Peake's Kitchen and Papatowai Country Store

Peake's Kitchen and Papatowai Country Store A MUST VISIT IN PAPATOWAI, THE CATLINS, NEW ZEALAND! Come for the scenery, stay for the delicious food. The Store is open end of October to end of April.

Peake’s Kitchen and the Papatowai Country Store are located in the seaside settlement of Papatowai, the Catlins, New Zealand. Operating seasonally, the food truck kitchen is available on weekends end of October to Easter Weekend. Be sure to check our hours of operation. A great stop on your Catlins adventure, experience a unique store and delicious food and refreshments. You can also stock up on b

outique groceries, gifts, beer, wine and more. Its definitely not to be missed! Operated by Nicole and Tom Peake.

🌿❄️ WINDING DOWN FOR WINTER… WITH FULL HEARTS ❤️The roads are quieter, the days are getting shorter… and those winter hi...
29/04/2026

🌿❄️ WINDING DOWN FOR WINTER… WITH FULL HEARTS ❤️
The roads are quieter, the days are getting shorter… and those winter hibernation vibes are definitely in the air here in Papatowai 🌊🌿

As we continue to wind things down for the season, we just want to take a moment to say… thank you 🥰
To our locals, our road trippers, and everyone who made the journey to visit us —
we’ve shared so many great moments together this "On-Peake" season:
🍔 So many Burgers enjoyed
🥧 Heaps of Boutique Pies devoured
🥪 Delicious grilled sandwiches
🍦 Ice creams in the sunshine
🍪 Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookie Treats baked

There were plenty of laughs along the way, new friendships made and good times to cherish. What an exciting Burger Nation competition this year with the delicious Cherry Bomb Cheeseburger! 🍒🔥🍔😋The support and scores were incredible 😍

🧼 WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW
Our main food truck service has now wrapped up for the season, and over the next few days we’ll be:
✨ Deep cleaning
🔧 Resetting
🌿 Getting everything ready for a fresh start in Spring

🥰 OUR AMAZING TEAM
A huge thank you to our incredible Peake’s Team — for the high energy, the care, the long days, the pride and passion you bring to everything you create and the service you provide 🙌 We couldn’t have done this season without you ❤️ 👏

🌸 LOOKING AHEAD
We hope you all have a wonderful winter — wherever you may be ❄️
We can’t wait to welcome you back again in September 🌞

👉 If you’re planning a trip this way, just keep in mind we are now in our wind-down phase so offerings are limited but we are still around for another couple of days if you wish to say hello!
📸 Three juvenile sea lions enjoying a nap earlier this season in Papatowai

🔥 THAT’S A WRAP ON BURGER SEASON 🍔❤️Today marked the final day of the food truck cooking up burgers for the season……and ...
26/04/2026

🔥 THAT’S A WRAP ON BURGER SEASON 🍔❤️
Today marked the final day of the food truck cooking up burgers for the season…
…and what a way to finish 🙌
From the first order to the last — the energy, the smiles, and the support made it such a fun and positive day to close the kitchen out on a high ☀️

A big thank you to everyone who joined us today — and a special shoutout to the Cobra Rod & Custom Car Club from Gore for making us today's lunch destination in Papatowai, The Catlins 🚗🔥✨

💛 THANK YOU FOR AN INCREDIBLE SEASON
To all our locals, road trippers, and familiar faces —
we are so grateful for your support throughout this season.
You’ve helped create something really special here in Papatowai ❤️

🌿BUT WAIT, WE’RE NOT DONE JUST YET…
We’re still open this final week in wind-down mode at the Papatowai Country Store!
Join us for lunch and refreshments 10am - 4pm (closed Tuesday).
🥧 Boutique gourmet pies (featured in NZ Best Pies book and Bakels Supreme Pie Awards)
🥪 Gourmet Grilled Sandwiches
☕ Barista coffee
🍦 Ice cream treats
🍪 Triple chocolate chunk cookies
🛍 Groceries & local goodies
Come in, enjoy a slower pace, and soak up the last of the season with us 🌊

👉 Pop in this week, say hi, and enjoy one last visit before we hibernate!

22/04/2026

🚗 Make this weekend count! Dont miss out on visiting the Cathedral Caves, Lost Gypsy Gallery, Peake’s Kitchen and Papatowai Store. Hibernation mode is fast approaching! 🏃‍♀️

17/04/2026

🍔⏳ 2 WEEKS TO GO… DON’T MISS OUT! 🍒🔥
The countdown is officially on…
Just TWO WEEKS left to get your Peake’s Kitchen fix before we close for winter ❄️

If you’ve been meaning to make the trip — 🚗 Now is the time!

