The Camp

A small cabin nestled in bushes.
Place Wānaka
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Aotearoa, land of the great outdoors, is unsurprisingly a land of a long list of incredibly scenic sites to spend a night, too.

Alice Herald

Two hands holding a beautiful pink diamond ring.
Place Wānaka
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Couture is a word most often associated with high-end fashion, but down Wānaka’s sleek laneway, The Precinct, you will find a window displaying Alice Herald’s...

The Secret Sauna

A view of a little wooden sauna next to a lake on a sunny day.
Place Wānaka
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Picture this: an off-grid, wood-fired sauna sits peacefully on the shore of a glacial lake, smoke softly puffing out of the chimney while through the generous window, a...

Kamino

The brick and glass exterior of Kamino cafe in Wanaka.
Place Wānaka
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If you don’t know where Kamino is in the Star Wars galaxy, never fear.

General Service

A group of three people sitting around a table working.
Place Wānaka
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Tucked down an alleyway in the heart of Wānaka is a place where the inhabitants look forward to coming to work each day.

Curbside Coffee & Bagels

The courtyard of the Curbside cafe with festoon lights strung in the sky.
Place Wānaka
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If the timber letters spelling out ‘Coffee & Bagels’ overhead aren’t an obvious enough announcement of your arrival at Curbside then the aroma of freshly ground coffee and the sounds of a busy barista working the machine will certainly grab your attention.

Paloma

Four plates of Mexican food from Paloma Wanaka on a wooden table.
Place Wānaka
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Creators of authentic Mexican fare, Paloma has a simple (but by no means easy) mission: to make the best possible tacos in Wānaka using New Zealand ingredients.

Hāwea Hotel

Inside the restaurant where people are dining and looking out the windows over the lake.
Place Wānaka
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How do you like the idea of enjoying your morning coffee from a private balcony, with uninterrupted views of mountains encircling one of the country’s largest lakes?

Wānaka Lavender Farm

A purple tractor parked in between rows of purple lavender at Wānaka Lavender Farm.
Place Wānaka
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This is not your typical working farm.

hello RANGER

A plate of lamb koftas, flatbreads and tzatziki on a table at hello RANGER with a pint of beer and other plates in the background.
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Just like any good park ranger, hello RANGER is the heart of its community, there to take care of adventurous people before and after their journeys.

DEVàl Boutique

Woman placing garment back on the rack at DEVàl Boutique, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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DEVàL’s story is one of family, tragedy and triumph.

Muttonbird

Enclosed balcony dining area at Muttonbird, Wānaka.
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It’s a seabird you can eat that smells like fish and tastes like mutton.

Pembroke Wines & Spirits

Life is too short to drink bad wine sign at Pembroke Wines & Spirits, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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Pembroke Wines & Spirits is a boutique bottle shop that delivers more than you thought you ever needed.

Freshlink Grocer

The interior of Freshlink Grocer where there is a costumer walking around shopping.
Place Wānaka
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This whole-food store and knowledge hub has a genuinely wholesome focus on slow food, championing minimal to zero processing and local growers and producers.

arc

High angle view of a person cutting into a fish and citrus dish, wine and other dishes on the table at arc, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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Owners of Wānaka restaurant arc, James Stapley and Sam Cooper know a thing or two about what makes a good eatery.

Fearless

Activewear tops on display at Fearless, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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Fearless is a store with a purpose.

The Next Chapter

The outside of The Next Chapter, Wānaka on a sunny day.
Place Wānaka

Located out front of Paradiso Cinema, in a purpose-built, architecturally designed, scaled-up kiosk, The Next Chapter provides readers with an intimate escape from the...

The Precinct

People walking down the alleyway.
Place Wānaka
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A stylish, shared complex in Wānaka with a range of alluring retail and hospitality stores.

Inside Tattoo

Close up of tattooist drawing design at Inside Tattoo, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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Far from your average tattoo parlour, Inside Tattoo is a place to marvel at the artwork, ask questions and have your curiosity sparked.

Bike Glendhu

Close up of bicycles lined up in a row.
Place Wānaka
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Biking in a naturally beautiful setting.

Revology Concept Store

Wide angle view of Revology Wanaka.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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French composite and materials specialist, Alex, and New Zealand human rights lawyer, Monique, are the heart and soul behind Wānaka’s concept store and tea house centred around conscious living.

Scroggin

A milky coffee, pastries and savoury dish on the table at Scroggin, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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With a Scandinavian-inspired fit-out to match the mountains and adventures to be had in Wānaka, you'll quickly understand why this coffee and eatery’s tagline is ‘Gather, feast, stay for a while.’

Ground Up

Glass of beer on the table.
Place Wānaka
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A brewery and taproom in one, this local favourite continues to grow and impress.

b.social

Close up of pastel-coloured labels on b.effect's beer cans in the fridge.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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The b.social taproom and eatery is a great spot for eating and drinking that is worthy of a visit (or many), whether you’re just in town for the weekend or call this beautiful region home year-round.

Hāwea Store & Kitchen

A fireplace and tables and chairs.
Place Wānaka
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A community hub that combines a grocer, café, restaurant and bar overlooking the lake.

The Old School House

People walking into The Old School House.
Place Wānaka
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Over a century old, The Old School House is doing far better than most of its age.

Urban Grind

Workers chatting behind the counter.
Place Wānaka
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An all-day neighbourhood eatery that's been providing locals with delicious fare since 2011.

FuDog

A dragon print on a wall inside the restaurant.
Place Wānaka
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While their techniques are worthy of fine dining, this restaurant likes to keep dinnertime fuss-free and fun.

