Is a Kiwi summer road trip ever complete without a detour from the open road to find a real fruit ice cream stand?
While the iconic sweet treat is a hallmark of a New Zealand summer, sometimes those hidden spots are rather difficult to find. With Waitangi Day looming – and Auckland Anniversary Day for those who reside in Tāmaki Makaurau – we’ve rounded up the best spots to get your fruity fix on your long weekend getaway.
The Strawberry Farm, Mangere, Auckland
An essential summer stop for Aucklanders travelling south, The Strawberry Farm is famous for its real fruit strawberry and blueberry ice cream blends, and more! Be prepared to face a tough decision between its many other delectable offerings – you’ll be spoilt for choice with sundaes available in five flavours, hot waffles, smoothies and more.
Once you’ve indulged, don’t forget to grab a punnet of strawberries for the road!
127 Kirkbride Road, Mangere, Auckland
Tāne Cafe, Waipoua Forest
There’s no Northland trip without a visit to the almighty Tāne Mahuta, and its neighbour, Tāne Cafe.
Breathe in the sights and sounds of the forest that is home to New Zealand’s largest living kauri tree and treat yourself to a real fruit ice cream from Tāne Cafe, plus a crash course on kauri and the history of Waipoua Forest from the wonderful cafe team.
State Highway 12, Waipoua Kauri Forest
All Things Organic, Tairua
At the height of summer, you’ll often find a queue out the door of this real fruit hot spot. But trust us, it’s well worth the wait – and you’ll need the extra time to decide between the traditional berry flavours and the more daring banana, feijoa and kiwifruit!
The store also has a wide selection of organic produce, dairy and gluten-free groceries and snacks.
4/237 Main Road North, Tairua
Ice Cream Truck, Tauranga
The Ice Cream Truck is a pleasant surprise to be found around Taurauga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa in the summer months.
Offering the traditional flavours of mixed berries, raspberries and strawberry, the Ice Cream Truck combines these fruits with locally churned Mount Made ice cream – a small batch creamery based in Mount Maunganui.
The Ice Cream Truck is based in Tauranga. To find their whereabouts in the summer months, visit their website here.
Ruakura Berry Shop, Waikato
This berry farm offers not only the best real fruit ice creams in the Waikato but a fun-filled day of activities.
Pick your own strawberries, boysenberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries before finding shade and a bite to eat at Camarosa, the on-site cafe.
Finish the day with a real fruit ice cream – and with a new special flavour every month – you’ll be back before you know it!
1 Davison Road, Newstead
The Fruit Shop, Hastings
By now you’ve had a good taste of the best offerings of real fruit ice creams around the north, but here’s where it gets exciting.
The Fruit Shop in Hastings certainly ticks off all our real fruit ice cream (and fresh produce) requirements, but it’s the watermelon boat that keeps us coming back time after time. Is there any better combination to combat the heat than real fruit ice cream and the most refreshing fruit on earth?!
1010 Pakowhai Road, Frimley, Hastings
Piopio Berry Orchard, Piopio
With some of the sweetest berries that team FQ has ever tasted, it’s hard to leave Piopio Berry Orchard without dropping some serious coin on fresh fruit. And then there’s the real fruit ice cream! We recommend giving the dairy-free option a go – the Duck Island coconut ice cream puts a tropical twist on the sweet berry blend.
If you’re travelling down the west coast south of Hamilton, it would be rude not to make a stop here. We even suggest a detour – it’s that good.
1772 State Highway 3, Piopio
When travelling this summer, please do remember to continue checking in via the NZ Covid Tracing App and enable Bluetooth Tracing. Stay safe and support NZ to stop the spread of Covid-19.
If you have some great real fruit ice cream recommendations from the South Island, please email us at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!
