A sweetcorn and pumpkin wrap has helped propel a popular Te Puna café into the winners circle with the Café of the Year title for the Upper North Island.

Nourish Café took home the annual award ahead of finalists Capers Epicurean in Rotorua and Whangarei's Columbus Coffee.

Nourish Café owners Janet and Ian Walker with daughter and café manager Carly Ward. Photo: Wayne Tait.

The café, on State Highway 2, is a family operation run by Carly Ward and owned by her parents.

But for the second year in a row a South Island café has been judged the nation's best, with Dunedin's Ironic Café taking out the supreme Café of the Year title from 18 finalists nationwide.

Nourish Café's winning dish was a sweetcorn and pumpkin wrap served with spicy beetroot marmalade, lime sour cream and macadamias.

Regional winning cafés each receive $3,000 worth of products from Goodman Fielder and Wattie's.

Head judge Kerry Tyack says Nourish Café is a popular and busy café and homegoods store which was 'propelled in to the winners' circle by its loyal customers”.

'Customers are treated by attentive staff and invited to choose from a wonderful selection of fresh and baked goods from the cabinet or to select off a menu that has something for everyone,” says Kerry.

'The staff are friendly and eager to please, and the layout spacious and comfortable with a variety of seating areas to choose from, both inside and outside.

'Nourish also takes pride in supporting local suppliers and successfully brings plenty of the Bay of Plenty into the mix.”

The Restaurant Association of New Zealand chief executive Marisa Bidois says with record entries this year made the competition has been tough.

Marisa said: 'The café culture is such an important part of our ethos here in New Zealand and it's wonderful to see such a diverse representation in the finalists.”

The competition is now in its third year and more than 39,000 café lovers across six regions voted for the 1123 eateries that entered – 454 more than in 2013.

Nourish Cafes winning dish of a sweetcorn and pumpkin wrap served with spicy beetroot marmalade, lime sour cream and macadamias.