Scroggin Bakehouse

About Scroggin Bakehouse

Scroggin Coffee and Eatery is a vibrant café and bakehouse rooted in the mountain alpine culture of Wānaka. Founded by owner and pastry chef Lucy Conway, who transitioned from corporate law and honed her culinary craft at Jackson Hole's Persephone Bakery and Le Cordon Bleu in Wellington, the eatery is inspired by backcountry hut camaraderie where outdoor adventurers gather to share hearty, wholesome food.

Everything in the bakery is crafted in-house from scratch seven days a week, highlighting seasonal produce and local Central Otago flavors. From freshly laminated viennoiserie and artisan brioche to nutrient-rich bowls, skillet breakfasts, and specialty espresso from Arrowtown's Wolf Coffee Roasters, Scroggin delivers a warm, welcoming stop whether fueling up before a trek or unwinding after a day on the trails.

Scratch Baking and Alpine Mountain Fuel: The Story of Scroggin in Wānaka

In New Zealand tramping lore, "scroggin" is the essential trail mix packed into rucksacks before hitting the ridgelines—a blend of sweet, savoury, and energy-dense morsels meant to be shared in backcountry huts with friends old and new. Scroggin Coffee and Eatery captures that precise spirit, translating the warmth of an alpine refuge into a welcoming café and scratch bakehouse. Designed as a haven for hikers, skiers, cyclists, and locals, it provides wholesome sustenance inspired directly by the dramatic peaks, valleys, and lakes of Central Otago.

The Journey from Law to Le Cordon Bleu

The vision behind Scroggin was brought to life by owner and pastry chef Lucy Conway. Originally pursuing a career as a corporate lawyer, Conway made an ambitious pivot to chase a lifelong passion for culinary craft and community nourishment. That journey took her to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where she spent three years working at the acclaimed Persephone Bakery, mastering the art of high-volume artisan viennoiserie and rustic café culture.

Committed to bringing that level of dedication back to New Zealand, Conway formally trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Wellington to refine her patisserie techniques. That dedication is on full display every morning: the kitchen and bakery brigade starts before dawn, rolling doughs, churning fillings, and baking flaky croissants, rustic loaves, and sweet treats completely from scratch seven days a week.

Fresh Flavours Rooted in Central Otago

Scroggin's all-day menu mirrors the seasons of the Southern Alps, pairing comfort food classics with creative culinary flourishes. Morning diners can tuck into substantial skillet breakfasts like the Hash Skillet—crispy twice-cooked potatoes tossed with seasonal greens, garlic butter, and punchy chilli crunch—or the house twist on Eggs Benedict, which swaps english muffins for golden potato rostis topped with sriracha hollandaise.

Regional sourcing anchors the savoury board. Highlights include the Lamb Toast, loaded with succulent roasted meat from Royalburn Station near Arrowtown, balanced by creamy feta, sweet caramelised onions, and fresh rocket on housemade sourdough. Seafood lovers can opt for Aoraki smoked salmon perched atop house-baked brioche with a whipped dill cream cheese and lemon fennel salad. For plant-forward diners, nourishing options like the Green Bowl and Turkish Eggs with harissa labneh provide hearty, flavourful fuel.

Artisan Pastries and Mountain Brews

At the counter, a glass cabinet showcases the bakery's daily creations. Laminated staples like classic butter croissants, double-baked almond pastries, and pain au chocolat sit alongside towering blueberry scones accompanied by whipped maple butter, date and orange scones, and gluten-free dark chocolate sea salt cookies.

Coffee is treated with equal care, pulled with beans roasted down the road by Arrowtown’s Wolf Coffee Roasters. Diners can branch out with wellness drinks such as functional mushroom cacao mugs, blueberry iced matcha, and house cold-pressed juices like the turmeric-charged Visionary. With local craft beers, Central Otago natural wines, and daytime cocktails like the Cardrona Rose Butterscotch iced latte, Scroggin is as much an afternoon retreat as an early morning trail stop.

Signature items

• Hash Skillet
• Scroggin Benedict
• Turkish Eggs
• Lamb Toast
• Double Baked Almond Croissant
• Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Waffle

Menu

Small Bites

• Croissant Toast, Jam & Whipped Butter — Toasted house croissant loaf served with sweet jam and whipped butter.
• Poached Farm Eggs on Focaccia — Two poached farm eggs served over housemade focaccia.
• Shoestring Fries — Crispy thin fries served with aioli and ketchup (VV).
• Parmesan Polenta Fries — Golden polenta sticks seasoned with parmesan, served with kasundi and vegan aioli.

All Day Menu

• Hash Skillet — Double cooked crispy potatoes, seasonal veg, pickled onion, poached egg, feta, garlic butter, and chilli crunch.
• Granola — Buckwheat cacao granola, coconut yoghurt, poached mixed berries, raspberry chia pudding, strawberries, and rhubarb dust.
• Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Waffle — Lemon cream cheese, blueberry compote, almond crumble, and maple syrup.
• One Hander — Bacon, sausage, or halloumi with lightly scrambled egg, aged cheddar, kasundi, and japanese mayo in a housemade brioche bun.
• Avocado Toast — Avocado and pea smash, marinated zucchini, and blistered cherry tomatoes on housemade sourdough.
• Caprese Toast — Heirloom tomatoes, pumpkin seed basil vegan pesto, stracciatella cheese, and balsamic glace on sourdough.
• Scroggin Benedict — Potato rosti, crispy kale, sriracha hollandaise, two poached eggs, and dukkah.
• Turkish Eggs — Harissa labneh, garlic hummus, brown butter puy lentils, two poached eggs, seasonal herbs, and housemade focaccia.
• Green Bowl — Kale, sesame avocado, lentils, cherry tomatoes, paprika chickpeas, halloumi, poached egg, garlic hummus, herb coconut yoghurt dressing, and roasted pumpkin seeds.
• Lamb Toast — Roasted Royalburn Lamb, caramelised onions, feta, rocket, parmesan, and olive oil on housemade sourdough.
• Smoked Salmon Toast — Aoraki smoked salmon, whipped salmon & dill cream cheese, fennel & lemon salad, and a poached egg on housemade brioche.
• Reuben Toastie — Corned beef, sauerkraut, gruyere cheese, pickles, and russian aioli.

