This lonely vegetarian outpost on the vacation-y peninsula east of Auckland was probably the most stereotypical vegetarian spot I've seen in New Zealand, from the menu to the overheard conversations about digestive enzymes to the sign asking you to literally pay forwards someone's meal. I found it expensive enough paying for my own on my increasingly limited vacation budget, but the corn-based fritter I ordered, while largely inscrutable in composition, was nonetheless satisfying. I ordered some feijoa juice not knowing what it was (apparently it's South American, but New Zealanders seem to like it as I've seen it elsewhere), an intriguing concoction to be sure.
If I were looking to eat something before visiting some of the remote beaches, I would want to stop here rather than taking a chance on finding something good elsewhere. read more