What’s New in Dunedin October 2020
Eat and drink
Kind Company Stunning plant-based food and botanical cocktails with a kick - what a combo. The awesome team from the Kind Grocer have opened a bright new, airy café featuring a menu of delicious and indulgent vegan and vegetarian dishes that are all crowd- pleasers. By night the space transforms into a bar, serving botanical cocktails that are as beautiful to look at as they are to drink. www.facebook.com/kindcomapnynz
Ramen Takeichi International franchise Tokyo Ramen Takeichi has opened its doors and is now serving up its signature steaming hot bowls of Japanese ramen in Dunedin. The local response has been emphatic – it keeps booking out. The trendy ramen-ya is the first Takeichi store in New Zealand and the lines of eager Japanophiles are queuing for their daily dose. https://www.facebook.com/dunedinramen/
Patti’s and Cream Scoop Shop The very excellent Patti’s and Cream food truck folks have made a permanent home for their cult-status hand-made ice cream in the thriving suburb of Mornington. Swing by for a mega-scoop of their regular and seasonal flavours, including tasty temptations such as beer and nuts, pear and blue cheese and London fog. The chilled-out food truck is still appearing at its usual spots around the city to serve ice-cream and delicious burgers. www.pattisandcream.co
No 8 Distillery Bohemian Dunedin bar and music venue, Dog with Two Tails have launched the No.8 Distillery, which produces a line of delicious craft gins and other spirits made on premises. Pick your blend from the ever-growing selection which currently includes No. 8 Dunners Dry Gin, No. 8 Hibiscus gin, and the No. 8 Horopito gin, which is smooth and slightly spicy. The boutique distillery currently offers tastings and will soon offer bottle refills to take home. www.no8distillery.com Jooni’s Crepes Hot off the pancake press, Jooni’s Crepes opened on George Street in late September, serving up decadent stuffed crepes in handy paper cones. Chow down on Oreo explosion, caramel crunch, Jooni’s special and more. It’s often a sold-out crepe stampede. www.facebook.com/jooniscrepes
The Dish A groovy new Mexican-inspired eatery and bar on the ground floor of Dunedin’s vibrant shared working space, Petridish. The breakfast burritos are the stuff of legends and the tasty menu selection has aficionados clamouring for more. www.petridish.co.nz/spaces/the-dish
Mela Eatery Opening just prior to lockdown, Mela is a cosy little eatery serving Indo Nepalese and Tibetan street food that has quickly gained a loyal following in Dunedin. Be transported to the Himalayas with the delicious momos, chaat and other tasty delicacies. www.melaeatery.co.nz
Al Sultan A new authentic Middle Eastern restaurant, Al Sultan has opened its doors in Dunedin serving an enticing selection of grilled dishes, shawarma and other regional classics such as khabsa, all in generous portions. Traditional shisha pipes are also available. www.facebook.com/AlsultanDunedin
Island Fresh A little slice of the Pacific Islands has arrived in South Dunedin. Island Fresh sells all manner of foodstuffs, clothing and other accessories to recreate your favourite regional dish or deck out your home island-style. www.facebook.com/Island-Fresh-Dunedin-108563800949369
Burger Plant This entirely plant-based burger joint opened its doors in early February and already has legions of loyal customers. The mouth-watering menu doesn’t skimp on flavour, with tasty tempters such as the Mexi Burger and Big Boi delivering attitude in pure plant form and equally enticing sides dishes to match. www.burgerplantnz.com
Beam Me Up Bagels Central The Dunedin masters of all things bagel have opened a larger central city location. The legendary Beam Me Up Bagels have achieved an almost cult-like following for their amazing selection of fillings and flavours, and now that joy is being spread even further with a spacious new eatery on Great King Street. www.beammeupbagels.co.nz Attractions and shopping
Insiders Dunedin Discover a Dunedin you won’t find in the guide books. with its small business startups and larger-than-life characters, Dunedin is a city that’s constantly evolving with new tastes and experiences. The Insiders Dunedin platform is the place to share and explore the city’s untold tales. www.insidersdunedin.co.nz
Hereweka Garden and Retreat Not new, but little known. An oasis of tranquillity on the Otago Peninsula, Hereweka Garden Retreat is both an eco-lodge and a garden of regional significance. Stop by and wander the walking tracks through lush native forest and beautifully planted ‘Gondwana Garden’ in this secret Shangri-la, which features one of the last remaining stands of native rimu on the Peninsula. www.hereweka.co.nz
Ocean Beach Railway The much-loved Ocean Beach Railway is back after a four-year hiatus. Departing from Dunedin’s iconic ‘Dinosaur’ (Marlow) Park, the steam and electric locomotives take passengers on a short but sweet jaunt along the beachside track, which has been in use since it’s launch as New Zealand’s first heritage railway in 1963.
