November 19, 2025
A local Methven restaurant is back for another slice of the pie… or burger, in this case.
Craft @ Arabica is one of four businesses entered into the Ashburger Bash, an Ashburton A & P show competition that’s all about the burgers.
Husband and wife duo Ranga and Katrina Wijesinghe, owners of Craft @ Arabica, are the brains behind last year’s winning Ashburger Bash creation - the ‘Kiwi As’.
Its stick-out feature was a L&P glaze that coats the patty.
“Our menus are all infused with either a beer glaze, wine glaze, cider glaze,” Katrina said.
This year, they’re sticking to their guns with their latest entry, ‘Chur Bro’.
Talbot Forest Cheese and Southern Alps Honey are amongst the local ingredients - each competitor must have two to qualify.
Katrina said it wasn’t a cheap burger to make, but it was worth it.
“The lady that just came in [before the interview], her son loved it so much that they’re back again for another.”
Joe’s Garage Ashburton has entered their ‘Stag Do,’ which pairs Lovett Farms’ onions and carrots with a Mountain River version patty, crispy parsnips and smoked cheese.
Mayfield’s Panther’s Rock has thrown their hat in the ring with a Chicken Parmi Burger.
And Smoke Ashburton is coming in hot with ‘The Local’ - a brioche bun from Harvey’s Bakehouse, stacked on coleslaw, a slice of Wakanui beef smoked brisket and a smash pattie, cheese, crispy onions and a hazy beer bbq sauce made with the in house beer.
It’s an audience vote competition - to secure the trophy for your favourite local, head in store, try the burgers, and place your vote online.
While there’s fun in building a new burger, there was a real benefit to winning last year for the Methven business.
“We were struggling. So [with] a competition, people get involved, people start talking, marketing.
“As soon as the competition stopped, we had people coming in for just that.”
Both the seasonal tourists and locals have taken a liking to the ‘Kiwi As’ burger, and it’s stayed on the menu the whole year.
“We wouldn’t be here all year-round if it wasn’t for local support.
As much as the tourists come and try new things, it is those locals that we need to thank.”
Katrina urged Methven locals to “try our burger, and back our small town.
“Methven’s got a lot of good things going [for it].”
A local Methven restaurant is back for another slice of the pie… or burger, in this case.
Craft @ Arabica is one of four businesses entered into the Ashburger Bash, an Ashburton A & P show competition that’s all about the burgers.
Husband and wife duo Ranga and Katrina Wijesinghe, owners of Craft @ Arabica, are the brains behind last year’s winning Ashburger Bash creation - the ‘Kiwi As’.
Its stick-out feature was a L&P glaze that coats the patty.
“Our menus are all infused with either a beer glaze, wine glaze, cider glaze,” Katrina said.
This year, they’re sticking to their guns with their latest entry, ‘Chur Bro’.
Talbot Forest Cheese and Southern Alps Honey are amongst the local ingredients - each competitor must have two to qualify.
Katrina said it wasn’t a cheap burger to make, but it was worth it.
“The lady that just came in [before the interview], her son loved it so much that they’re back again for another.”
Joe’s Garage Ashburton has entered their ‘Stag Do,’ which pairs Lovett Farms’ onions and carrots with a Mountain River version patty, crispy parsnips and smoked cheese.
Mayfield’s Panther’s Rock has thrown their hat in the ring with a Chicken Parmi Burger.
And Smoke Ashburton is coming in hot with ‘The Local’ - a brioche bun from Harvey’s Bakehouse, stacked on coleslaw, a slice of Wakanui beef smoked brisket and a smash pattie, cheese, crispy onions and a hazy beer bbq sauce made with the in house beer.
It’s an audience vote competition - to secure the trophy for your favourite local, head in store, try the burgers, and place your vote online.
While there’s fun in building a new burger, there was a real benefit to winning last year for the Methven business.
“We were struggling. So [with] a competition, people get involved, people start talking, marketing.
“As soon as the competition stopped, we had people coming in for just that.”
Both the seasonal tourists and locals have taken a liking to the ‘Kiwi As’ burger, and it’s stayed on the menu the whole year.
“We wouldn’t be here all year-round if it wasn’t for local support.
As much as the tourists come and try new things, it is those locals that we need to thank.”
Katrina urged Methven locals to “try our burger, and back our small town.
“Methven’s got a lot of good things going [for it].”
