Most people that know Rebecca and me will say that we love food and eating. Maybe it has something to do with being German but I think that’s not all. Food is something important in our lives. It reminds us of home or better it makes us feel at home.
When I was living in South Africa (1982-1992) I remember how hard it was to get the things we were used to from Germany and Europe in general. With immigrating to NZ a few years back I was fully expecting similar problems. Alas it was not so. And one area in particular has made life a bit easier when trying to find good food – Petone (Wellington, New Zealand).
Petone has become something like a little delicatessen mile for most Europeans. The shops worth mentioning are The Dutch Shop, Ontrays, The Spice Rack, John’s Fish Market, Bella Italia, House of Knives, Brezelmania the food bookstore (which I forgot the name of) and lots of cafes. I will blog about most of these and I will start with my absolute favourite which is Ontrays.
Ontrays in 38 Fritzherbert street (just off Jackson street, Petone) is owned by Steven and Valda Scheckter. They came to NZ more than 10 years ago from South Africa. Over the years they have built up the excellently stocked Ontrays Food Emporium. Ontrays is also called the South African shop because it started out by selling lots of South African food specialities. Nowadays it also sells delicatessen from all over the world.
Europeans looking for the hard-to-get food things and professional cooks looking for good produce can find everything they need. For me it’s the biltong, the dry sausages, the soft cheeses, the wines, the kalamata olives,… Not to mention the coffee that is offered when you walk in the door. It just completes a Saturday’s food hunting.
Anything can be tried before buying especially at the cheese counter. That has it’s down side as you do walk out the door with a little more than you first thought (but usually that is only regretted until you get home and eat 
). Not only can you try but you’d be amazed how much Steven knows about what he sells.
So if you are looking for good food, something for the soul and a nice experience go visit the Scheckters in Petone. Ontrays is open Mo-Fr 9-5, Sat 10-4.
[UPDATE] Link to website is www.ontrays.co.nz