Geotourism NZ tours Dunedin and wider Otago are full of fascinating geological formations. A new specialised tour company, Geotourism NZ, will unlock the story of the regions history by examining the many and varied landscapes we inhabit. From the volcanic rock layers beneath Dunedin’s hills to the sea arches and basalt columns found throughout the area.
Walls Plant Land maze – coming soon A one-stop family entertainment destination in Mosgiel, Wal’s Plant Land is an easy place to spend an entire day between the mini-golf, mini-train (on Sundays), real fruit ice-creams, cafe and nursery. An exciting new attraction is soon set to open - a hedge maze modelled off the famed example at Leeds Castle, UK. www.walsplantland.co.nz
Otago Peninsula shared pathway extended Cyclists and walkers are flocking to the new $26 million section of the Otago Peninsula shared pathway that formally opened in early October, following completion of a 4.4 km stretch between Vauxhall and Macandrew Bay. It’s the second section in the Peninsula Connection project to open, the first being between Portobello and Broad Bay villages. The path allows for safe cycling all the way to the city and back. Work has already begun on the next section from Broad Bay to Company Bay. www.dunedin.govt.nz/news-and-events/news/september-2020/peninsula-connection- section-two-completed
Otago Blue Apothecary botanical hand sanitizer With hand sanitiser being a necessity in 2020, our hands have suffered from the excessive use of strong products. Enter Otago Blue Apothecary, the sustainably sourced botanical hand and surface sanitizer that’s kinder to skin and the planet. Bolstered with essential oils and distilled from sugar cane alcohol, this made-in- Dunedin gem is heading to a shelf near you soon. www.otagobluehandsanitizer.co.nz Emerson’s endangered series beers What could be better than beer with philanthropic benefits? Legendary Dunedin craft brewers, Emerson’s are giving back to the city’s unique wildlife by donating the profits of it’s endangered series brews to local wildlife charities. The latest in the limited- edition range (no.2 of 3) is the Green-Eyed Penguin, a hoppy west coast IPA inspired by the love of Hoiho (yellow-eyed penguins) The story goes like this: recently, three patients at The Wildlife Hospital formed something of a love triangle. They shouted sweet nothings in each other’s ears, all day, every day. The clamouring for attention of one female, caused the two boys to become rather green-eyed. While their injuries were successfully treated, the hospital doesn’t perform broken heart surgery. www.emersons.co.nz/shop/product/green-eyed-penguin
GUILD goes online Continuing its not-for-profit promotion and sale of amazing local Dunedin designer goods, GUILD has launched an online store complementing its classy city centre base. Boasting fine jewellery, bold fashion, homewares, furniture, art and more, the site and store will also have exclusive one-off designs added daily. http://www.guilddunedin.co.nz
Stay
Coming soon – Ebb Hotel A striking new 27-room property, Ebb Dunedin is hoping to become New Zealand’s first modernist boutique hotel when it opens in early 2021. A striking glass façade covered in a semi-transparent artwork by nationally acclaimed Dunedin artist, Simon Kaan, is already in place. The overall design, materials and colour schemes are inspired by Dunedin’s Scottish and Maori heritage. Its spacious rooms are spread out over four floors and will include a two-bedroom penthouse suite and each floor will boast a private guest lounge. The ground floor entrance will lead into an airy, art-filled atrium that will house a café and bar surrounded by lush greenery. The hotel is being overseen by Dunedin-based Property Investment Group, CL Hotels, in collaboration with architect Gary Todd and Sydney-based Indyk Architects. www.facebook.com/ebbdunedin
What’s On
After Dark – the Superstition Edition 13 November The Otago Museum’s popular After Dark series is a seriously cool event for grown-ups and a chance to party in one of Dunedin’s coolest settings. The Friday 13th Superstition Edition promises live interactions in an enchanted forest, devil’s potions, and cult cuisines. Think fortune-telling, interactive food experiences curated by the Otago Polytechnic’s Food Design and Culinary Arts students, karaoke under the planetarium stars, exploring the Animal Attic with its Victorian taxidermy by torchlight and dancing to the DJ-spun tunes. otagomuseum.nz/whats-on/friday-the-13th-superstition-edition
Food truck market 14 November A new monthly food truck market has popped up in central Dunedin, just in time for the warmer months. The next market kicks off on 14 November between 3-7pm in the picturesque grounds of First Church with around eight food trucks as well as music and other entertainment adding to vibe. Bring your picnic rug, reusable cups and an appetite. Dinosaur rEvolution From 26 September – 8 February 2021 Get up close to giant animatronic dinosaurs, skulls, skeletons and fossil casts at this exciting new international exhibition at the Otago Museum. Opening in the second week of the spring school holidays, there will be a whole host of extra activities in and around the museum for families to engage with, including communal art projects, planetarium shows, a dino disco and fossil finding. www.otagomuseum.nz/whats-on/dinosaur-revolution
Christmas Artisan Market 29 November The inaugural Christmas Artisan Market will be held at the Edgar Centre on Sunday 29 November from 9am to 4pm. Expect a wide variety of crafts, giftware, art and Christmas trinkets from across Otago, the perfect way to support local and nail your Christmas shopping all in one go. www.facebook.com/events/445818642978023
