make an excuse to get here

My husband and I went to Waiheke Island for my best friends wedding (a couple of blog posts to follow from that incredible place - watch this space!), and then stopped off in Queenstown on the way home for a couple of nights. Queenstown is one of those places where you literally could come for a weekend. If you book enough in advance all the major operators such as Qantas, Emirates and Air New Zealand offer really affordable rates.

We arrived mid-morning and my husband is a huge coffee enthusiast, so naturally he googled the best coffee. TripAdvisor gives Vudu Cafe 4.5/5 stars, which in my book is pretty good! As soon as we had checked in to our accommodation we made a beeline for Beach Street.

Vudu Cafe is the epitome of "Melbourne cool meets Queenstown charm". It's quaint, has it's own distinct personality with very personable staff, and plenty of seating both indoor and out to suit all occasions. Opening in 1997, owner Michelle Freeman sources local and organic products to create her hard-to-choose-from menus.

We arrived at the perfect time - still serving breakfast (my favourite), but early enough for lunch. The menu is seriously hard to choose between. Every single item listed sounds mouth-wateringly tasty. We, of course, started with our much needed coffees. A 'trim' latte and a double shot 'trim' cap. Worth noting that all their coffees have two shots in there (not that you can taste it), and are locally roasted by AllPress and delivered daily. The coffees were great for NZ, but not up to the same standards as Sydney coffee. Was slightly bitter and could have been a little creamier.

I ended up choosing the Brioche french toast with crispy bacon, banana, strawberry and goji berry puree and my husband ordered the Pulled pork and fried egg roll with relish, coriander and jalepeno slaw. They came out relatively fast, and we were the envy of the entire courtyard. Everyone was wishing they ordered our dishes and we were told by all, including the waiter, we had 'chosen well'.

The presentation was immaculate, taste of both was delectable, but that pulled pork roll. Is seriously. the best thing I have tasted in a long long time. The flavours just complimented each other so well. The egg was cooked to perfection. The relish was ridiculous. And that bun! It was almost like a bagel, but because everything is made fresh in the store each morning it was super fresh, and soft, and tasty. I would order this 1000 times over and never get sick of it. The french toast was really good - could have done with a little bit more bacon and even more 'crisp', but the pulled pork was seriously out of this world. Make an excuse to get to Queenstown. Vudu Cafe is expensive, but it needs to be on your foodie bucket list. You absolutely need to try this!

Cafe: Vudu Cafe
Total price: Food: NZ$36.50; Beverages: NZ$8.50
Hours: 8am - 10pm
Must order: Pulled pork and fried egg roll
Coffee: AllPress

a local favourite

A small cafe, hidden in the back streets of St Leonards, Wooden Whisk is a short walk from the crowds on Crows Nests' Willoghby Road. With it's top five tips on the latest health crazes, the ever-changing specials board, or their on-the-ball, accommodating and smiley staff; it's no wonder Wooden Whisk is a crowd (and our local) favourite.

The interiors are the ultimate in industrial chic - featuring exposed brick and Herringbone wall tiles. There's plenty of seating both outdoor and indoor, with bench seating around the walls and a large share-table in the centre.

We've been there on numerous occasions, and with their focus on the heartier meals unfortunately the Bircher Muesli is not worthy of writing home about - or ordering again. The stand-out brekkie though, is by far the The Breakfast Grazing Board, which features goats cheese, avocado, double smoked bacon, poached egg, tomato chutney, cherry tomato, basil with boulot white sourdough. Large serving, hearty and full of flavours.

The lunch menu centres around sandwiches - hand on heart the Asian Pulled Pork is the best I've tried. It's packed with pulled pork, cucumber, spring onion, aioli, cabbage & mint slaw, and a side of fries. It's a very large meal (the image is shown is only half), so if you're like me and tend to have smaller lunches, order this for two!

Cafe: Wooden Whisk
Total price: Approx $40 (for 2pp)
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm; Sat 7.30am-3pm
Must order: Asian pulled pork sandwich
Coffee: Specially selected from Single Origin Coffee

hidden gem

Tucked away in the backstreets of Kirribilli and offering uninterrupted views of Sydney Harbour, Anvil Coffee Co encapsulates shabby-chic with extraordinary quality.

Launching late 2013, the cafe literally sits alongside Kirribilli wharf and is small, but oh-so cosy. Sourcing reclaimed materials - anything from wooden planks to old school chairs - cafe owners Paul Makomaski, Alex Williams and Rani Reddy built the cafe from the ground up.

The atmosphere is laid-back and friendly, allowing their key focus of seasonal produce and Fat Poppy (their unique blend of Single Origin coffee) to really stand out.

We ordered coffee, The Antonio and Bircher Museli. Beyond expectations.

Cafe: Anvil Coffee Co
Coffee: Single Origin
Total bill: Approx. $40
Hours: Mon-Fri 6.30am-2pm; Sat-Sun 7am-3pm
Must order: The Antonio