😍 WHAT’S WAITING FOR YOU:
🍔 Sink your teeth into our famous beef burgers
🍒🔥 Let your taste buds dance with the Cherry Bomb Cheeseburger
🥧 Warm up with a boutique gourmet pie
🥪 Enjoy a homely grilled sandwich
🍦 Or treat yourself to a classic ice cream moment

🕒 KNOW BEFORE YOU JOIN
🔥 Burgers & fries: 11:00am – 3:30pm
🛒 Store open: 10:00am – 4:30pm
👉 Important: Our kitchen closes before the store (burgers are lunch service only)
🥪 Pies, sandwiches, coffee & ice cream available until 4:00pm
🛍 Final 30 mins for groceries & gifts

📞 Call ahead to avoid missing out: 022 409 0798

📅 THIS WEEK
❌ Closed Tuesday 21st
❌ Closed Wednesday 22nd
Plan ahead and make the most of your visit on a day we are operating 🙌

🌿 MAKE A DAY OF IT
Turn your visit into a full Catlins adventure —
Waterfalls, coastal walks, wildlife spotting, and fresh sea air 🌊
(Check out our previous itinerary posts to plan your perfect day 👀)

🥰 We’d absolutely love to see you before we head into winter hibernation.
Come for the food, stay for the vibe, and make it a trip to remember 🚗✨
👉 Tag your crew, plan your visit & hit follow to stay in the loop with our latest updates 👇

🕷🌿 SPOTTED IN PAPATOWAI… A MASTER OF THE WATER’S EDGE 👀✨While wandering near the Papatowai Estuary, we came across this ...
15/04/2026

🕷🌿 SPOTTED IN PAPATOWAI… A MASTER OF THE WATER’S EDGE 👀✨
While wandering near the Papatowai Estuary, we came across this cool little character just chilling in the succulent ground cover 🌊🌿

After a bit of investigating… it looks like a Raft Spider — also known as a fishing spider or nursery After a bit of investigating… it looks like a Raft Spider — also known as a fishing spider or nursery spider 🕷
And honestly… they’re pretty fascinating 👇

🕷💡 COOL FACTS ABOUT RAFT SPIDERS
👀 Built for stealth
They’re usually brown or grey with subtle markings — perfect camouflage against sand, stones, and vegetation

🌊 Water walkers
These spiders can actually run across the surface of water using surface tension (how cool is that?!)

🎣 Fishing experts
Instead of webs, they hunt by sensing vibrations — meaning they can detect insects (and even small aquatic creatures) moving on or under the water

🍽 What’s on the menu for these spiders?
Insects, small invertebrates… and occasionally even tiny fish or tadpoles!

👶 Protective parents
Female raft spiders carry their egg sacs with them and later guard their young in a silk nursery — hence the name nursery web spider. You may have seen these web nurseries on the nearby red reeds.

🌿 WHERE YOU MIGHT FIND THEM
If you’re exploring around the Catlins, keep an eye out near:
🌊 Estuaries
🌿 Wetlands
🪵 Damp vegetation or ground cover
They’re not aggressive — just quietly doing their thing as part of this incredible ecosystem

Moments like this are a great reminder…
👉 sometimes the coolest discoveries happen when you slow down and look a little closer 👀✨
👉 Have you spotted anything cool on your Catlins adventures lately? Let us know!

🌿🍔 LAST CALL FOR THE SEASON — LET’S MAKE IT COUNT ❤️As the seasons begin to change here in the Catlins… we’ve been takin...
14/04/2026

🌿🍔 LAST CALL FOR THE SEASON — LET’S MAKE IT COUNT ❤️
As the seasons begin to change here in the Catlins… we’ve been taking a moment to reflect on what has been an incredible season 🥰✨

From locals popping in regularly, to road trippers enjoying an adventure, to first-time visitors discovering the magic of Papatowai — thank you for being part of it all 😄
The buzz, the smiles, the memories… we’ve loved every minute.

🍂 With the clocks winding back, quieter days settling in, and earlier sunsets creeping closer… we’re slowly heading into our winter hibernation period ❄️

This is our time to:
🙌 Rest and recharge
🔧 Work on exciting things behind the scenes
🚗 Explore a little more of our own backyard

🕒 UPDATED HOURS (from now)
🛒 Store open until 4:30pm
🍔 Kitchen cooking until 3:30pm
👉 Closed Tuesdays
👉 Closed Wednesday April 22nd

🔥 FINAL FOOD TRUCK DAYS
We’ll be serving up your favourite food truck meals right through until ANZAC Weekend (April 26th). We can not guarantee that the food truck will be serving after this date so we recommend joining in advance to avoid missing out!