Cocktails & Beer

• Bloody Mary — Spiced tomato, vodka, vermouth, and lemon.
• Mimosa — Paradise Prosecco mixed with freshly squeezed orange juice.
• Butterscotch Iced Latte Cocktail — Cardrona Rose Butterscotch Liqueur, double shot Wolf espresso, and milk over ice.
• Local Craft Beer — Selection of regional brews featured on the specials board.

Pastries & Baked Goods

• Butter Croissant — Classic flaky, all-butter croissant baked fresh in-house.
• Ham Cheese & Pickle Croissant — Flaky croissant filled with ham, melted cheese, and tangy pickle.
• Pain Au Chocolat — Buttery laminated pastry rolled around rich chocolate.
• Double Baked Almond Croissant — Twice-baked croissant topped and filled with almond frangipane.
• Cinnamon Bun — Freshly rolled spiced cinnamon pastry.
• Blueberry Scone — Served with whipped maple butter.
• Cheese Scone — Savory scone paired with whipped herb butter.
• Date & Orange Scone — Sweet date and citrus scone served with whipped maple butter (VV, GF).
• Monkey Bread — Pull-apart sweet baked dough confection.
• Chocolate Banana Bread — Rich loaf combining banana and chocolate (VV).
• Carrot Coconut Loaf — Moist spiced loaf with coconut and grated carrots (GF).
• Cream Cheese Raspberry Brownie — Fudgy chocolate brownie swirled with tart raspberries and cream cheese (GF).
• Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Cookie — Rich dark chocolate cookie finished with flaky sea salt (GF).
• White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie — Chewy cookie packed with sweet white chocolate and crunchy macadamias (GF).

Packaged & Bake-At-Home

• Scroggin Cookie Box — Assorted box of freshly baked signature café cookies.
• Mini Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies — Bite-sized chocolate cookies finished with sea salt flakes.
• Packaged Granola — House-blended crunchy toasted granola to enjoy at home.
• Savoury Scroggin — House trail mix blend of savoury nuts, seeds, and bites.
• Sweet Scroggin — Classic sweet trail mix blend crafted for outdoor adventures.
• Bake-At-Home Pain Au Chocolat — Frozen ready-to-bake chocolate pastry pack.
• Bake-At-Home Butter Croissants — Frozen prepared butter croissants ready to oven bake.

Specialty Drinks & Smoothies

• Mushroom Cacao Mug — Cacao, coconut sugar, chaga, jing, reishi, cordyceps, and oat milk.
• Immunity Tonic — Tiaki honey, lemon, ginger, and turmeric served with hot water or sparkling water over ice.
• Blueberry Iced Matcha — Blueberry puree, matcha green tea, and milk of choice over ice.
• Cream Top — Iced long black topped with whipped vanilla cream.
• Visionary Fresh Pressed Juice — Freshly pressed carrot, orange, lemon, ginger, and turmeric.
• Cleanser Fresh Pressed Juice — Freshly pressed apple, cucumber, celery, spinach, and lemon.
• Alpine Start Smoothie — Blueberries, banana, oats, dates, cinnamon, and coconut milk.
• Rise N Shine Smoothie — Cold brew, cocoa, banana, dates, peanut butter, and almond milk.
• Orange Crush Smoothie — Orange, banana, goji berries, lime, and coconut milk.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of coffee does Scroggin serve?

Scroggin serves specialty espresso roasted locally in Arrowtown by Wolf Coffee Roasters, alongside filter batch brew and iced coffee drinks.

Are the pastries made on-site?

Yes. All croissants, scones, breads, and treats are baked entirely from scratch in-house seven days a week under the direction of pastry chef Lucy Conway.

Does Scroggin cater to dietary requirements like gluten-free and vegan diets?

Yes. The menu features numerous vegan, vegetarian, and no-added-gluten (NAG) dishes, as well as alternative dairy-free milks including oat, almond, and coconut.

Can I buy Scroggin treats and baked goods to take away or bake at home?

Yes. Scroggin offers packaged trail mixes, housemade granola, cookie boxes, and frozen bake-at-home butter croissants and pain au chocolat.

Does Scroggin offer alcoholic beverages?

Yes. The beverage list includes brunch cocktails such as Bloody Marys and Mimosas, Central Otago natural wines, and rotating local craft beers.

Tips

• {"body":"The scratch-made bakery cabinet items, especially the double-baked almond croissants and cinnamon buns, are baked fresh daily and sell out quickly.","title":"Arrive early for the best pastry selection"}
• {"body":"Grab a bag of sweet or savoury scroggin or a pack of mini chocolate sea salt cookies at the counter for hiking the local alpine tracks.","title":"Pick up trail snacks for your hikes"}
• {"body":"If you are staying locally with an oven, grab their frozen bake-at-home croissants or pain au chocolat for freshly baked breakfast pastries at your lodging.","title":"Stock your holiday freezer"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Extensive vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu options available.","payments":"Surcharge applies on card transactions (1.9%) and public holidays (15%)."}