Cafe Secrets

Craig and Kirsty Joiner opened the Boatshed Cafe on the west coast of Northland, New Zealand over 15 years ago. The old red weatherboard building has a magnificent setting- perched on piles, with a wide deck overlooking the Rawene Harbour. They had no previous café experience, but from day one, the cafe took off.

A stone's throw from trendy Cuba Street and right next door to the Wellington City Art Gallery, you'll find Gallery Nikau Cafe owned by business partners Kelda Hains and Paul Schrader. Kelda is the chef and Paul works front of house.

Down a quiet street in Takapuna, over on Auckland's North Shore, you'll find Little and Friday, a retro-chic cafe, with a strong local following, owned by former wedding cake decorator, Kim Evans.

The Wellington suburb of Miramar is home to Peter Jackson's Weta Workshop. Cafe Polo is located a short stroll away and serves fabulous food to the animators, modelers and actors working on the Hobbit movie, as well as locals.

Auckland has a small Jewish population and Greys Ave Deli is at the heart of this strong community. Located in the grounds of the Auckland Synagogue, it's the only deli/cafe in N.Z. providing certified kosher food. It's a place where customers come to shop, buy and schmooze with friends.

Ruth and Andy Petit opened the Colenso Cafe 22 years ago as a way of boosting their income while raising four children. Orchardists by trade, their original plan was to sell freshly squeezed fruit juice to passing tourists, but the council insisted they install a commercial kitchen, so they decided to go the whole hog and open a cafe.

Most Aucklanders take good coffee for granted, but 20 or 30 years ago, it was a different story. Michael Allpress changed all that. A former chef, he began importing coffee beans and roasting them himself to sell to cafes and restaurants. Worldwide, Allpress Espresso is now synonymous with great coffee.

Julie Le Clerc visits a small cafe tucked inside Okere Falls General Store on the shores of Lake Rotoiti. The store was opened 5 years ago by Sarah Uhl and her German-born husband, Andi. They serve simple cafe food seven days a week, including the best muffins in NZ! They have thrown their hearts into the community, holding mid-winter bonfires, and opening the cafe to visiting bands.