🌙 WINTER CLOSURE
We’ll be fully closed at the Papatowai Store from May 1st, reopening again in September for Spring 🌸

🍒 MAKE THE MOST OF THE FINAL WEEKS
Before we close, there’s still time to:
🍔 Get your burger fix- will it be the classic famous or the cherry bomb cheeseburger? 😋
🍦 Enjoy a Peake’s ice cream treat
🥧 Stock up on homemade pies
👉 We’d love to see you before we close for winter

And if you can’t make it, thank you for an amazing season, for supporting us during the Burger Nation competition, and for making memories with us here in the Catlins ❤️
Let’s finish the season strong 🙌
👉 Tag your crew & plan one last Catlins trip before winter hibernation! 🐻✨

🌊🚗 THE ULTIMATE CENTRAL & NORTH CATLINS DAY PLAN (SAVE THIS!) 🌿✨Travelling from Dunedin, Balclutha or Owaka?Turn the dri...
09/04/2026

🌊🚗 THE ULTIMATE CENTRAL & NORTH CATLINS DAY PLAN (SAVE THIS!) 🌿✨
Travelling from Dunedin, Balclutha or Owaka?
Turn the drive into the adventure and make a full day of exploring the Catlins 🙌
Here’s a relaxed, highlight-packed itinerary to help you plan 👇

🪨 1️⃣ NUGGET POINT LIGHTHOUSE
⏱ ~45 mins return
📸 Iconic coastal views
🦭 Wildlife spotting below
One of NZ’s most photographed lighthouses — perched above dramatic rock stacks known as The Nuggets

➕ Optional stop:
🐧 Roaring Bay Penguin Hide (best at sunrise/sunset — but you might get lucky anytime!)

🌾 2️⃣ OWAKA — REFUEL & RESET
✔️ Bathrooms
✔️ Playground
✔️ Museum & local shops
✔️ Last reliable fuel stop
A great place to pause before heading deeper into the Catlins

💦 3️⃣ WATERFALL STOP
Choose your adventure:
🚗 Pūrākaunui Falls (short walk, iconic three-tier waterfall)
OR
🌿 Matai & Horseshoe Falls (two waterfalls, one easy walk)
OR
👟McLean Falls (Tallest waterfall in the Catlins, located near Cathedral Caves)

🍔 4️⃣ LUNCH IN PAPATOWAI
By now… you’ve probably work up an appetite! 😋
🔥 Kitchen cooking 11am – 3:30pm
🍒 Taste the Cherry Bomb Cheeseburger (Best in the South Island 👀🏆)
🥧 Boutique Pies, baked fresh daily
🍦 Ice cream treats ready

🌊 5️⃣ EASY AFTERNOON WANDERS
• Estuary & beach stroll
• Southern Rātā & native forest
• Birdlife + peaceful coastal views

🤩 6️⃣ LOST GYPSY GALLERY
🕙 Open 10am–5pm (closed Wednesdays)
Crank handles, push buttons, and explore quirky mechanical creations
✔️ Fun for all ages
✔️ Great rain or shine

📸 7️⃣ FLORENCE HILL LOOKOUT
One of the best photo stops on the Southern Scenic Route 🌿

🌿 8️⃣ LAKE WILKIE
1-minute walk for mirror views
Optional short walk to water level

🪨 9️⃣ CATHEDRAL CAVES (LOW TIDE ACCESS)
Plan your timing carefully 👇
📅 Friday 10 April: 12:45pm – 3:45pm (gate closes 4:45pm)
📅 Saturday 11 April: 1:45pm – 4:45pm (gate closes 5:45pm)
📅 Sunday 12 April: 2:30pm – 5:15pm (gate closes 6:15pm)
📅 Monday 13 April: 3:15pm – 5:15pm (gate closes 6:15pm)
📅 Tuesday 14 April: 3:30pm – 5:15pm (gate closes 6:15pm)
❌ Monday 15 April: Closed
A must-do Catlins experience — but only accessible around low tide 🌊

And just like that… your day is full 🌿✨
Or better yet — stay the night and turn it into a weekend escape 🌙

👉 Save this for later & tag your road trip crew!
Who’s heading to the Catlins next? 🚗👇

🍄✨ A LITTLE MAGIC ON THE FOREST FLOOR 🌿👀One of my favourite things to do on the Papatowai walks is to slow right down an...
07/04/2026

🍄✨ A LITTLE MAGIC ON THE FOREST FLOOR 🌿👀
One of my favourite things to do on the Papatowai walks is to slow right down and look a little closer 🌿Because when you do, you start to notice a whole different world...

As some of you may know, I love photographing mushrooms and bugs 🍄
They appear, disappear, and change so quickly... I often feel like I’ve been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to catch them.

