The highlight of my day...no scrap that, the highlight of my week was discovering a cheesemonger…read morehad opened in my hood. I was heading to my local butcher when I noticed the bike, basket full of fresh flowers, parked out front and the glorious name, 'The Cheese Room.' Inside was even more delightful. Shelve upon shelve of delectable looking chutneys, artisan crackers and fresh herbs. Down the back there's a temperature controlled cheese room with big wheels of NZ made cheese. Hand-written descriptions of each cheese including the region and the creamery help you to choose from the exciting selection. There's also a separate fridge containing goodies such as Neudorf yoghurt and Clevedon buffalo mozerella... my idea of heaven. I had a quick chat with the owner on my way out the door and it turns out they'd opened for business that very day! Unfortunately I didn't catch his name but he told me that him and his son have been selling cheese at markets for years and decided it was time to open a store. Well, I for one am thankful they did and judging by how busy they were on their first day, so is the Milford community!

Gorgeous shop, located on Kitchener Road in the heart of Milford. They stock many local and…read moreboutique crackers, relishes, chutneys and other food items which compliment the vast array of artisan cheeses they sell. The owner sold me on a beautiful Nettle Gouda (I forget where it's from but DELISH) and also a Smoked Parmesan (from Tauranga which I haven't sampled yet but it smells devine). Like Alex stated, the store is beautifully styled which also boasts a climate controlled cheese room at the back of the shop complete with automated door. While writing this review I realised I should have looked to see if they sold cheese slicers, I saw a selection of good quality knives for sale so I am sure they would. Will definitely have to inquire on my next visit. If you love cheese this place is a MUST visit!! Street parking or park at Milford Mall & make the short stroll across the road.

Fantastic small French cafe and deli featuring a beautiful selection of cheese. Many customers were…read moredashing in for at home supplies. There is a large cheese room with glass viewing area in the main dining area which adds to the ambience. There is plenty of seating to enjoy the limited menu - everything we tasted was delicious. The place was almost full when we arrived and totally full by the time we were served. We had pretty decent coffees with palmiers which were super crispy and perfectly sweet. We actually went back for more. The cheese and ham croissant was flakey, warm with gooey Camembert and a generous amount of ham. I had the braised ox tail on custard which is served with a few slices of fresh baguette. The braised ox was gelatinous and salty, the custard smooth and creamy set into the serving bowl, on top were pickled mushrooms adding a much welcome tangy refreshing way to cut through all the other richness. I'm not usually a fan of micro greens, but these were pretty tasty fresh and added texture. DELICIOUS! I only wish the serve was larger. Will definitely return because I saw many tasty looking soups being served and want to try more.

This is my favourite place to have a good French style cafe meal, Everything we ordered was…read moreamazing. This cafe is also a cheese retailer, so if your looking for some of the worlds best cheese this is the place to find it.

Wheel upon wheel of New Zealand cheese, Kapiti icecream by the scoop, rotisserie chooks and chewy…read morecookies that upon request can be made into ridiculously huuge (and unbelievably good) ice cream sandwiches....seriously, what's not to like! Okay, so I will admit that the cheese is little pricey but you get what you pay for, which is beautifully made NZ cheese. Mention must also be made of the service at this joint. I came here recently with a friend for a post pizza ice cream juuuust as they were closing and not only did the friendly bloke behind the counter give us a mini cheese tasting (not that we needed it) but he also offered us complimentary nerds with our ice cream. Not sure if this is standard procedure but we were absolutely chuffed - I hadn't had nerds in years! He even offered to unstack some of the chairs so we could sit and enjoy our ice creams inside, out of the wet and windy weather outside. Bless his little cotton socks.

I really enjoy coming to The Dairy! This cafe brings back so many childhood memories, from candy…read morefloss to sodas to freshly baked cookies straight out of the jar! It really is a one of a kind. First time coming here, I almost felt like a giggly schoolchild again, forever trying to decide on how many cookies I wanted and which delicious Kapiti ice cream flavour I wanted to sandwich between them. I love that the cookies are HUGE and they come with generous amount of ice cream, which honestly makes them a bit tricky to eat as they can get very messy, but I suppose that is all part of the fun and remembering what is was like to be a kid? Personally, I think The Dairy is great for any ages. I took my Mum once and even though she didn't try anything, she got a lot of joy out of watching my older sister and I trying to eat their giant ice cream sandwich cookies! Highly recommend this place!

Go Dutch! This is a the store to come and buy your authentic Dutch cheese, that delicious yet…read morestrange tasting Dutch licorice and Nasi Goreng.... Nasi Goreng?????..... well, yes, I had to look twice too, all this time I have eaten Nasi Goreng out and I thought it was an Asian delicacy... The prices vary, usually towards the more hefty side, but if it is the occasional shop or a one off item you are after then look at it as a treat. They have quite an extensive range too, plus if you check out their website www.godutch.co.nz you can buy online! Go Dutch also have another retail outlet in Orewa. If you haven't ever tried Dutch licorice before, give it a go! It is very different to the soft sweet stuff in the West. This store offer a variety to chose from, ask staff about the different choices to help you decide.

