44 DEPARTURES BACK TO
44 DEPARTURES BACK TO BASICS Plates up in Wellington Narrowing your focus can expand your horizons, as these Kiwi restaurateurs prove. by Ute Junker FORGET ABOUT thinking big. A new wave of F&B entrepreneurs is showing you can make a splash by going niche. From bars showcasing New Zealand spirits to a diner devoted to porridge, these recent openings prove that narrowing your focus can expand your horizons. GRAZE Chef Max Gordy and partner Stina Persen’s low-impact philosophy permeates every aspect of their compact wine bar in Kelburn Village, with interiors done entirely in repurposed materials and a wine list that celebrates small organic producers. Gordy’s menu is sustainably sourced and meat-free – which is ironic, given the building was previously a butchery. “My philosophy is that it’s easier to use every part of a vegetable than it is with animals,” Gordy says. Every dish on the menu is also available in a vegan version. grazewinebar.co.nz KUIKUI LANE “We wanted to bring what’s important to the front, instead of just doing the usual thing,” says Riann Umaga-Marshall, co-founder of Victoria Lane’s newest gin and cocktail bar. For Umaga-Marshall and partner Hamish Mexted, that means showcasing the best of New Zealand and Maori culture. The tapas-style menu is in English and Te Reo Māori, and both food and wine lists focus on homegrown products. Even the tequila is local – and it is one of the most popular choices, despite costing a shot. Hospitality first-timer Umaga-Marshall loves helping the community shrug off the pandemic blues. “People are tiring of this whole situation – they want places that bring a bit of joy and celebration.” kuikui.co.nz THE OATERY Smashed avocado has some competition in the favourite-breakfast stakes in The buzzy scene at Graze Wine Bar Wellington, thanks to Anna Campbell of The Oatery. Her take on Goldilocks’ favourite food has proven so popular that she recently swapped her food truck for permanent premises. “Porridge is like pasta – you can dress it up,” says Campbell, whose ever-changing toppings include baked apricot, burnt honey butter and mint in summer and rhubarb, lemon curd and spiced granola in winter. Wellington is a good place to follow your passion, according to Campbell. “Locals are good at supporting small businesses,” she says. theoatery.nz NOLITA “It was born from being greedy, really,” laughs Lydia Suggate of her latest venture. Suggate and her partners already operate a number of vegan eateries, including Mockingbird and The Botanist, but Nolita is particularly close to Suggate’s heart, who has “Luxury is changing. It used to be 5, 6, 7 star hotels, golf course, butlers etc – and now, I think, luxury could be ecology, technology, sustainability and spirituality. It’s an organic vegetable garden, a Unesco Reserve and max 20 or 25 people.” Marcello Murzilli, founder of the Italian hermitage-like sanctuary Eremito, eremito.com suffered pizza cravings since going vegan. Made with rye sourdough and a cashew-nut cheese born of many hours’ experimentation in the kitchen, this vegan pizzeria has even won over meat lovers. A smoked cheese made from potato is an alternative option. nolita.co.nz EVIL TWINS A university degree may open doors, but so does the ability to make a mean matcha latte. Twenty-yearold twins Stephanie and Natalie Chin put their studies on the backburner when they decided to open their own coffee shop. Their first step was to invest in lessons from a barista; they followed that up by handing out free cuppas to passersby in exchange for feedback. The first iteration of Evil Twins was takeaway-only but since moving into their new Willis Street premises this year, they are offering the full cafe experience. eviltwins.co.nz CELESTE FONTEIN
FROM TOP: JEREMY KORESKI, © HABITAS The Departures 10 Nature | Tranquillity | Off-Grid Nimmo Bay 4 ADRÈRE AMELLAL Siwa Oasis, Egypt Dramatic mountain backdrops and a salt lake frame this eco-lodge that boasts 40 rooms built of clay bricks and wood mirroring an ancient Berber village in an isolated electricity-free sanctuary, adrereamellal.com 5 MAMULA ISLAND Boka Bay, Montenegro A restored fort turned 32-room private escape in a Unesco World Heritage Site, the emphasis here is sophisticated tranquillity, from the spa to the restaurant helmed by Canadian chef Erica Archambault, mamulaisland.com 7 DOLOMITE MOUNTAINS Italy Fascinating to traverse on foot – and in the winter months, on skis – the mountains of northeast Italy are sublime escapes with the DM team’s handcrafted hut-to-hut itineraries taking in the rugged, rustic splendour, dolomitemountains.com 8 WILD FRONTIERS Kyrgyzstan Hiking tours in challenging but accessible parts of the world are the speciality of this British operator, with the sweeping steppes of breathtaking Kyrgyzstan a particularly fascinating destination, wildfrontierstravel.com 1 NIMMO BAY British Columbia, Canada Tucked into the Great Bear Rainforest, guests at this intimate nine-cabin retreat are encouraged to dive into the chilly Pacific Ocean or enjoy the floating sauna and hot tub, nimmobay.com Caravan by Habitas 2 EREMITO Umbria, Italy 9 CRILLON TOURS Bolivia A new hotel built to resemble a 14thcentury monastery offers a spiritual experience for solo travellers. A perfect escape from the digital world, the hotel is mostly lit by candles, eremito.com Amid the jewels of South America, Bolivia is the undiscovered country, yet through Crillon the sparse Uyuni Salt Flats and the vibrant Lake Titicaca can be explored in the comfort of a deluxe Airstream camper, crillontours.travel 10 HOTEL TERRESTRE Oaxaca, Mexico 3 WILDFLOWER FARMS New York State, USA Just 90 minutes from the Big Apple but emotionally a world away, the 65 rooms of this new Hudson Valley resort are swathed in the eponymous flora, with access to miles of hiking trails, aubergeresorts.com 6 CARAVAN BY HABITAS: AGAFAY Morocco Twenty traditional Moroccan tents await in the otherworldly landscapes of the Agafay Desert, allowing guests a truly immersive experience in the shadow of the Atlas Mountains – just a short trip from Marrakech, ourhabitas.com Completely off the grid, 14 earthy villas blend into the landscape and offer the perfect back-to-nature experience in a sustainable environment, terrestrehotel.com “Clients are increasingly moving away from traditional ‘fly and flop’ holidays and looking for trips that offer self-improvement and evoke personal change. Our clients are seeking experiences that enrich their mental and physical health, where they can broaden their horizons, learn new skills, get back to nature and connect with people.” Simon Jeffries, head of product and commercial at specialist travel adviser Carrier, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, carrier.co.uk 45 DEPARTURES
