Provisions of Arrowtown

Nestled within the richly historic Arrowtown neighbourhood, Provisions is a charming cafe set in a milk-white cottage that was built during the 1870s gold-mining era. It’s surrounded by a garden and greenery, with natural light streaming in. Arrowtown has a tight-knit community – and if you were to visit Provisions a lot, you’d notice it’s always humming with familiar faces.

Inside, the cafe is spread across three rooms and has the slightly nostalgic feel of a family home. Its owners have held on to heritage design features such as the tongue and groove ceiling and floorboards, now neutral-toned. Despite its cosiness, it still sits 95 comfortably indoors and out, and the whole place is dog-friendly.

Much like its garden setting, the food changes with the season. You’ll find produce from many corners of New Zealand on the all-day menu – from panko and crumbed Fiordland blue cod to Gibbston microgreens, Stewart Island salmon and Otago honey. The dishes themselves take inspiration from around the globe; you might order the Provisions benedict or the confit duck fried rice with kimchi and black sesame seeds, the brioche French toast or the roti roll with turmeric dal.

A selection of bagels, slices, cakes and pastries is also available all day. The signature caramel-topped sticky bun is the crowd favourite; from a 19-year-old recipe, any trip to Provisions is a good excuse to order one.