Following on from our very popular Capital & Country Luxury Dining tour in April we’ve created another fabulous dining experience. This time a little closer to home. Hats are not the first thing you think about when selecting a dining destination (although it would be fun to have everyone wear a hat to the table). Highly esteemed foodie magazine CUISINE publishes an annual ‘Good Food Guide’ which lists the very best restaurants from around the country as judged by their restaurant reviewers following anonymous visits throughout the year. The Best of the Best are awarded ‘Hats’ ranging from one to three, similar to the French Michelin Star system. Taupo has two ‘Hatted’ restaurants and in February 2025 we’re planning group dinners at both plus a number of other outstanding culinary experiences all rolled up into one tour. Here’s a summary;
Day 1: This morning we trundle to Taupo and head to our favourite lakeside picnic spot at Four Mile Bay where we’ll enjoy a delicious summer lunch catered by Prue Campbell of The Brantry restaurant. From here we head to one of Taupo’s best kept secrets – a private garden at the foot of Mount Tauhara that’s rated as ‘A Garden of National Significance’ by the NZ Gardens Trust. Owner, Lorna Henry, will welcome us and show us around her 1.5 acre beauty. We then head to our accommodation for the next two nights, the luxurious Hilton Hotel Taupo. Our day culminates with a 4-course dinner at Hat recipient The Bistro. Cuisine’s Good Food Guide says: “There’s a very simple secret to this great Taupo success story – Keep it simple, but superb.”
Day 2: After a leisurely start to the day and one of the Hilton Hotel’s breakfasts we head north to Lake Rotoiti where we’ll enjoy a private cruise on the lake to hot water shorelines where you can have a paddle. If it’s a really hot summer’s day our skipper will find a little cove and tie up where we can enjoy another al fresco lunch by Prue Campbell. There are some great swimming spots at the northern end of the lake too. What a great way to spend a day in high Summer. We return to the Hilton Hotel Taupo mid-afternoon where you can lounge by the pool with a cocktail or enjoy some time relaxing on your balcony. Tonight is something special. A 5-course degustation dinner at Embra, recipient of 2 Hats from Cuisine Good Food Guide. They say: “They take great pride in their dishes which combine incredible French and British cooking techniques with modern local cuisine.” Nuff said.
Day 3: There’s time for a refreshing dip in the pool this morning before we have to checkout of our hotel. There’ll be time in town to wander the lakefront, indulge in a little retail therapy or sit and watch the world go by before we make our way around through to Acacia Bay to L’Arte Café & Gallery where owner Jo Brennan will create a special lunch menu for us before we begin our journey back to the Bay.
Taupo’s unrivalled central position gives it access to the best produce from half a dozen regions. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the rise of so many great food establishments, of all kinds, in the town. On this tour we’re trying our fair share of them and having plenty of fun along the way.
Come join us and treat your senses to some of the best culinary experiences around.