It was Wednesday morning when I texted my friend, asking her if she was interested in a road trip to Wānaka, a picturesque lakeside town 1.5 hours’ drive from Queenstown. I’d heard about Big Fig, a family-run café known for its Lebanese-inspired dishes and run by sisters Shaz and Chrissie. Actually, they named the café after a beautiful fig tree that grew in their backyard.
After our drive through glorious mountains, we arrived at our destination. As I walked into Big Fig, I was pleasantly surprised to see hanging plants from the ceiling above a big wood table illuminated by sunlight.
After scanning the room, our eyes landed on a display next to the counter built with hot and cold dishes such as Harrisan butterbean stew, Roast baharat potatoes, Carrot, apple slaw with radish, currant & sesame, all available on small ($16), medium ($23), and large ($29) plate size.
As I continued my walk, I found bakery goods such as Dark chocolate & orange cake ($6.5), and Persian cake ($6.5). We settled on ordering a coconut macaroni ($5) and two oat matcha latte ($4.95 each). It was a pleasant surprise to see all the dietary options in abundance.
After ordering, we got our perfect spot on a bar table facing the window with dappled sunlight coming through. As we scanned the room, we noticed remote workers coming in and connecting to free Wi-Fi, groups of friends catching up while enjoying one of Big Fig’s seasonal, healthy salads with a turmeric latte, and families enjoying a midday snack of orange chocolate cake.
When our matcha arrived, we got into a little conversation with a friendly staff member about all the ways Big Fig tries to be more sustainable. They don’t use plastic in their takeaways, offer different plate sizes to avoid food waste, a $1 discount if you bring your own cup, and my absolute favourite, a $2 discount on Mondays on vegetarian and vegan food to encourage plant-based consumption.
After we finished our delicious matcha, we felt content and grateful for our beautiful time in this hidden gem, which cares about the environment while delivering flavourful, healthy dishes. If you find yourself in the stunning lakeside town of Wānaka, Big Fig is always waiting to welcome you to the family.
Pic by @bigfignz