Poppies Cafe

About Poppies Cafe

Poppies Cafe is a family run cafe and restaurant at 1 Benmore Place in Twizel, built around local ingredients, fresh food and warm, friendly service. The business has been recognised as a winner of the NZ Beef & Lamb awards, and its mission is to showcase the very best local ingredients while inspiring its team's passion for exceptional food, wine and service.

Everything is made in Poppies' purpose-designed kitchen, including homemade bread baked daily and hand cut fresh pasta. Jams, relishes, pickles, dressings, sauces and condiments are all made on the premises, and where possible vegetables and salad ingredients are grown in Poppies' own gardens. The wine list features carefully selected local and New Zealand wines, including several from the Waitaki Valley, and the kitchen can cater to vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free requirements.

With extensive alfresco dining, large lawns, and views of the Southern Alps, Poppies suits everything from a big group of friends cycling the local tracks and trails to an intimate dinner or a relaxed coffee. The cafe is proud to support local groups and rowing, and welcomes children of all ages.

Poppies Cafe: Local Ingredients and Warm Hospitality in Twizel

At 1 Benmore Place in Twizel, Poppies Cafe has built its reputation around local ingredients, fresh food and warm, friendly service — a formula recognised with a win at the NZ Beef & Lamb awards. It's a family run business with a clear mission: to give the district a unique, committed hospitality experience while showcasing the very best local ingredients to every guest.

Made In-House, Sourced Locally

Almost everything at Poppies starts in its own purpose-designed kitchen. Bread is homemade and baked daily, pasta is hand cut fresh in-house, and all the jams, relishes, pickles, dressings, sauces and condiments on the table are made on the premises. Where possible, vegetables and salad ingredients come straight from Poppies' own gardens. The wine list follows the same local-first approach, featuring carefully selected New Zealand wines including several from the nearby Waitaki Valley.

From Brunch to Dinner

The all-day brunch and lunch menu covers everything from a classic BLT and eggs benedict to smashed avocado, an all-day breakfast, and Poppies' famous Mt Cook Alpine salmon chowder. Heartier options include a hand cut prawn pappardelle pasta, a chicken burger with Asian slaw and pineapple salsa, and Poppies' homemade pie — a daily-changing chef's special topped with puff pastry.

In the evening, the dinner menu opens with starters like bread and house-made dips, garlic prawns sautéed with fresh herbs, and salmon wrapped in filo with Romesco sauce, before moving into mains such as pan seared Mt Cook salmon with potato rosti and lemon hollandaise, a bacon-wrapped Angus fillet steak with potato latkes, slow cooked pork belly with crispy crackling, and NZ beef cheeks served on winter mash with braised red cabbage.

Dietary Care and Local Salmon

Using the finest, freshest, locally sourced ingredients, Poppies is able to cater to most dietary requirements, whether that's vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or dairy free — guests are encouraged to flag any requirements so the kitchen can adjust dishes where possible. The Mt Cook Alpine Salmon in particular features across multiple dishes, from the signature chowder to filo parcels and a pan seared fillet main, reflecting the kitchen's connection to the surrounding Mackenzie District.

A Destination for Everyone

With extensive alfresco dining, large lawns and views of the Southern Alps, Poppies works equally well for a big table of friends fresh off the local cycling tracks and trails, or an intimate dinner for two. It's also described as perfect for children of all ages, making it a genuinely flexible spot for families passing through or based locally. The cafe proudly supports local community groups and rowing.

Visiting Poppies

Poppies is open Monday, Tuesday, and Friday through Sunday, serving brunch and coffee from 9am to 2:30pm, snacks and drinks from 3pm to 5:30pm, and dinner from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. It's closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. For large bookings, guests are asked to phone or email ahead, and gift vouchers are available for anyone wanting to share the Poppies experience. As a family run team focused on growing leaders in hospitality, Poppies continues to be a genuine local institution in Twizel.

Signature items

• Poppies Salmon Chowder
• Mt Cook Salmon
• Fillet Steak
• NZ Beef Cheeks
• Pork Belly
• Poppies Homemade Pie

Menu

Dessert

• Affogato — Vanilla bean ice cream served with a shot of coffee, amaretto liqueur and biscotti
• Sticky Date Pudding — Homemade sticky date pudding served with butterscotch sauce and Kapiti vanilla bean ice cream
• Poppies Pear — Dark chocolate mousse with the chef's creation centre, dipped in chocolate, served with orange flakes and chocolate dirt

Brunch Sides

• Garden Leaves — Pickles, toasted seeds and citrus dressing with vinaigrette
• Twice Cooked Fries — Served with aioli

