If you are lucky enough to visit Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand don’t expect gluten free food. There is a cafe at Hobbiton called the Shires Rest cafe but I didn’t see any gluten free food there. I didn’t ask but nothing was labelled gluten free and the food looked to be all very glutinous.
Our Hobbiton tour finished at the Green Dragon pub, which has recently opened in Hobbiton. As part of the tour you get a hobbit beer (2 types I think), cider or ginger beer, all made exclusively for the hobbits by a beer maker in the Waikato. I knew of course that the beer wouldn’t be gluten free but the ginger beer or the cider possibly (probably) were. So I lined up with the rest of the tour and when it was my turn at the bar, I asked if the cider was gluten free and the tour guide just looked at me as though I was a freak. So I crossly said, I will have a hobbit beer please. Lucky Haitch, he got two free beers.
So on the way back to Auckland we stopped at the Kaimai Cheese Cafe and Store which is situated in Waharoa, just north of Matamata. I love Kaimai cheeses and the cafe is a lovely place to stop with it’s large open windows into where the cheese is being made. Unfortunately there was no cheese being made the day we went. Maybe they are having Christmas holidays just like us. The cafe has a gorgeous menu with clear gluten free labelling. Fantastic end to a fantastic day.
How exciting! We’re off to Hobbiton on Monday with the whole kit and kaboodle. I think we’ll make sure we’re back in Waharoa in time to visit the wonderful sounding cheese cafe!
Have fun. I loved the tour. Maybe phone ahead and see if your free ginger beer or cider is gluten free. And if they don’t know, maybe contact the brewery in the link.
I’m glad you had a good experience at the cheese factory – Rick and I are shareholders!
Hobbiton looks so pretty – I’m glad they finally realised it would be a good idea to leave the set up – though perhaps they need an email with a suggestion of how to improve?? XO
Shareholders! Wow. Perhaps you can pass on my feedback.
With Hobbiton to be honest I didn’t expect anything else but I might email them about the gluten free cider / ginger ale. At least if their guides know for when someone else asks.
Yes it was not very good customer service for the tour guide to look at you strangely. They could have just said “I’m sorry I am not sure” which would have been better than nothing.