Go Dutch is an unexpected treat to find in Henderson, amongst Discount Stores and ratty cafés. A…read morestore that specializes in Dutch treats- from food to ceramic gifts. As a big cheese eater, this small selection of Dutch cheese wheels was a great find, easily accompanied by authentic savoury crackers in stock. Good goat's cheese is scarce in New Zealand. Go Dutch obviously stocks goat's cheese, gouda- even a bright green pesto cheese. Even better than the cheeses was the licorice selection, at the rear of the store and almost behind the counter, like an old English sweets shop. Each flavour has its name and taste (sweet or salty) clearly printed on the front. The pleasant older lady working the store will willingly help guide your decision. A great store to find that something special as a gift, to enhance a meal or for a new experience.

Massimo and Marina are from the southern Italian town, Puglia, and have brought the fine tastes of…read moreItalian cheeses all the way over to La Cigale Farmers Market for local Kiwis to enjoy. The cheeses, such as Mozzarella and Ricotta, are all handmade in New Zealand without preservatives from locally sourced cows milk, and are made in accordance with years old recipes that originated from their home town Puglia. They had a delicious Ricotta mixed with icing sugar and chocolate chips available for customers to try at La Cigale, which would taste great on the top of a cake. They also have stalls at other various weekend markets, such as the Matakana Farmers Market and also the Howick Village Market.

When I first walked in here I was surprised at how pleasant and trendy it was inside because from…read morethe outside it doesn't look like much. They have pink streamer type stickers on their front windows and microwave meals for purchase in their display. However inside it really is a whole different story. They have white tiled walls (a personal favourite of mine) a big blue coffee machine and a big roll of brown paper that they write things on, swoon! The cafe itself is small but it didn't feel that way because you could look through a metal-link curtain into their large open kitchen where all their food and catering is prepared I assume. At first I didn't know if I felt like any of their cabinet food until I saw the gingerbread loaf! It was so delicious too I throughly enjoyed! Speaking of delicious there was also a rather good looking boy behind the coffee machine, always a nice addition methinks!

Remember those crazy subway scenes from The Matrix. Well take those while tiled subway stations,…read moreleave them abandoned for a year or so, then reclaim the space as a trendy new café. It almost has a steampunky, Bioshock-esque feel to it and manages to pull it off nicely. They also dress the large front window with meats and cheeses you can purchase, presumably to take over to the near-by Cornwall park on a spring day. Sadly, by the the time I arrived at Raven & Cook the nibbles had been packed away. My espresso was rather lacking and served in a large shot glass. Sensing my dejected demeanor, the barista struck up a small conversation with me and offered me a small coffee cocktail he was experimenting with. A fun, friendly café pumping The Black Seeds is a nice addition to Greenwood's Corner.

A Francophile's dream, Maison Vauron is stocked full of the very best French food and wine. There's…read morebeautiful French cheeses, cured meats, delicate pastries and shelf upon shelf of imported French accoutrements. What I love most about Maison Vauron is it's authenticity - walk in and you are greeted with a cheery Bonjour! Not sure about a product? Ask the staff, they are incredibly knowledgable and more than happy to help. Maison Vauron are also passionate about education and host regular tastings with French producers. Keep an eye out on their website or sign up to their newsletter to keep up to date with the latest events

I had the pleasure of joining a large group for a cooking with cheese evening hosted by Maison…read moreVauron as a special event. Omg the food was first class. Beef cheeks cooked for 16 hours, cheese foam with beans and sausage, tuna Tartar, and a delish cheese board to complete the meal. All courses where served with matching wines, and the service impeccable. With staff that was knowledgable about the wine and food. I will be trying to keep my ear to the ground to hear about the next event, at $75 per person they are amazing value.

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. That was us with the smiles…read moreon our face as we took home our 300+ gm handmade cheese made by my very own hand. Il Casaro Cheesemaking class was my highlight for my week after being stuck at home sick. Massimiliano was great value and a master cheesemaker that I would recommend you go and visit next time you want some good quality handmade cheese at a great price. His class (the cheese template) was a great class and will be quickly followed up with the Mozarella class in a few weeks by my group. He's very informative - giving you history of where he's from and the family business back at home in Puglia, Italy to where the milk comes from here in Tauranga, NZ. At the end you get to try 6 cheeses - smoked Mozarella, grape infused cheese, Provolone, Burata, Stracchino and finally Mascarpone. Email Marzia if you want to take one of their great classes. This would also be great for a Company team building event.

There's nothing cheesy about this place. Masimilliano brings his family's best secrets from Puglia…read moreto New Zealand. From his humble kitchen, he produces an impressive variety including provolone, ricotta, burrito, mascarpone, smoked mozzarella blue cheese. He even experiments with wine infused cheese! If you fancy a great afternoon, attend one of his cheese making classes where you can learn to make a basic cheese, mozzarella or mascarpone. Email him at marzia@ilcasaro.co.nz. Otherwise look for his products at Farro supermarkets.

I love this place. Love it. Because I can eat almost everything in it. Being plagued with being…read moregluten and dairy free has its challenges when trying to shop at most supermarkets. But not this one. They have everything you need if you're on a specialty diet, or if you're just following the crowd and doing it anyways. It's really handy if you need something on your way home from work as it's open until 7pm on weekdays. And it also has a brilliant community vibe that makes me want to always go there because I know I'm helping a local business. I'm always surprised with what I find there, they make my life a whole lot easier as I know I can go there and come out with everything I need to make a meal that I can enjoy.

Lovely health food store in a nice neighborhood of Auckland. I enjoyed chatting with the friendly,…read morehelpful staff. Thank you!