Donuts, slices and cakes, oh my! If you’ve got a sweet tooth, Rotorua has a heap of satisfyingly sweet solutions for you.
Central sweets
Rotorua struck it lucky when Swiss baker Guido set up his Guidough’s in Springfield so he could create artisan bakery goods the way they’ve been made by his family for generations. It didn’t take long for his sourdough breads, donuts, pastries, custard slices and cinnamon rolls (pictured at top) to become so popular that he was able to open a second shop not far away in Glenholme.If you’re out and about, you’ll also find Guidough’s baked goods at several local restaurants and cafés including Secret Spot Hot Tubs.
Relative newcomer The Cake Gallery is a family affair – there are at least four Semples on the payroll, and extras roped in when needed. As their shop name ‘hints’, they’re all about gallery-worthy specialty cakes and pastries, made onsite daily, and the selection will leave you wondering when these people sleep!
How does Strawberry Bailey’s white chocolate mousse cake sound? Or tiramisu, American spiced apple cake, banoffee pie, lemon chiffon cake with cream cheese icing, tarts, and multiple types of slices? Besides these daily doses of sweetness, The Cake Gallery is also your spot when you need a special occasion cake that tastes as good as it looks.
There’s plenty of space to dine in, and rest assured, the all-day breakfast menu also includes plenty of delish savoury selections (a must-try: waffle sticks with bacon, sliced tomato and corn salsa, served Tabasco-spiced maple syrup). Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options available.
The folks at Scope Café Rotorua are wild about flavour. While we love the hunting-themed cosy interior and the menu that features delish dishes called Bush Tucker, Holy Hunt, and Hungry Hunter, if we’re honest, we love to sneak over just to graze on the selection of house-made slices, brownies, cupcakes, scones, cookies and more. The dynamic husband-wife duo have certainly set a fail-proof trap for sweet tooths!
Heading east
There must be something in the water here that attracts Swiss bakers to Rotorua but we’re certainly not complaining. Alex and wife Sue opened Ciabatta Café & Bakery on White Street several years ago and were an instant hit with the locals in the industrial area around them. It wasn’t long before word got out to the rest of Rotorua that this is the place to go for amazing Swiss pastries like fruit-filled turnovers, Danishes and streusel, flaky almond croissants, pain au chocolat, their now-famous cronuts (pictured above) and more. Everything is made onsite, the coffee is great, and of course their fresh-baked breads are worth taking home for beautiful sandwiches for your lunchbox.
Another little suburban eatery packing a punch is Mistress of Cakes. The Mistress loves a gooey, rich, buttery, sugary hit, so if this is your modus operandi, the two of you will get on like a house on fire. You’ll be seeing sugarplum fairies as soon as you behold the cabinet full of beautiful treats. Many of them feature raspberries (as above), chocolate and caramel but you’ll also find light and fluffy cakes and muffins, and her famously delectable snooze-and-you-lose cinnamon scrolls in two flavours: cinnamon and brown sugar (featured here), or Nutella, caramel and raspberry.
Eat Streat near Lake Rotorua
Last but certainly not least is Rotorua icon Lady Janes Ice Cream Parlour.
Situated at the end of the busy dining hub of Eat Streat, and only a short stroll from the lake front, this 40-year-old lady is the perfect place to enjoy a yummy treat no matter what time of year it is. In fact, if it’s a bit chilly out there, mix things up with a toasty waffle sundae (pictured above)!
With more than 40 ice cream flavours to choose from, the indecisive types will have their work cut out for them.
