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 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.

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.

Anchor makes great free range, grass fed beef dairy products. It maybe synonymous with New Zealand…read moremilk/dairy industry kind of like Xerox or Kleenex was with their products. Makes for a great nutty brown butter preparation for sauces or mixed in with fresh butter and used as a spread. Mmm fatty goodness

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.

Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, this is a hidden gem. You can taste a wide variety of Puhio…read moreValley's natural cheeses, and learn about the creation process. The cheese lady (sorry I forgot her name) was great about ensuring we ate certain cheeses in order for our palate, which was delightful advice. We ended up eating there, and I'm so happy we did. In our two week NZ tour, the sandwich from here (salami, brie, chicken, and veggies) was by far the best thing I ate. The cheese melted wonderfully and the combination of flavors with sauces was drool worthy. I wish we didn't get stuffed quickly, because I've heard their ice cream is amazing (one trip regret). Also, I have to say the price was so reasonable. You'd expect fr a fancy cheese place to have high priced meals, but my sandwich was massive for a small price, and the pizza my husband got was juicy not greasy, and also a super shocking low price for as large as it was.

There is something magical about a factory shop. Especially if it's a factory that makes cheese,…read moreyogurt and ice cream. Puhoi valley cheese was fully packed today at 1pm. So I just ordered some award winning ice creams and some coffee. The ice cream is fantastic, so creamy and yummy. Same thing can't be said about the coffee, it was almost as weak as water. I m not a big cheese person, but I can't resist a bargain. So I bought the single cream Camembert that is on special. If it wasn't pouring down outside, I would take a stroll around the grounds and maybe even had a play on the swings to work off those guilty ice cream calories.

Luscious is a gourmet health grocery store located just past the top of Parnell rise. A specialty…read morehealth food store which also stocks an extensive range of wines (they even have vegan wines) and an impressive array of hard to find health and specialty gourmet foods just to make your diet a little more interesting. You will find fresh vegetables, frozen yoghurts, specialty breads, pastas, grains, cereals amongst your more common ingredients (only organic) and some not so common like date paste and red quinoa. Down the back of the store is a fantastic selection of specialty juices, coconut waters and iced teas and much of the product here is sourced from New Zealand. This place is popular with those who work in the area who want a healthy lunch on the go with a decent amount of cabinet food to choose from and fresh juices and smoothies. The coffee is pretty amazing too, very strong. Chateau Kiwi use beans from Organica. Whether you have food allergies, a specialty diet or just like your food to be not so common then this is a place you should check out.

The chateau kiwi is very like 'The Barrow' in the central city. Aimed at providing a more gourmet…read moretake on regular grocery shopping, they both chase the same sort of niche. I like the Chateau kiwi as it stocks a really good range of organic and health foods. Nowhere else can I find my favourite range of little bird organics apart from their original shop in Kingsland . You haven't lived until you have tried the strawberry and White cacao macaroons. And then of course there's the frozen dumplings which I often buy from here and make my own dipping sauce and trick my friends into thinking I am a real life masterchef.