How to Slow Down in Ashburton: A Guide to Elevating The Drive Through

Every town needs a go-to café—a place where the coffee is consistent, there’s enticing fresh food and plenty of local chat. For Ashburton, this is Triangle Espresso, a stylish black box with a killer cabinet and menu.  Our pick? The Special, a potato rosti with beetroot hummus, avocado tzatziki and roast red pepper—winning! The staff are super friendly, and its modern, stylish vibe means all the senses are filled before hitting the road again. 

Sometimes, you need a little retail therapy, especially after those straight roads in and out of Ashburton. Thankfully, this town has a few hidden retail gems that are well worth seeking out. Tucked away within the Ashford Village, Simply Eco champions environmentally friendly, natural and reusable products. There are always items in our own homes we could replace with something a little more eco-friendly, and this space, run by a mother-and-daughter team, is the perfect place to do it. They run a little embroidery studio in the space too.

Retail therapy doesn’t get any better in Ashburton than Hyde Boutique. This high-end designer fashion destination stocks New Zealand and international brands, including Deadly Ponies, Caitlin Crisp, Twenty-Seven Names, Kate Sylvester, Nom*d, Yu Mei and plenty more. Who would have thought you would find your next favourite piece in Ashburton?

Ashburton’s most prized food destination is Formosa. Every local who knows their stuff will recommend you head here to experience the Taiwanese fusion on offer. The space is bright and fun, and the team takes pride in their food. There’s a much anticipated weekly lunch special, a full vegan menu and plenty of options to keep everyone in the car happy, from their vegan menu to gua bao, Taiwanese fried chicken, Taiwanese beef noodle soup and Taiwanese deep-fried tofu with kimchi. The proof is in the pudding, as the Formosa is set to open another joint in town specialising in desserts and drinks.

We all know walking in nature has many proven benefits for our mental and physical well-being, so we should take short nature walks at every chance. Welcome Ashburton Domain. Chances are you’ve stopped here to stretch your legs or use the public bathroom facility. Still, you probably haven’t ventured a little further and explored some of the 37 hectares of open green space, walkways, gardens and facilities. There’s also a playground and seasonal paddling pool available for the little ones. To round out the experience, swing by Millhouse Kitchen and grab a takeaway coffee. If you’ve meant to buy that reusable travel cup for a while, no problem, pop into neighbouring Simply Eco; they’ve got plenty. 

Let’s be honest; sometimes you need a sugar rush, and when you’re on the road, you feel like you can let your guard down a bit and enjoy something you might not have on a typical 9 to 5 day. Or maybe you’re a connoisseur of sugary delights; either way, these treats will give you that sugar high. What started out as a bit of craze has become a staple at Sims Bakery – the cronut. These bad boys are made fresh each morning. The dough is folded with butter, deep fried, filled with custard cream and drizzled with white icing. A large cronut will satisfy the biggest of sweet tooth, and the small ones are the perfect taster or kid-treat. Yes please.