a stylised button with a forest background
a stylised button with a tree canopy background
a stylised button with a fern frond background
a stylised button with a fern leaf background
a stylised button with a tree trunk background
a grey-scale image of five hands held palms outward

Tue-Sat

OPEN

7am-3pm

Who we are

TupuNuku is the labour of love produced by Pastry chef Liel, his wife Nel, a qualified herbalist and native plant enthusist, and thier young family. Over 90% of everything served here is grown within a 50km radius, either on the TupuNuku lifestyle block with its extensive herb garden, free-range farm animals, and productive vege fields, or sourced from within the local community of commercial growers and farmers, or just enthusiastic neighbours with abundant fruit-trees! We extend our welcome to you to visit, to feast, and to explore.

a representation of the mythical tupu-ā-nuku, crouched among rocks and plants on a starry background

What inspires us

The matariki star cluster, known elsewhere as the pleiades, is of cultural significance to Māori, as it heralds the new year, and contains signs about the year to come. Tupuānuku is one of the stars within this cluster, and is associated with all foods that are grown in the ground. Tupu means to grow, while nuku is a shortened version of the Te Reo name for mother earth, Papatūānuku. We give thanks to Tupuānuku for the abundance she provides us!

two hands clasped together holding soil

Values

Te Ao Māori (The Māori Worldview) is a part of the way we live. We aim to tread lightly on the earth in all that we do. Our business has a strong sustainability focus, our coffee cups and takeaway containers are all 100% home compostable and our picnic baskets are woven from harakeke flax. Our land looks after us so well it's only right that we look after it too!

Transcript

Aroha means “Love but, for we as Māori, it actually means a lot more than that. It is about compassion for the environment and understanding the environment. We are all connected. That is our belief as Māori. We are all connected to the natural world. I am the tree – the tree is me. The tree provided for us in the past. We must show aroha for Everything within our ngāhere (forest). We must have compassion for it, so that we build and grow into the future.

an image of a tree canopy in the sunlight