Tucked away in Te Puna (just outside Tauranga), you'll find our little shop nestled in the Clarke Road Village. It’s a special spot, and right next door to us is the warm, bustling café Clarke Road Kitchen, run by the lovely Sandy.

We’ve been lucky enough to share this little pocket of the Bay with Sandy for almost 5 years now. Between her delicious cafe menu, summer cook schools, and her incredible food tours to places like Bali and Morocco, she’s a true foodie force!

We recently sat down with Sandy for a cup of tea to chat about 30 years in hospo, her favourite international flavours, and which teas she's sipping on. 




Hi Sandy! For anyone who hasn't visited yet, what makes this little pocket of Te Puna such a special place, and how would you describe your café to a first-timer?


We are very lucky to be in this little village in Te Puna with such a supportive community backing. Our lovely house and garden setting and buzzing atmosphere we have created over the years is what makes it unique. Our customers become friends and those genuine connections is what makes this place feel like home.




Where did your passion for cooking and hospitality first begin, and what led you to opening Clarke Road Kitchen?


Both my grandmothers and my Mum were very good cooks and past their love of cooking onto me. I have been in the hospitality industry for near 30 years. I started Clarke Road Kitchen over six years ago after moving from a large hospo business in town and wanting to downsize….that hasn’t exactly happened, but I just love what I do and certainly don’t think of it as a job. I have an incredible team that are just like family, and we have lots of fun and laughter in the workplace.






We can hear the laughter from inside our shop! Between the café menu and your incredibly popular summer cook school, you’ve even started running foodie tours to places like Bali and Morocco! How has travel made its way into your cooking? 

After meeting my husband and opening a café in Egypt back in the 90’s, I would have to say that Middle Eastern Food is my all-time favourite and a lot of my food over the years has portrayed this with bold vibrant flavours, warm spices and lots of fresh herbs.





Good flavour is the most important thing to me. I'm constantly tasting food throughout the cooking process to make sure every dish is balanced, well-seasoned, and simple delicious. Over the years, my travels have reinforced that great food doesn't have to be complicated but tasty. That's something I've carried into my own style with the menu at Clarke Road, where we focus on creating honest, flavour-driven food that people genuinely enjoy.





When you have a rare morning off, what does your own perfect, slow weekend look like?


I adore my adult children and love to share breakfast together and then head to a good game of local rugby. I am from a family of girls, but our dad had a huge love of rugby, and we have all fallen in love with it too. Sharing time with my family is one of the favourites things I like doing.



Lastly, if you could sit down and share a cup of tea with anyone who would it be, and what Webster’s blend would you be brewing for them?


I would love to sit down just one more time with my Mum and Dad who absolutely loved English Breakfast and my beautiful sister Sally and we would have Peppermint. 



You can view Clarke Road Kitchen's menu here
And for Sandy's food tours email soulfulescapesnz@gmail.com

Clarke Road Kitchen is open 7.30 – 3, Tuesday to Sunday.

Webster’s shop hours 9 - 3, Tuesday to Saturday. 

Thanks Sandy!