Waking up on a white Wednesday morning with snowy mountain views, visiting your favourite neighbourhood café, and venturing out for the most delicious homemade croissant and oat latte doesn’t sound bad for a midweek break, does it?
I visited Pantry by Frank’s, a cosy family-run café in Remarkables Park in Frankton, Queenstown. It is run by husband and wife Victoria and Aaron Lethbridge, who are so close to their family that they created a space that makes you feel at home. In fact, the name Frank’s comes from Aaron’s nickname, given by Victoria’s father.
After a leisurely 10-minute walk from home, with the magnificent Remarkables on one side and the stunning Coronet Peak on the other, I arrived at the comforting corner building that houses Pantry by Frank’s. The sight of the beautiful hanging plants, the warm glow of the large gold lamps, and the inviting seating arrangements instantly made me feel at home.
Approaching the counter, I was surprised by the vegan cinnamon donuts ($7) and vegan Kitkats ($5.5). And behind the cafeteria, I spotted their most famous bread: Sourdough Ciabatta ($9.5). It’s fantastic to watch the bakers produce pizza bases, scones, croissants, buns, and loads of bread in such a cosy environment. These will be sold at Pantry by Frank’s and delivered to the other two venues: 11th Avenue by Frank’s in Lower Shotover and Eatery by Frank’s in Frankton.
Apart from the creative bakes good, while scanning the menu, I saw plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, including the delicious apple + rhubarb porridge (caramelised apple, poached rhubarb, Frank’s granola, maple – $17), mushrooms on toast (thyme, garlic, onion, creme fraiche, cream, poached egg, sourdough – $22), and croissant eggs Benny (poached eggs, ghee hollandaise, spinach – $26). I settled on ordering the croissant Benny with an oat latte.
Apart from the bakery, I found out that Pantry offers catering services, including delicious vegan platters (Olives, pickles onions, hummus, gherkins, chutney, sundried tomatoes, artichokes, dried fruit & nuts, assorted crackers – $15) and on-the-go lunches, in which you choose your preferred sandwich option and filling, and you can add a muffin, fruit and drink ($28).
As I took my first bite of the croissant Benny, I was immediately struck by its deliciousness. The combination of the toasted croissant, onions, spinach, tomato, and two perfectly poached eggs with ghee hollandaise was a symphony of flavours that left me feeling content and ready to start my day.
When I finished my delicious breakfast, I couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful gem I had discovered and how grateful I was to feel at home even though I was kilometres away from it. Pantry by Frank’s let me stock and jump with happiness for the rest of the day.