Travel bites: One of the world's best cafés is run by a Kiwi on a tiny tropical island

You don’t really need another excuse to head to Aitutaki. , complete with one of the world’s most spectacular lagoons dotted with idyllic islets.

But, if like me, your taste buds also want a holiday when you head overseas – this little slice of paradise has you covered. You’ll need to make the scenic journey to one of the higher points of the island, where you’ll find Avatea Cafe.

Not only will you find the best coffee on the island, but it’s where you’re sure to meet the ever-smiling Kiwi-born chef Karin Wilson.

Wilson’s food is so good, I’d easily classify it as one of the best places I’ve ever eaten. Her kai is wildly colourful, much of it comes from the island, and it’s bursting with flavour.

Everything we tried was a highlight, which included the lusciously-fresh paw paw chicken salad, the rainbow poke bowl and the ever-popular fish tacos (with a delicious secret sauce).

It’s been a roller coaster few years for Wilson, who comes from Tauranga. She was living in Brisbane in 2014 when she met her partner. He returned to his family home of Aitutaki for the first time in 2016, and moved there after falling in love with the place. Wilson was adamant she didn’t want to swap Australia for an island of less than 2000 people in the middle of the South Pacific,

Two years later, she finally visited her builder partner, ready to see “the slower side of life” and he made an offer: “If I build you a café, will you live here?”

The rest is history. Well, if only it was that simple. The café was finished on March 14, 2020, just days before the Cook Islands shut its borders because of Covid-19. The next two years, explains Wilson, was a “wild, wild, wild ride.” She “drained her partner dry,” while they tried to ride a small wave of domestic tourism.

Three years later, Wilson’s smile tells you the decision to move here was the right one. Instead of battling traffic, she now has a commute of about 20 steps from their family home to work. And she shares her love every day, through food.

Getting to Aitutaki is quite the journey, it first involves a flight from New Zealand (or Australia) before a domestic flight from Rarotonga. But the scenery is every bit worth it. Now, thanks to Avatea Cafe, you can also add food as your reason to go too.

Avatea Cafe is open Monday to Saturday, and closed on Sunday – which is a traditional day of rest in the Cook Islands. See:

Beachfront accommodation at Pacific Resort Aitutaki starts from $1350 per night, including daily breakfast. See:

Air New Zealand has daily flights to Rarotonga from Auckland, and has a codeshare agreement with Air Rarotonga on flights to Aitutaki, meaning you can book the entire journey through the Air NZ website on one ticket. Alternatively, Jetstar flies three times a week from Auckland to Rarotonga, and the Aitutaki leg can be booked independently through the Air Rarotonga website. See: ; ;

Flying generates carbon emissions. To reduce your impact, consider other ways of travelling, amalgamate your trips, and when you need to fly, consider offsetting emissions.