There are so many different shapes, colours, and textures —
some look like coral, some like little umbrellas, and others… honestly look like something from another planet 😄

🌈 SOME COOL FINDS FROM MY RECENT WALKS
🍄 Clavariaceae (Coral Mushroom) — delicate, branching and almost underwater-looking
🌺 Aseroe rubra (Anemone Stinkhorn) — bright red, star-shaped and hard to miss!
(It produces a brownish slime that attracts flies — nature’s way of spreading spores… pretty clever really 👀)
🍄 Dark Velvet Bolete (Tylopilus formosus) — rich, earthy tones with a velvety texture
I’m not quite brave enough to eat any of them 😅

And when you start looking… it’s not just mushrooms you’ll find:
🪵 Stick insects blending in perfectly (this one somehow ended up on me)
🕷 Male harvestmen spiders quietly doing their thing

I absolutely love identifying them, learning their names and the little stories behind them. It’s a gentle reminder that sometimes the best part of a walk, isn’t how far you go — but what you notice along the way 💛

🌿 WHERE TO LOOK
If you’re keen to spot some of these yourself:
👉 Old Coach Road in Papatowai is a great place to start
And honestly… any Catlins walk will surprise you if you slow down enough 👀✨

Keep a look out on:
• Forest floor
• Tree stumps
• Leafy, damp areas

Next time you’re out exploring —take a moment, look a little closer…
You never know what you might discover 🌿🍄

🥚✨ THE FINAL GOLDEN EGG HAS BEEN FOUND! 🐰🏆A huge congratulations to team Black McSagans who discovered the second and fi...
06/04/2026

🥚✨ THE FINAL GOLDEN EGG HAS BEEN FOUND! 🐰🏆

A huge congratulations to team Black McSagans who discovered the second and final Golden Egg today on the Picnic Point walking track 👏🥚✨
What an epic effort!

🐇 The Easter Bunny has officially hopped off from Papatowai for another year…
But don’t worry — he’ll be back again next Easter 🐰🌿

💛 A big thank you to everyone who joined us over Easter. We loved seeing so many of you out exploring, laughing, adventuring, and making the most of the long weekend 🥰🌿Thank you for being part of the Easter magic here in the Catlins 🥚✨Moments like these are what it’s all about❤️

🌿🚗 BONUS DAY OFF? MAKE IT A CATLINS ADVENTURE 🍔✨We’re OPEN tomorrow — Tuesday April 7 — for Southland Anniversary Day 🙌S...
06/04/2026

🌿🚗 BONUS DAY OFF? MAKE IT A CATLINS ADVENTURE 🍔✨
We’re OPEN tomorrow — Tuesday April 7 — for Southland Anniversary Day 🙌
So if you’ve got the day off…
👉 this is your sign to hit the road, explore, and make the most of it 🌊🌿

🍔 WHAT’S ON AT PEAKE’S
🔥 Kitchen cooking 11:00am – 3:30pm
🍔 Famous hand-ground beef burgers ready to go
🍦 Ice cream treats
🍪 Fresh triple chocolate chunk cookies
🕙 Store open 10:00am – 5:00pm

🚗 PLAN YOUR PERFECT CATLINS DAY
Here’s a simple, adventure-packed itinerary to make the most of your trip 👇

👟 START STRONG — CATHEDRAL CAVES 🌊
⏰ Open 10:00am – 1:00pm (gate closes 2pm)
A must-do Catlins experience if it’s on your bucket list 🙌

💦 WATERFALLS & FOREST MAGIC
🌿 McLean Falls — one of the tallest in the Catlins
💧 Lake Wilkie — mirror reflections + peaceful boardwalk

🍔 LUNCH IN PAPATOWAI
By now… you’ve earned it 😋
🔥 Burgers cooking 11am – 3:30pm
👉 Give your taste buds something to dance about

🌈 RELAX & PLAY
🙌 Lost Gypsy Gallery & Garden of Wandering Thoughts
🤩Push buttons, crank handles, and explore quirky creations
✔️ Perfect rain or shine

🐬 WILDLIFE & COASTAL MAGIC
🏄 Curio Bay & Porpoise Bay
Keep an eye out for:
🦭 Seals
🐬 Hector’s dolphins
🐧 Yellow-eyed penguins
👀 Even the occasional Orca sighting

🌬 GO SOUTH — SLOPE POINT
📍 The southernmost point of NZ (next stop Antarctica!)
Bring a windproof jacket… those trees lean for a reason 😄

🦭 LIGHTHOUSE & SEA LIONS
📍 Waipapa Point
Iconic lighthouse and sea lions nearby — watch your step 👀

And just like that… your day is full 🌿✨
👉 Who’s making the most of their bonus day off?
Tag your road trip crew & start planning 🚗👇

Address

2501 Papatowai/Chaslands Highway
Chaslands
9586

Telephone

+64224090798

Website

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