Somerset Grocer
Mid-Canterbury is a popular spot for tourists and adventure seekers with Mt Hutt ski field, great hiking and mountain biking as well as the 173 hectare man-made Lake Hood for water sport enthusiasts. Ashburton is a popular stop-off along the way and Somerset Grocer on Burnett Street has been offering them great cafe food and gourmet goodies since 2010.
Of course, they also do a busy trade with the locals, enticing people working in the surrounding shops and offices for morning tea and lunch. Their menu of free-range and organic products has proven so popular that they’ve won the public vote for MOST favourite cafe amid stiff regional competition.
Somerset Grocer manager Nicky Milmine says cafe classics like bacon & egg pie, salmon hash cakes, and corn fritters with bacon remain popular along with sweets like bliss balls and chocolate caramel slice. They cook with locally produced free-range eggs and herbs grown in the extensive gardens at the nearby Hotel Ashburton.
Nicky says recently their Veggie Breakfast Stack has become a popular choice with customers and they stock a wide range of vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free fare. To increase their customers’ knowledge of wine and whisky they host regular tasting evenings with a bit of expert guidance from wine makers and connoisseurs. Prior to Christmas they also hosted ‘taste of Christmas’ events so customers could come and meet the suppliers and learn a bit about their products.
The cafe offers different dining options from wooden tables to long benches with bar stools and couches, all seamlessly integrated into the grocery space featuring tall shelves and wooden nooks crammed with foodie treats. It’s a large space that lends itself to events like book launches, as well as in-store cooking and gadget demonstrations. And, by popular demand, the cafe is opening on Friday nights until 8pm for after work drinks – the perfect way to kick off the weekend!
Somerset Grocer. 161 Burnett Street, Ashburton.
©2014 Pacific Refreshments Pte Ltd. ‘MOST’ is a trade mark of Pacific Refreshments Pte Ltd. BioGro certification used under license by Coca-Cola Oceania Ltd
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