Restaurant, bar and grocer to open in Lake Hayes Estate

Thursday, 18 December 2014, 10:11 am
Press Release: Scope Media

Exciting new restaurant, bar and grocer Grazë to open in Lake Hayes Estate, Queenstown

Much-anticipated Queenstown restaurant Grazë is expected to turn heads with its unique, innovative food and drink offering when it opens its doors this weekend.

Grazë – a stylish restaurant, boutique bar and separate grocer at Lake Hayes Estate – promises to be an iconic, must-visit destination for locals and visitors thanks to its quality cuisine, plus distinctive homemade breads (including gluten free), homemade ice cream (including dairy free) and cold-pressed freshly squeezed juices – believed to be the only eatery in Queenstown to offer this type of juice.

It also boasts a micro brewery complete with an onsite WilliamsWarn machine, enabling Grazë to regularly produce interesting new beers.

Located at 1 Onslow Road, Lake Hayes Estate, Grazë’s restaurant, boutique bar and grocer are three separate but interlinking parts and the interiors have been designed by leading Auckland interior designers Paul Izzard Design (PID). PID is an award-winning company specialising in hospitality design and responsible for notable Auckland eateries like Baduzzi, Blue Breeze Inn at Ponsonby Central and Atomic Café Kingsland.

Grazë is owned by former Aucklanders Hamish and Jana MacPherson. Hamish, originally hailing from Southland, owns Auckland bar Brew on Quay and Jana has extensive experience in the hospitality industry. The couple moved to Queenstown in June 2013 so Hamish could help run his family farm in Southland. Grazë opens to the public on Saturday, December 20.

Grazë’s restaurant seats 70 diners inside and 70 outside – the outside diners are kept warm with Queenstown’s first heated bench seat while inside diners can marvel at the stylish ethanol-fuelled fireplace suspended from the ceiling. Designed with sustainability in mind, Grazë incorporates a 9.2-kilowatt photovoltaic power generation system on the roof.

Talented local chef Carl Veint leads the Grazë kitchen. Carl has experience both locally and abroad, working along some of Australasia’s finest chefs, and most recently heading up the kitchen at Jack’s Point Clubhouse Restaurant. Carl’s menu at Grazë offers gourmet New Zealand food with lighter, fashion-forward cuisine throughout its breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.

Sustainability is also being built into the menu, with Hamish and Jana hoping to eventually supply some of the lamb, beef and produce from Hamish’s family farm in Southland.

“We really like the idea of providing produce from our own property, when we are able to. However with all farming, weather dictates when things will be ready for the restaurant – and as anyone with a veggie garden down here knows, the weather certainly doesn’t always play ball,” Hamish says.

Grazë’s cozy boutique bar has a classic yet modern feel, with wooden panels sourced from the MacPherson family farm.

Catering to the local community is high on the agenda, with the incorporation of a grocer onsite. Locals and visitors will be able to buy a range of goods including homemade ice cream and bread baked in the Grazë kitchens. Grazë’s cold-pressed juices are a believed to be a first for Queenstown and the cold-pressed method provides a higher nutritional value than regular centrifuge juicers. Grazë also uses the hugely popular Atomic coffee brand.

Jana says: “We’ve worked hard to make Grazë into a real centerpiece of the Queenstown community. We’re building an awesome playground and lots of outdoor space, so it’s perfect for families and dog lovers to come and relax while taking in our spectacular views. We’ve even added a purpose-built flowing trough for dogs. We just can’t wait to open the doors and share Grazë with locals and tourists.

“We want this to be a place where locals are proud to bring visitors. Whether you’re a foodie looking to sample the latest cuisine, or you’re after the best gourmet pie in town with a craft beer after a big day up the hill, you’ll be able to get it at Grazë.”

ENDS

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