Makarora Country Cafe

STOP HERE!!! Great service, fresh baked goods, a remarkable staff and a home like atmosphere to enjoy your goodies. And, they have a gas station with prices lower than Queenstown so you can fill up your car and your belly. What a deal. The beef pie was recommended by two of the wonderful women working that day. A wonderfully flaky crust and a very warm, savory, tender beef center. As I drove down the road I pondered, why didn't I buy two. A magnificent stop on a rainy day, that made me sit back, relax and appreciate the break from driving. What a gem. Do be warned. If you have not ordered yet and a tour bus pulls in, run, don't walk to place your order!!! We absolutely loved everything about the Makarora Country Cafe.

We made a quick stop at the Makarora country cafe. Sadly 3 tour buses arrives just before us (2 unannounced, we were scheduled) and this made service problematic. We were able to grab snacks from their well stocked store and tried things called chicken salt chips (not a North American thing) so that was interesting. It would have been nice to have been able to do a sit down but 200 tourists all at the same time made that impossible. It can be very busy when the buses roll in.

The title of this resturant is Country Cafe however, the quality of the meal - ingredients, cooking/baking style and presentation - can easily compete with the fine restaurants in the major cities. Beside of the food, it is located in a beautiful country side among the mountains. The interior design and decoration is rustic and great too. You can enjoy seeing the vast old-school items hanging everywhere while you are waiting for the meal. I found the stuff polite and helpful. I look forward to getting back there again. I highly recommend them.