Phil Greig Strawberry Garden

We got our westie on today and took a trip out Kumeu way, ending up at Muriwai. It was simply rude not to stop for ice cream this pristine spring day, so we pulled over at this place. The place was pretty busy, as one would expect on such a beautiful weekend day. There was a bit of a queue and the girls behind the counter seemed rushed and a bit disheveled. This place has some logistical issues that aren’t really justifiable… they could easily expand the parking area, as we’ve been here several times before on weekends and there often tends to be an issue with parking space. They’re based on a farm, after all; they could quite easily concrete over a bit of additional space for parking. Also they could set up a few more places to sit. The area to the right of the ice-​cream dispensary is really pleasant to sit in, but again, could be expanded a bit as I’m sure most people want to stay put to eat their ice cream. But 4 stars nonetheless, principally because the ice cream is just soooo delicious; I had the ‘ice cream proper’ variety while he had the yoghurt variety. To die for! The perfect guilty pleasure, and yet you can just tell it’s not really guilty at all. I could live on the stuff! Plus the seating area to the right is a really pleasant spot to sit and relax, and the establishment as a whole has a certain upbeat and happy/​summery air to it, even if it’s not the poshest of places.

Desperate for a sweet treat after our lunch at Hallertau we were stoked to discover that Phil Greig was just around the corner and open all year round. Sure you can’t pick strawberries in winter (duh!) but you can still get a real fruit ice cream as big as your head.
There’s a couple of flavours to choose from (strawberry, blueberry, boysenberry) as well as the option of ice cream or yoghurt. Prices, given the size, are really reasonable and the young ladies manning the till, friendly!

We had been here before but unfortunately at the wrong time of year so only ice creams and smoothies could be bought at that time. But as it is in our «neck of the woods «so to speak and it is the right time of the year now we thought what better way to kill a bit of time and go pick a few strawberries. Though not the cheapest place you can pick your own in this area i reckon they are good quality what you do get. Initially you pay $ 7.50 for the first one kilo BEFORE beginning to pick and then charged the same per kilo on top of that once finished picking. They give you the bucket and away you go to pick for as long as you want and as much as you want. But well on the pretty hot day it was you did not want to spend too much time out there. Still we picked a good amount and savoured a aptly named strawberry field smoothie and strawberry ice cream afterward. So if you want to catch some air, have a bit of un and save some money get down and pick some strawberries.

It was that time of the year when Strawberry’s needed to be picked and our family of little kids and big kids were all excited about heading to Phil Greig Strawberry Gardens.
We arrived to quite a busy carpark and after securing the car, and lining up the kids, and putting the baby in the backpack, we were on our way to the little tent to pay up and grab a few buckets.
Five dollars per person, for anyone over the age of 10, and you could pick as much as you wanted and eat as you picked as well. The admission you pay would later be deducted from your weight of fruit.
I loved the fact that we could all do this as a family, and get our hands and feet dirty, whilst having a really memorable experience.
Phil Greig Strawberry Gardens takes up quite a large space– a couple of acres of strawberry’s, and there are masses of them everywhere.
You wont know when to stop eating, and picking, but thanks to our over eagerness to pick, we later ended up with a pot full of strawberry jam boiling away on the stove– nothing beats homemade strawberry jam on piklets– delicious.
I can say that this weekend activity gave us much laughter, and happy full strawberry tummy’s.

This seems to be the place to go after a hot day in the sun anywhere out near the Kumeu, being an immigrant and not heading out West much, I hadn’t heard of this apparent institution before, but am glad I know where it is now.
I love ice cream, I love fresh strawberries, and combining the two right in front of my eyes, the folks here made my mouth water, despite having stuffed myself at lunch previously.
The ice cream turned out fantastic, and was the perfect way to top off a great afternoon, and gladly lapped it up until the food coma overtook me when i got home.

Though I have been living in West Auckland for the last four years, I only came across this place for the first time last weekend. It’s a good place to stop off on a hot day and have an ice cream. The idea is that you incorporate the fresh strawberries (which are grown on site) with your ice cream for an authentic flavour. The staff were a bit surly but they made my ice cream in front of me. It tasted good but I prefer the likes of movenpick for a richer flavour. They also sell punnets of strawberries — we bought two and when I tried them later that night, they tasted really good. There seems to be quite a few places selling strawberries on this stretch of highway but this is apparently the best of them.

After a day of shooting children with paint balls there was some hard earned ice cream to be redeemed. Seeing those big cubes of ice cream churned up with a handful of berries really gets the kid inside you going. Especially when you see the size of them. It’s a fun novelty (they have a chocolate fountain!). Pick from ice cream or frozen yogurt. Although they are a strawberry farm, they do also offer blue berries and boysenberries to add into your ice cream/​yoghurt. Be prepared to wait if there are a few people there, as making the ice cream on the spot does take up a bit of time.
If you really want to go nuts, they have a monster of an ice cream in a chocolate-​rimmed cone, drizzled with chocolate, a flake stabbed in the side, topped with nuts and a blob of whipped cream. (A bit much for me, but my friends were looking well pleased with their choices)
(and of course punnets of fresh strawberries are also sold for you to bring home)

After a half day of work in the midst of summer it only calls for one thing… ROADTRIP… and where better than to Phil Greig’s Strawberry Garden in Kumeu. A conveniently close 26 minutes from Auckland city centre, with an ‘eat as you pick’ rule; obviously this ‘forced’ indulgence is not one to miss out on especially with these sweet, juicy, rose red bundles of goodness. After filling your tummy, woops I mean bucket, until your heart is content, it’s time to make your way over to the ice cream parlour where you can move your focus to the wide array of fresh strawberry ice cream, frozen yoghurt and smoothies. This strawb-​alicious experience is the definition of summer, one suited for all ages, shapes and sizes. Failing to disappoint Phil Greig’s is definitely a trip worth making. They are open from Boxing Day until February 10^th annually from 9am — 6pm Monday to Sunday. For more information contact Phill at
Now pick up ya’bucket and get pickn’n’eatn, for summers coming to an end and Phil Grieg’s strawberries are one to recommend!