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No matter what kind of dining experience you are after, Taranaki's wide range of restaurants and cafes with both international and Kiwi flavours will supply just what your tastebuds are craving. From superb steaming coffee at an alpine cafe, to delicate whitebait fritters, hot Indian curries and aromatic Asian fare, Taranaki can offer you the world of culinary excellence.
 A stroll down New Plymouth's main street highlights the dining paradise Taranaki offers, from cafe-style to a la carte. Try a selection of Taranaki's world-famous dairy products at Dairyland in Hawera (the world's largest dairy factory site), savour fresh ocean catches at coastal cafes, enjoy a latte in a cosmopolitan downtown bistro, or gaze out to sea in an upmarket gourmet restaurant.
As well as the usual fayre of French, Italian, Japanese and Chinese food, Taranaki also enjoys more unusual cuisine such as Thai and Turkish. Afterwards, kick on at one of the region's exciting night-time entertainment venues. Many towns have modern cafes and wine bars, and 'pumping' nightclubs add flavour to a night out. Country pubs offer a glimpse into rural New Zealand, and a thriving theatre culture produces excellent productions.  Each of the region's three largest towns have bustling shopping strips, with New Plymouth's Devon St boasting an array of specialty shops, art dealers, leading brand retailers, artists, workshops and fashion boutiques stocked with latest haute couture.
Don't miss: Kina, a New Plymouth art space exhibiting Taranaki artists monthly (http://www.kina.co.nz); Real Tart, an artists' collective showing some breathtaking artwork from the region's artistic core (www.tart.co.nz); Pacific Rim Traders, a importer/wholesaler of new and heirloom quality furniture sourced from China and Tibet (www.pacificrimtraders.co.nz). Arborio, a modern ocean-side cafe with up-to-the-minute cuisine and a laidback family ambience adjacent to New Plymouth's iconic Puke Ariki complex (06 759 1241); Andre L'Escargot Restaurant and Bar, offering award-wining French cuisine in an authentic setting (www.andres.co.nz, 06 758 4812); Cafe Wunderbar, fully licensed with an unbeatable wine list and located along the Surf Highway 45 at Oakura (06 752 7303). |
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