been carved off to accommodate decadence in dough. Think toffee pecans piled onto a buttery brioche swirl, or dulce de leche and macadamias atop a white chocolate mud cake. Or single-serve focaccia adorned with caramelised onion and a fan of crispy potato wafers. The bakery has its roots firmly in the adjacent bistro; the two businesses share ownership, a luxe tropical aesthetic and pastry chef Dan Hillier-Jones.This is a great thing for diners who develop a taste for the bistro’s crusty sourdough and want to take home a loaf with a tub of creamed brown butter.

CENTRAL FIRE STATION BISTRO
Every ingredient has been considered here, from the warmly competent service to the tiered glass lighting to the locally caught octopus. And count on that octopus having a perfectly tender bite and a caramelised exterior, thanks to a lengthy process involving two lots of poaching and a final sear. It’s this kind of attention to detailthat earned the establishment its “bestregional restaurant in New Zealand” gong last year. Hawke’s Bay also stars on the wine list, alongside a chosen few outsiders. Spectacular arched windows stand in place of the original fire station doors, while botanical wallpaper and velvet soften the building’s industrial edges. At the rear,a glass-walled atrium opens onto a private dining area and the night sky. Co-owner and head chef Sam Clark does clever things with beef carpaccio, lamb and a single petal of red onion.

VINCI’ S
Banish the memory of limp, too-doughy, late-night pizza in a single mouthful. Airy, hand-stretched bases are perfectly crisped and fire-singed, with toppings running the gamut from vegan light to cheesy sausage. At one end of the scale, the garden slice eschews dairy in favour of satisfyingly creamy roasted garlic and pumpkin, with a five-cheese option at the other end. Grab a slice or a whole two-person pie at this buzzing, busy narrow strip of an eatery where the music is pumping and the staff are cheerful. Don’t expect side dishes or alternatives, this is strictly a “do one thing, do it exceptionally well” place. They do have a daily special that’s worth a shot.Orange and fennel can work on a pizza – in the hands of the Vinci masters. Hint: the takeaway counter does a roaring trade but these slices are best eaten straight from the oven.

Sink into comfortable seats to clink quality glassware and relish drinks that come with some drama.

TERESA COCKTAIL BAR
On a quiet night, the bartender can spin yarns about landing his first impressive gig in a swanky London establishment or raiding the kitchen to concoct an off-the-menu Bloody Mary for a demanding Kiwi politician.Naturally, wine, beer and spirits abound but it’s the cocktails that are the real crowd-pleasers. Ingredients have been fermented, distilled and infused in-house, using what the bartender dubs “culinary bartending” techniques borrowed from pastry chefs. Perch at the bar or sink intocomfortable seats to clink quality glassware and relish drinks that come with some drama. Outlandish-sounding components such as olive oil-washed monkey shoulder and porcini mushrooms may sound like a party trick, but these are well considered, skilfully executed drinks. Hobby is a pleasing pairing of kawakawa-berry gin and dry vermouth teamed with salted apricot liqueur, fig leaf caramel and a striking slash of green absinthe glitter paint.

Service is the right side of sassy, and seating options range from a long wooden dining table to velvet sofas.

MATISSE
Don’t get comfortable with the wine list here as it changes frequently. And don’t look for familiar big names. This boldly painted bar specialises in personally sampled (the owner tastes everything she sells) offerings from small producers. Likewise, the wine shop at the back of the venue hosts a fascinating array of unfamiliar labels, including hand-numbered bottles of methode traditionnelle from Hastings, and an obscure varietal from a tiny vineyard in the French Languedoc-Roussillon region.There is nothing middle-of-the-road about the food, either. The seasonal salad may be studded with bruleed figs and marinated watermelon, while the chicken-kūmara dumplings have a gentle Malaysian curry kick. Service is on the right side of sassy, and seating options range from a long wooden dining table to velvet sofas, bar leaners anda fairy-lit outdoor area.

LISBON ARTISAN PASTRY SHOP
This small bakery has been created by a couple who hail from the Portuguese capital. Naturally, Tiago and Sofia Vieira specialise in Lisbon’s beloved custard-filled pasteisde nata (Portuguese tarts). But don’t overlook the other offerings, such as savoury scrolls, cream palmiers and layered tiramisu cake, all made from scratch on premises that opened in March last year.In fact, customers can watch the proprietor folding butter into croissant dough when he’s not helping customers. Service is sweet but note that their European-style cakes and pastries contain far less sugar than many Kiwi offerings. Look out for a new gluten-free range.

SAI THAI
Those who doubt tofu can be a thing of beauty need to try Sai’s marshmallowy cubes. They have a miraculously crispy – but not brown – exterior and come witha caramelised soy five-spice sauce as well as a chilli rice vinegar “to balance flavour”.The meang kana entree is another surprise;ginger, lime, cashew, pork crackling, onion and roasted coconut morsels wrapped ina Chinese broccoli leaf and consumed in a single mouthful. Every jug, teeny bowl and plate is made in Thailand, and the waiter endorsing the crispy fried chicken and cashew dish explains his aunty is inthe back, chopping up more chicken. The considered wine list is an all-Hawke’s Bay affair. There’s a second Sai in Havelock North.

HAPĪ
Meet every dietary need and wish from paleo to vegan, from coeliac to “I really need one of those addictive chocolate chip cookies right now” at Hapī. The always-busy wholefood cafe sits inside another Napier institution; the Chantal Organic store.Watch staff reach into glossy mounds of seasonal produce to create the daily fare. Portions are generous; the multi-layered cake wedges are huge and the sandwiches (made with legendary local OMG bread) overstuffed with almond satay and teriyaki tempeh. The chicken in the soup is organic, and so is the buckwheat flour in the herby cheese scones, and customers don’t need to be vegan to relish a salad with seeds, nuts, cauliflower florets, caramelised chunks of kūmara and a citrus dressing.They do organic coffee and cold-pressed juices, too.

ORIGAMI
Across the road from Napier’s pebble beach, Japanese fusion newcomer Origami occupies a corner of the grand old Art Deco Masonic Hotel. The gyoza dumpling dough is pleasantly light, and the glossy salmon wrap entree comes with crispy greensand a fiery citrus sauce. But who are we kidding – it’s the dessert offerings that are the major drawcard. While the casual eatery has sister outlets in Christchurch and Wellington, each resident pastry chef has free rein to create their own revolving selection of sweet temptations. Likethe Malibu, where a coconut-studded chocolate shell is filled with rum-spiked coconut mousse and a pineapple and passionfruit compote. Or the nutty, chocolatey, caramelly Baileys “rocher” orb that is topped with a chocolatey swirl and toasted hazelnuts. Book ahead for high tea at weekends.