new zealand coffee review (archive)

"Do you remember the big cherry tree outside the Staveley Store?" said Dad "It's in full bloom at the moment, and together with the mountain backdrop it'd be a really scenic place to have a coffee on a day like this" It'd be rude not to, we thought. So on the way home on a sunny Sunday afternoon, we did just that.
The Staveley Village Store has changed somewhat since my last visit. There is a big silver coffee machine nestled in the far corner and it's not as dark inside as it used to be. Groceries line the left wall, and on the right there are locally made Blue Earth soaps and rustic looking muffins (still in the tins they were baked in) for sale.
After a friendly welcome from the proprietress, punctuated by the roar of trail bikes from some local lads who'd stopped in for soft drinks and a chat with the pretty teenage counterhand, we ordered a flat white and a latte. These were made promptly and with skill. No coffee flavoured soup here.
As we sat there, the sun warm on our backs, a breeze gently ruffled the generous pink blooms of the cherry tree, and behind us loomed a snow capped Mt Somers. Dad was right. It was a perfect place to stop for a coffee.

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