Family’s small-town bistro forging a big reputation

There can be a preconception among urban dwellers about dining out in heartland towns.

They might think of quiet country taverns where Speights, Tui, and Lion Red flow freely alongside pub grub staples.

But for the past two years, the High Street Bistro in Dannevirke has forged a reputation for serving big-city cuisine in small-town New Zealand.

The Sprague family came to the town in waves from Auckland.

Campbell and Nicole Sprague migrated five years ago. They had come across an old villa that they fell in love with.

They soon left their Mt Eden home and moved to the Tararua town permanently.

Three years later, their son Brock Sprague made a similar move. He had spent a decade working in hospitality around Auckland’s Viaduct and Ponsonby Rd and decided he wanted a change from the hectic pace.

‘‘It was around the first [Covid-19] lockdown and, at that point, I was doing about 80 to 90 hours a week across multiple venues,’’ he said.

‘‘I’ve got a wife and kids andmy workload was just getting a bit nuts. So when Dad said he wanted to do something and he saw this building, I moved down and we just pulled it together.’’

The long wooden surfaces and metal racks around the bar are all handmade, showcasing the craft beer on offer, while the open kitchen gives a clear view of meals being prepared.

Nicole Sprague, the restaurant’s manager, said customers had told them that sitting at the table by the kitchen was better than watching MasterChef.

Dishes include market fish with gremolata crumb, salmon wontons and preserved lemon mayo; and the bistro steak is a South Island eye fillet served with yorkshire pudding and crisp anna potatoes.

They have sated enough palates for the bistro to win the people’s choice vote at the recent Manawatū Hospitality Awards, a level of acknowledgement the Spragues didn’t see coming.

Brock Sprague said: ‘‘We’re pretty disconnected from the Palmy scene, being all the way over here, so it was amazing to get that recognition from over there.

‘‘We just want to make good food, make it comfortable for people, make them want to come back, make them feel like they can relax and just give them a good time.’’

The bistro is situated in the old Public Trust Building, which has previously been a bank, a lodge, amuseum for police memorabilia, and even a brothel.

The old vault and executive meeting room are part of the restaurant for groups who seek a little privacy.

Bookings are definitely encouraged. ‘‘We are already turning people away most nights,’’ Brock Sprague said.

‘‘There have been people booking all the way from Palmerston North. We also get a lot of people making the trip from Napier and Wellington who might stop on their way through.’’

The success has come despite the restaurant rarely operating under a normal trading environment, given the pandemic’s lockdowns and social restrictions.

The Spragues are eager to build on the momentum. ‘‘We want to keep growing, keep changing up the menus, and try some new things out,’’ Brock Sprague said.

High Street Bistro is open Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm to 10pm.