Museum Seeks Café Operator for 2027 Opening
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Southland's new museum wants a café operator who can tell the region's food story.
The Museum of Southland is calling for expressions of interest to run its 267-square-metre café, which will overlook Queens Park when the museum opens in 2027.
Museum director Eloise Wallace said the café offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for local hospitality operators.
"Establishing a brand-new regional museum like Te Unua is an incredibly exciting opportunity for all of Murihiku Southland. Museums are places of real, meaningful connection and storytelling – not just for the people who call this place home, but for visitors to our region," Wallace said.
"One of the most meaningful ways people connect with the place around them is through experiencing the local cuisine, and our aspiration for Te Unua is to add to Invercargill's growing reputation as being a destination worthy of visiting in its own right. Southland has such a rich food story and heritage, and Te Unua is set to be perfectly positioned as a key cultural and social facility within the region to showcase these. Establishing the café space within Te Unua offers potential operators a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make their mark on our region's culinary scene."
The museum's physical construction is set to be completed later this year, with the facility opening to the public in 2027.
Wallace said Southland's ingredients gave the hospitality industry stellar tools to work with.
"Southland's distinctive flavours and ingredients give our hospitality industry some pretty stellar tools to work with. Kaimoana straight from the crisp waters of Foveaux Strait, world-class proteins like lamb and venison, mahika kai and food gathering traditions such as the harvesting of tītī, growing conditions perfect for vegetables like the quintessential Southland swede, and legacies including the cheese roll not only keep us all nourished, but are a key driver of bringing visitors to our region," Wallace said.
The café will feature indoor and outdoor dining spaces, a children's play area, and views over Queens Park.
Great South destination development manager Amie Young said food was central to the Southland destination strategy.
"Food is a universal language, regardless of where our visitors come from, and a region's food story is increasingly recognised as a powerful way to help people connect with a place and transform a destination from enjoyable to memorable," Young said.
"The stories behind our food offer visitors a powerful insight into what sets us apart from other destinations - whether that's an icon like the Bluff oyster and Southland cheese roll, or the wider story of our land and sea. Every bite helps tell the story of our climate, our people, and our wider identity. Our food reflects who we are."
Tourism New Zealand research showed trying local cuisine was the top activity for over 85 percent of potential visitors across key international markets, Young said.
Expressions of interest close at 5pm on Wednesday July 8.
"We are looking forward to getting a taste of the possibilities for Te Unua, and seeing what our local culinary and hospitality sector envisages for the future of our café," Wallace said.