Dinner Mains

• Fish & Chips — Market fresh fillets in crispy beer batter, served with fries, homemade tartare sauce and lemon
• Mt Cook Salmon — Pan seared salmon fillet, served with potato rosti, pea puree, beetroot ketchup, crispy capers and lemon hollandaise
• Roasted Pumpkin Risotto — Made to order risotto of roasted pumpkin, spinach and feta, topped with micro herbs and parmesan crisps
• Pork Belly — Slow cooked pork belly with crispy crackling, creamy mash, chilli and garlic roasted broccoli, salsa verde and jus
• Fillet Steak — Angus fillet wrapped in streaky bacon, cooked to your liking, served with balsamic mushrooms, potato latkes, sautéed greens, red wine jus and crispy shallots
• Poppies Pie — The chef's daily special pie, topped with puff pastry, served with creamy potato puree
• NZ Beef Cheeks — Slow cooked beef cheeks served on winter mash with braised red cabbage, crispy parsnips and red wine jus

Dinner Sides

• Twice Cooked Fries & Aioli — Side dish
• Sautéed Seasonal Greens — Crispy garlic, topped with pickles
• Chilli & Garlic Roasted Broccoli — With seeds and crispy shallots
• Garden Leaves — Pickles, toasted seeds and citrus dressing

Brunch & Lunch

• BLT — Streaky bacon, lettuce, tomato and aioli, stacked in three slices of multigrain bread
• Chicken Toastie — Chicken breast slices, basil pesto and cheese in homemade focaccia bread, served with salad
• Eggs & Toast — Toasted homemade ciabatta with two eggs; poached, scrambled or fried
• Eggs Benedict — Two poached eggs on sautéed spinach or streaky bacon, house-made ciabatta with hollandaise sauce
• Poppies Pancakes — Homemade fluffy pancakes served with rhubarb compote, yogurt and maple
• Smashed Avocado — Grilled ciabatta, avocado, pickled corn, chilli scrambled eggs, lime oil, crispy shallots and seeds
• All-Day Breakfast — Streaky bacon, pure pork sausage, hash browns, tomatoes, mushrooms, ciabatta and two eggs
• Poppies Salmon Chowder — Poppies' famous smooth Mt Cook Alpine salmon chowder, served with homemade bread
• Roasted Pumpkin Risotto — Made to order risotto of roasted pumpkin, spinach and feta, topped with micro herbs and parmesan crisps
• Salmon Filo Parcels — Mt Cook Alpine Salmon, basil pesto, sun dried tomatoes, rocket and cream cheese wrapped in filo, baked with Romesco sauce, pickles and seasonal salad
• Fish n Chips — Orange Roughy fillets in crispy beer batter, with fries, salad, tartare and lemon, DF
• Chicken Burger — Free range chicken breast pan seared with lime and chilli, Asian slaw, sriracha and maple aioli, pineapple salsa in a homemade bun with fries
• Prawn Pappardelle Pasta — Homemade hand cut fresh egg pasta tossed with sautéed garlic and chilli prawns in arrabbiata sauce, with rocket and parmesan salad
• Poppies Homemade Pie — The chef's daily special pie, topped with puff pastry and served with fries

Dinner Starters

• Bread & Dips — Homemade bread served with a selection of house made dips, V
• Poppies Salmon Chowder — Poppies' famous smooth Mt Cook Alpine salmon chowder, served with homemade bread
• Soup of the Day — Freshly made soup using the finest seasonal ingredients, served with house made bread
• Crispy Chicken — Crispy chicken strips coated in bread crumbs, served with sriracha and maple aioli, pickles, balsamic reduction and seasonal salad
• Garlic Prawns — Prawn cutlets sautéed in garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs, served with fresh homemade bread
• Salmon Filo — Mt Cook Alpine Salmon, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, rocket and cream cheese wrapped in filo, baked with Romesco sauce, pickles and seasonal salad

Frequently asked questions

What are Poppies Cafe's opening hours?

Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with brunch and coffee from 9am to 2:30pm, snacks and drinks from 3pm to 5:30pm, and dinner from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Closed Wednesday and Thursday.

Can Poppies cater to dietary requirements?

Yes, the kitchen can cater to vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free requirements where possible — please advise of any requirements when booking.

Is Poppies family friendly?

Yes, with large lawns and alfresco dining, Poppies is described as perfect for children of all ages.

How do I book for a large group?

Please phone or email ahead for large bookings.

Are gift vouchers available?

Yes, gift vouchers can be purchased.

Does Poppies use local ingredients?

Yes, bread, pasta, jams, relishes, pickles, dressings and sauces are all made on the premises, with vegetables grown in Poppies' own gardens where possible.

Has Poppies won any awards?

Yes, Poppies is a winner of the NZ Beef & Lamb awards.

Tips

• {"body":"For large bookings, phone or email ahead of your visit.","title":"Book ahead for groups"}
• {"body":"Poppies' famous Mt Cook Alpine salmon chowder is a signature dish.","title":"Try the salmon chowder"}
• {"body":"Poppies Homemade Pie changes daily based on what the chefs create.","title":"Ask about the daily pie"}
• {"body":"The alfresco dining area and large lawns look out toward the Southern Alps.","title":"Sit outside for the views"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free options available on request"}