An exciting new precinct is coming to Hamilton
The Waikato will soon be welcoming Made, an ambitious and appealing new precinct that’s set to open its doors in the coming months at 401 Grey Street, Hamilton East. As well as a ceramicist, a creative studio and retail stores, it’ll be home to a host of exciting new eateries spanning fine dining and casual go-tos. Stay tuned for more. madehamilton.co.nz

A new four-course tasting menu at Sidart
Known for lengthier degustations, Three Lamps fine diner Sidart has a new shorter tasting menu that aims to allow a broader range of people to experience its excellent fare. A Taste of Sidart is $100, and might include dishes like Hawke’s Bay lamb rump with fenugreek oil, charred leek and pistachio puree; and dry-aged duck with pickled carrot, mandarin gel and endive. The restaurant has also introduced a new non-alcoholic drinks pairing, which will further expand its already great appeal. sidart.co.nz

Bubbles and Bumps at Faraday’s Bar
For those who like the finer things in life, luxury concept store Faradays has a Thursday offer that will see you nicely through to the weekend. The cheekily named Bubbles and Bumps offers a pairing of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs champagne with a tin of Sturia Vintage caviar for a special set price; it’s $199 for a 375-mil bottle of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and 15-gram tin of Vintage Sturia, or $399 for the full-sized bottle and 30-gram caviar tin. Maybe you want to celebrate something, or perhaps it’s just another day in your life – either way, we’ll take any excuse for an opulent way to spend a Thursday. faradays.store/bar

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Mr Go’s opens in a new Wellington location
With diner-inspired accents, a spacious all-weather courtyard and much more seating, popular pan-Asian eatery Mr Go’s is embracing new energy in its new Eva Street location. It’s left the original Taranaki Street home behind after seven years, and we spoke to owner Dean White about the move here.

Two beloved Auckland bakeries closing
It’s sad news for Tāmaki Makaurau baked good fans as of late, with two of the city’s favourite bakeries announcing closures. Westmere Bakery, the iconic yellow-and-orange-signed staple at 160 Garnet Road, announced its August 5 closure with a paper sign on the window – its owners having “decided to hang up our apron strings” after 32 years. On Karangahape Road, The Caker will be shutting its doors on September 3. Here, we spoke with founder Jordan Rondel about the closure, and what’s next for the brand.

Take a sourdough class to celebrate Bread & Butter’s 10-year anniversary
It’s not all bad news for bakeries; Isabel Pasch founded organic bakery Bread & Butter in 2013, and the Auckland-based founder is marking its 10th birthday by sharing her knowledge with a series of sourdough baking classes – which began in 2016 but lapsed due to being short-staffed. They’re taking place at Bread & Butter’s Grey Lynn cafe every Wednesday, and you’ll learn from a company that bakes 4500 pastries, 3500 loaves of bread, and 9000 bread rolls in an average week. Something to aim for, eh? Each three-hour class is $150 per person and includes a drink, pizza, bread to take home, a sourdough starter and instructions for using it. The business has also launched a new retail platform for ordering online, so you can make sure you get your hands on some Portuguese tarts and sourdough baguette without it selling out. Bread & Butter’s classes are running from August 9 to September 27. breadandbutter.nz