Wastebusters

Close up of glassware on a table.
Place Wānaka
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When you’re on a ‘reuse, recycle and reduce’ mission, who you gonna call?

Wilson & Dorset

A leather armchair with a sheepskin cushion at Wilson & Dorset, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka

We love to sit down. But it wasn’t until we plonked ourselves on a Wilson & Dorset Shaggy Bean Bag and lounged on their sheepskin rugs that we realised just how good putting one’s feet up could be. What a revelation.

Hook Wānaka - Lake to Plate

Fishing rods on display.
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Fast becoming ‘the thing to do in Wānaka’, Hook provides a unique lake-to-plate experience of catching your own Chinook salmon from spring-fed waters.

Untouched World

Inside Untouched World, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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In true Untouched World style, the Wānaka branch of the fashion brand with a non-negotiable stance on sustainability and ethics is nothing short of spectacular.

Dripping Bowl

A staff member holds two bowls, made from coconut husks, of acai topped with crunchy coconut, cacao nibs and buckwheat groats.
Place Wānaka
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Well known for acai bowls, smoothies, divine soups and a niche coffee menu, Dripping Bowl has nutrition and sustainability at its heart.

Pembroke Pâtisserie

Female staff member behind the counter at Pembroke Pâtisserie, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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Pembroke Pâtisserie offers hot pastries for your picnic, sweet pastries galore, or for those who like the finer things in life there are artistically prepared macarons and tiny tarts.

Perriam

Child mannequin with table of clothes.
Place Wānaka
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Perriam is a brand designed by long-time local Christina Perriam and is the perfect combination of high country stations and beautiful fashion.

The Green Room

The interior of The Green Room flower and plant store with light pink counters.
Place Wānaka
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A smart, fresh and colourful botanical store, The Green Room is the place to come for beautiful plants or a big bouquet for someone special.

Bistro Gentil

The interior of the Bistro Gentil with a big roll of brown paper with a hand written lettering on the wall.
Place Wānaka
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A fine-dining restaurant boasting a love affair with French cuisine, Bistro Gentil serves excellent meals in a beautiful, sultry interior.

The Coffee Shack

A woman waiting in line at The Coffee Shack.
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Proof that good things come in small packages, The Coffee Shack serves up some of the best coffee in town from its pocket-sized converted garage interior.

Kai Whaka Pai

Diners sitting outside the bar.
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An absolute town institution, this place is humming with people Monday to Sunday, winter through to summer.

Rubys Cinema and Bar

Hollywood movie stars on a wall.
Place Wānaka

Appreciative of the time when going to the pictures was a real experience, Rubys plays arthouse films as well as the latest blockbusters in its cosy and plush interior.

Gallery Thirty Three

Mini sculptures of display.
Place Wānaka
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Whether it be painting, sculpture, ceramics or jewellery, this gallery isn’t fussy when it comes to medium.

Rhyme x Reason

People waiting and staff working behind the timber-clad bar and ordering area at Rhyme and Reason, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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A brewery slash tasting room and bar, visit this sunny spot for a pint or fill up a rigger for takeaway.

Red Star Burgers

Two tall burgers, a plate of salad and basket of hot chips on the table at Red Star, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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A Wānaka institution, Red Star has been filling hungry bellies with burgers since 2004.

Kika

Flatlay of plates of food from Kika.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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Dark and elegant, Kika is an award-winning restaurant tucked away from Wānaka's main street.

Fedeli

A male employee holding a pie on a plate.
Place Wānaka
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A deli with a difference, Fedeli speaks volumes about creating an aesthetically pleasing space that offers up salads, pastries and coffee done well.

Federal Diner

Staff member making a Chemex coffee.
Place Wānaka
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Hidden down an alleyway, Federal is a Wānaka best-kept secret and a favourite with the locals thanks to its great food, speciality coffee and relaxed atmosphere.

The Workroom

Shelves of crockery, glassware and other homewares on display in The Workroom.
Place Wānaka

Aesthetic is what The Workroom does best, so it’s not surprising walking in here is a pleasure in itself.

Cork Bar

Brown leather booth seating at Cork, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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The place to go for evening drinks, Cork has an impressive array of wines, beers, fine spirits and cocktails. Served by bartenders who truly do know their stuff, it’s likely you’ll develop an infatuation with this bar very quickly.

Burrito Craft

Close up of a person's hands holding a taco.
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Easygoing vibes make this permanent food truck a non-pretentious spot to park up and enjoy some food, al fresco style.

Big Fig

A flatlay plate of food on a table at Big Fig in Wānaka.
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Operating by the motto ‘slow food served fast’, Big Fig dishes up meals with a Middle Eastern twist.

Black Peak Gelato

A man pouring M&M's into a gelato tub while churned gelato pours out of the machine.
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With the cheery motto ‘handcrafted happiness,’ Black Peak makes sure gelato treats are nothing short of exceptional.

Cardrona Hotel

Historic cream and maroon weatherboard frontage of Cardrona Hotel with a vintage cream 1968 Chrysler Model 62 parked in front.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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Rumoured to be the most photographed building in the country, Cardrona Hotel was built in 1863 first and foremost as a place to stay for hardworking gold miners.

47 Frocks

Yu Mei handbags sit on a shelf above a rack of hanging clothes.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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Wānaka is no sleepy town when it comes to being on trend with the latest fashion. Thanks to the friendly team at 47 Frocks, you can wander the lakeside dressed to impress with the latest styles and accessories from NZ designers.

Cardrona Distillery

A distillery tour taking place.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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Stop by for a tour and tasting session at Cardrona Distillery and set your eyes on the magnificent copper stills responsible for turning grain into spirits.