ADDRESS:   Black Barn Road, Havelock North
CHECK WEBSITE FOR OPENING HOURS
MAINS:   $38 – $43
WEBSITE:    blackbarn.com
CONTACT:   06 877 7985
SCORE:   16.5 / 20

A little bit comfy, a little bit edgy and a whole lot of yum. Black Barn Bistro is a produce- driven winery restaurant that blends the best of both wine and food worlds. Executive chef Regnar Christensen and his team pare their dishes back to let the Hawke’s Bay ingredients shine. The wine list, while unsurprisingly big on its eponymous and spectacular label, extends to reflect other top offerings from within these shores and beyond. Memories were made on our blue-sky day visit, with chef Christensen’s take on raw fish, with pickled kishu mandarin, oyster cream and horseradish. Heavenly! Then there was the roasted lamb shoulder for two with almond cream and ’nduja. Pure billowing comfort. As part of a passion for bringing people together, Black Barn welcomes walk-ins and does weddings and other functions, too.

IN BRIEF Black Barn is a beauty for Hawke’s Bay