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Locals know that Wānaka is a special place. Local’s Choice Wānaka 2020 is your chance to give your favourite business, person or spot some recognition – a digital pat on the back, if you will.

In February, locals nominated their favourite people, places and businesses in Wānaka for Local Choice Wānaka. From there, the top three nominations were chosen for final voting. Check out the top three nominees and overall winners below (in bold) – voted by locals.

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Best coffee

Little Black Caravan
Fedeli
Relishes

Best quick bite

Big Fig
Pembroke Patisserie
Fedeli

Best dining experience

Kika
Bistro Gentil
Ode

A plate of food at Big Fig restaurant in Wanaka, New Zealand
Dishes from Kika fine dining restaurant in Wanaka, New Zealand
A bartender working at Cork Bar in Wanaka, New Zealand

Best Place for a Cocktail

Cork
Amigos
Lalaland

Best place to get a beer

Rhyme & Reason
b.social
Kai Whakapai

Best food truck

Burrito Craft
Morsel Honest Food Co.
Firebird

Favourite wedding venue

Rippon
Lookout Lodge
Criffel Woolshed

Favourite barista

Bonnie from the Coffee Shack
Rob at Federal Diner
Jimmy at Wee Tart

Favourite bartender

Alex from Cork
Alex at Rhyme & Reason
Ben at Maude (formerly Lipsky & Sons)

Best local producer

Pembroke Patisserie
Maude Wines
Good Roots Feasting

Wine bottles on shelves at Pembroke Wine & Spirits in Wanaka, New Zealand
Burrito-Craft-Truck

Favourite artist/artisan

Ruby Burke
Sierra Roberts
Max de Roy

Favourite designer

Perriam
Common People
Alice Herald

Best event

Wanaka A&P Show
Wanaka Beer Festival
Festival of Colour

Favourite photographer

Anna Allen
Mickey Ross
Jodie James

Favourite music act

Arma del Amor
Robert Glenn
Tai Forester

Suc free cup at festival

Best new business

The Coffee Dojo
Scroggin
Revology

Best clothing store

Wastebusters
Soul Clothing
Base Streetwear

Best outdoors shop

Racers Edge
Outside Sports
MT Outdoors

Bike retail shop
The mountains and water of Lake Hawea in Wanaka, New Zealand
Salon chairs and mirrors at Ukiyo in Wanaka, New Zealand

Best hair salon/barber

Ali Barbers
Ukiyo
Opulence

Best overnight accommodation

The Camp – Lake Hawea
Edgewater
Lakeside Apartments

Favourite adventure

tourism company

Wildwire
Paddle Wanaka
Wanaka Water Taxi

Favourite family activity

Skiing at Cardrona & Treble Cone
Wanaka Lavender Farm
Bike Glendhu

Favourite ski trail

Captain’s Basin at Cardrona
Motatapu Chutes at Treble Cone
Gun Barrel at Treble Cone

Favourite bike trail

Outlet Track
Dean’s Bank
Jairolla at Bike Glendhu

Learning to ski at Cardrona
Wanaka-Locals-Choice-winners-Wildwire

Favourite hike

Rob Roy Glacier
Isthmus Peak Track
Rocky Mountain

Favourite walk

Mt. Iron
Outlet Track
Millennium Track

Favourite rainy day activity

Cinema Paradiso
Ruby’s Cinema
Puzzling World

Favourite beauty

/aesthetic provider

Soak Day Spa
Pure Skin Therapy
Silver Sixpence Skin + Beauty Therapy

Favourite physiotherapy

Wanaka Physiotherapy
Central Lake Physiotherapy
Metamed Wanaka

Favourite fitness

centre/gym

The Fit Collective
Snap Fitness
F45 Wanaka

Favourite yoga studio

The Body Garage
Hot Yoga Fusion
Yoga Ground

Favourite personal trainer

Gwen Hendry at the Fit Collective
Georgia Burns at F45 Wanaka
Paul Hodgson at the Fit Collective
Andrew King at the Fit Collective
Jamie Blaxall at F45 Wanaka

Best picnic spot

Dublin Bay
Eely Point
Wanaka Station Park

Best sunrise spot

Roy’s Peak
Mt. Iron
Lakefront

Best photo spot

Treble Cone Summit
Roy’s Peak
Lakefront

A female hiker at the lookout on Roy's Peak in Wanaka, New Zealand
A skier stands at the top of Treble Cone Ski Area in Wanaka, New Zealand
Sucfree cup cheers
Food for Love Wanaka founder and volunteers

Favourite sustainability initiative

Wastebusters
Wanakup
Te Kakano Aotearoa Trust

Favourite Wanaka non-profit

Wastebusters
Food for Love
Community Networks

Wānaka Local of the Year

Rebecca (Bex) Sarginson – Food for Love
Bridget Legnavsky – Cardrona/Treble Cone
Kim Parry – The Fit Collective

Favourite building company

Dunlop Builders
Level Construction
MA Building

Best gardener/landscaper

Doug the Gardener
Sprout Wanaka
All Elements Outdoors

Favourite plumber

McIvor Plumbing
Eco Plumbing & Gas
Alba Plumbing, Gas & Heating

Favourite dental practice

Aspiring Dental
Wanaka Dental
Lumino

Favourite medical practice

Aspiring Medical
Wanaka Medical
Metamed

Congratulations to all our nominees in the year’s Locals Choice Wānaka! And a big thank you to you – our locals. Thousands of you jumped online to nominate and vote for your Wānaka favourites, giving hundreds of businesses “kudos”. Your support over the last year has been incredible.

Kia kaha Wānaka.

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