Words Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images Ashlee DeCaires
Drive into Mountain Folk Cafe Retreat in Pirongia and the familiar persimmon trees remain, an ode to the cafe that occupied the space for over two decades.
Local woman Michelle Richardson bought the business just over a year ago, wanting to create a community space for the village. Michelle and her husband moved to Pirongia eight years ago, after returning to the Waikato after a stint living in Melbourne. They had started a family and wanted to be closer to home. Pirongia appealed because of its affordability as well as the village lifestyle.
Michelle, who had worked in hospitality in the past, had long harboured a dream of owning her own place. The cafe was a little tired, so Michelle rebranded, refreshed the space and built a new team with a new menu and experience. 
And it seems to be working. As we sit chatting over coffee, locals pop in and are greeted by name. Some are in groups catching up; others on their way, grabbing a takeaway coffee; others are settling into a sunny spot to either get some work done or have a quiet read.
The night before, the cafe was transformed into a breathing workshop space, a fundraiser for the local skate park. The walls are adorned with local artists’ work and key to every community space is a well pinned noticeboard with what’s going on.
A big part of a cafe’s success is the food, so I am keen to head into the kitchen and meet Nicole Jonn, Mountain Folk’s head chef.
Nicole tells me she loves her role because it gives her freedom and creativity as well as a better work life balance. Having spent the past 30 years working nights in restaurants, the day shifts are a welcome change, although the cafe recently started monthly dinners. And I hear if you’re lucky you won’t only enjoy Nicole’s beautiful food but also her voice on these nights.
Nicole says she loves Asian and Middle Eastern flavours, so the cafe menu is a mix of classic favourites and some more adventurous dishes. What she loves though is that they always start from beautiful, local ingredients. 
“Being able to bring our ethos into the cafe has been important,” says Michelle. There is a cafe composting system, with the goal to expand this to the community.
They use free range eggs and chicken; the milk is local Kaipaki milk and the fresh, spray-free salads are grown by (local growers) Robyn Wyllie, Dan Taylor and Ali Ruthe of Little Pirongia Farms.
We are here for the day, to enjoy all that Pirongia has to offer, so as we enjoy one of Nicole’s favourite dishes, the crispy chicken salad, along with a delicious coffee and a slice of orange almond cake, we canvas locals and staff on where we should explore.
Michelle says her family love using the mountain biking tracks and hiking up Mount Pirongia, but if we wanted to learn more about the town, we had to visit Jenny Mortland and the volunteer team at the Pirongia Heritage & Information Centre. Jenny was in the cafe enjoying a coffee, so we let her finish before following her to the centre.
Pirongia has a rich history, which you can learn about at the Heritage & Information Centre. The town, then known as Alexandra, a defensive settlement for British forces during the Waikato War, the area was significant to the Kīngitanga movement. King Tāwhiao and his followers symbolically laid down their arms in 1881 near the intersection of Crozier and Franklin Streets, ending armed conflict in the area.
By the 1870s, Pirongia was a bustling hub, with the Waipā River providing a great shipping route. This changed when the main trunk railway was built through neighbouring Te Awamutu. Now a car is the best way to visit Pirongia village.
If walking up the mountain is not your style, you can pick up a flyer from the Heritage & Information Centre, with many of the historical places of interest you can walk to from the centre of town, including what is described as New Zealand’s best-preserved Redoubt.
Having been fed, stretched our legs and learnt a little, the only thing left to do was a bit retail therapy. Right next door to Mountain Folk Cafe, connected by a gate and lovely little path is The Saleyards. Here, owners Ian and Steph sell a range of New Zealand made products, garden art, woodturning, soap and cycads.
And on the main street is The Hive, owned by Shireen Parker, that showcases local artisan products. We’re told we might meet Robyn, the green-thumbed woman who supplies the cafe with fresh salads, who works at The Hive part time. Proof that this is a close knit and connected village worth spending a little time in.
Skoda Kodiaq RS
Our drive to Pirongia was in the Skoda Kodiaq RS. This 7-seater SUV is the perfect family car. With the back two seats folded down you have a huge boot, which comes with a reversable boot liner. Rubber on one side for those muddy boots, the dog or plants you want to pick up, and carpet on the other. The reversable boot liner is just one of the many ‘simply clever’ touches in this Skoda. These are smart innovations that just make sense.
For instance, the little rubbish bins in both the drivers’ and passengers’ doors. The door edge protectors are plastic strips that pop out when you open the doors that prevent dings when kids swing doors open in tight spaces.
There is an integrated umbrella tucked away in the driver’s door for those sudden downpours. All low tech but smart and super handy.
Then there is the techie stuff you will love, like the 360-degree camera which provides a bird’s-eye view of the car, making it super easy to park. And the virtual pedal, which allows you to kick your foot under the rear bumper to open the boot hands free – no more fumbling for keys in the bottom of a handbag.
This family car has everyone in mind, with heated seats front and back. The passengers can be kept entertained in the back with built in tablet holders and USB plugs.
