“I can’t dress it up to say that it’s been the easiest time,” Williams said.
“Hospitality, as a sector, [has] been hit hard with rising costs and for the less pedestrian traffic around and about with the economic situation.”
However, she said a glimmer of light was on the horizon, as people were slowly returning to the CBD.
“People are getting to the end of winter and a little bit over the colder weather, looking forward to springing into action with spring in September,” Williams said.
“We’re very much looking at … supporting the hospitality industry … [and] looking at other places who have built such a good events and activations around having a hospitality month.
“When you look at Wellington and Wellington on a plate … we really wanted to highlight, showcase and acknowledge that we have some fantastic hospitality here and how can we just present it in a different way out to the public.”
Love Bites was also about having a bite of something new, Williams said.
“We really wanted to see some creativity come out.
“It’s a great challenge for our eateries to create one irresistible bite that leaves people wanting more.”
From bougie bites to nostalgic nibbles and a sample of snacks from around the world, Williams said 32 venues, from bakeries to fine-dining establishments, have accepted the challenge.
The Love Bites are not existing menu items and won’t stay on the menu.
“We have so many great eateries in our city, Love Bites is a great way for people to enjoy them [all] one bite at a time,” she said.
A series of events will also be held, including Recipe Book Bites, for those wanting to know how to get a cookbook published, and Waikato Museum is opening its doors to show some hidden culinary treasures.
Love Bites runs from August 1 to 31. For more information and a list of what the special bites look like and where to get them, visit lovethecentre.co.nz/love-bites/.
Danielle Zollickhofer is the Waikato news director and a multimedia journalist at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.