Anthonie Tonnon – Rail Land 2020 22 December A return visit from smooth, yet edgy performance artist, musician and former Dunedin son, Anthonie Tonnon, with a new take on his impressively nostalgic celebration of public transport – Rail Land. The event begins and ends with a trip either by heritage bus or Port-to-Port ferry from central Dunedin to Portobello village’s Coronation Hall on Otago Peninsula. Then you’re treated to a magical, funky performance of Anthonie’s songs. He’s reknowned for his stunning showmanship and talent. Find out why. https://www.anthonietonnon.com/tickets
City news
World-class video game development courses coming to Dunedin The New Zealand Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE) has joined forces with Swedish- based FutureGames and the Otago Polytechnic, to develop new, world-class vocational training to supply talent for Dunedin’s burgeoning video games industry. The partnership is the latest milestone for CODE, a Dunedin-based national hub that is working towards the development of a $1 billion NZ video game industry over the next ten years. www.dunedinnz.com/CODE
JobDUN internship programme kicks off for another year The annual tertiary student internship programme JobDUN has started for another year, matching Dunedin students with local businesses for paid summer roles. The highly successful programme has now been running for 10 years and has resulting in numerous fulltime job placements following internships, bringing fresh skills and thinking to Dunedin’s diverse and innovative businesses. www.jobdun.co.nz
International student summer programme The Dunedin Summer Programme is for international high school students living in New Zealand who would like to experience Dunedin and wider Otago through a fun programme of planned activities and learning opportunities over the traditional holiday period. Choose from a two-week, four-week or six-week programme with homestay and residential college accommodation options provided. Students will have a chance to improve their English and explore the unique attractions of this beautiful part of New Zealand. A tertiary student programme is also currently in planning. www.dunedinnz.com/study/summer-programme Stand-out or startup stories
K9 medical detection programme Pauline Bloomfield is a dog trainer with a big idea. With cancer becoming such a huge health concern across New Zealand and a lack of early detection failing patients, she set up New Zealand’s first and only canine medical detection training programme. Now partnered with the University of Otago, the training programme trial is one-year in with the current team of five dogs working on detection of bowel and prostate cancer so far and plans are underway for ovarian cancer detection next. The programme also seeks foster carers for its very special pups. https://www.k9md.org.nz/
Before We Leave game launched Emerging Dunedin business, Balancing Monkey Games, has officially launched its new game – Before We Leave – a compelling city building experience where you can rediscover and rebuild civilization, create a multi-planet resource network, overcome ancient challenges and fend off hungry space whales. It’s now available to buy on Epic Games. https://www.balancingmonkeygames.com
Winely Hardware automation technology, helping to easily understand the wine fermentation process. Realtime data to ensure the right action and the right time. A New Zealand tech company is set to disrupt the wine industry globally. Winely, a startup working out of Otago and Marlborough is the world’s first precision wine technology company. Winely launched in 2018 has made tracks locally and in Australia providing technology to help winemakers track their wine ferments using smart sensors. Winely has interest from wineries across New Zealand, Barossa, South Australia and California. https://www.winely.co.nz/
Kaffelogic Chris Hilder has achieved the impossible and got a computer to make an excellent cup of coffee. Hilder, a Dunedin software engineer, began experimenting with an air popcorn maker, similar to an air coffee roaster but without the right air flow, heat, and temperature control. Some components such as electronics and motors are imported, some parts are custom-made in Dunedin, and the product is assembled in Christchurch. https://kaffelogic.com/index.php/home/why
Education Perfect Twelve years ago, two brothers left Otago University in Dunedin, and had a vision to create an online learning tool to revolutionise learning outcomes and teacher productivity around the world. From that bold vision, Education Perfect was born. With 94% of NZ secondary schools currently supported by EP, the platform has recorded huge enrolment numbers throughout the pandemic and is used by more than 1.2 million students across more than 80 countries. https://epforlearning.com/
Oritain A Dunedin biotech company’s product ‘‘proof of origin’’ tracing process has seen the company grow exponentially over the last few years, with offices in five locations around the globe and an estimated value of more than $45 million. After 11 years in business, Oritain is now considered the global leader in determining food, fibre and pharmaceutical provenance, used by a growing number of New Zealand and international primary producers, pharmaceuticals and global apparel companies. https://oritain.com/
Cloud Cannon CloudCannon is a software engineering company focused on improving the web development process through easy to use static websites which enable editors to update content directly. by Since launching from the bedrooms of co-founders Mike Neumegen and George Phillips in Dunedin as some seven years ago, the company has grown to 14 employees with offices in Dunedin and San Francisco where they count Twitch and Netflix as clients. https://cloudcannon.com/