Belinda and Dan
They swapped the bright lights of Townsville on the coast of Queensland, Australia, for a country pub in Makikihi in 2018.
Despite having no hospitality experience - let alone running a venue - Belinda Coco and Dan Lewis have turned the Makikihi Country Hotel into one of South Canterbury’s best-known pubs, taking out South Island Country Pub of the Year in 2025.
The couple now own the pub, Belinda sits on the committee of Hospitality New Zealand, and more changes are on the way.
We caught up with Belinda and Dan to hear more about it.
Small town beginnings
Belinda grew up in Ingham, a small North Queensland town similar in size to Waimate.
She moved to Townsville in 2000 where she met Dan, originally from Waipiata in the Maniototo, who was working in construction at the time.
Belinda was hairdressing - a career she stayed in for 18 years.
When Dan’s stepfather passed away and the opportunity came up to manage the Makikihi Country Hotel, the couple decided it was time for a change.
They packed up their lives in Australia and headed for South Canterbury.
For the love of good food
The hotel has built a reputation for great food.
So how did two people with no hospitality background manage to nail it?
“We both just love good food,” Belinda says.
“We were knocked down a notch or two at the start though. We thought we were going to change the world in terms of the menu, but it seemed everyone just wanted steak and chips.”
Over time, the couple found the balance between country pub classics and “not your normal country pub fare”.
It is good food done well, but Belinda says the real secret to their success is much simpler.
“Just consistency, and consistent service.”
The pair work closely with their chefs on the menu and try to support local suppliers wherever possible, including Chopped Butchery.
They also made a conscious decision early on about the kind of pub they wanted to run.
“We didn’t want to be just a late-night booze pub,” Belinda says.
They wanted somewhere families felt comfortable coming for dinner, a catch-up or an event.
Country pub of the year
The pub was recently crowned the 2025 South Island Country Pub of the Year by the Rural Guardian, taking out the inaugural competition with more than 1,200 votes.
Belinda says the award definitely brought new faces through the door.
“It actually bought people in.”
“It was funny, some people came expecting more than a country pub - it was like they were looking for the red carpet.”
Still, she says the recognition meant a lot because country pubs do not always get much attention in the wider hospitality industry.
“It was so nice to have something just for country pubs, which are often overlooked in the big hospitality awards.”
Fresh air and hard work
They’ve called Makikihi home for eight years now and, after recently purchasing the hotel, are here for the foreseeable future.
“We love it,” they say.
When asked what she likes about living here, Belinda laughs.
“Fresh air. I always say that.”
The laidback lifestyle suits them. Their son goes to school just over the road and, if they get a break, they can head to the end of the road to fish or escape to the lakes for a camping trip.
But breaks do not come around too often.
The hotel has accommodation, operates as a truck stop seven days a week and is full most nights.
The pair rarely get away together because they like to have one of them at the pub at all times.
Belinda still makes it back to Australia once or twice a year and had just returned from a trip to Bali with friends.
Homework club
Over the years the pair have held plenty of events and fundraisers for the community.
One that still stands out was a pig racing fundraiser, complete with a small racetrack set up outside the pub.
But it is Homework Club that’s become a fixture, and motivator, for the youngest members of the community.
At the end of each term, students who complete all their homework get rewarded with chips and fizzy at the hotel.
“And it works,” Belinda laughs.
“No one wants to miss out on Homework Club - including our son.”
The people you meet in a country pub
Pub life has introduced the pair to plenty of colourful characters over the years.
“I could write a book on pub life,” Belinda says.
“All the funny stories, the different things you come across and the people you meet.”
They say it is surprising how many people are walking up and down the South Island. One in particular still sticks in Dan’s mind.
“One guy came in and we filled up his water bottle. We asked where he was heading and he told us he was walking to Bethlehem.
“Then one year later he came back through going the other direction - still on his way to Bethlehem.”
The next food challenge
The pub is also well known for its all-you-can-eat challenges, with another one currently in the works.
“It has to be something that works around what’s happening in the kitchen,” Belinda says.
“It takes up a lot of space and the chefs are busy, so it needs to be something the kitchen hands can mainly do.”
For now, they are still working on what they’ll do next.
“Stay tuned”.
More changes ahead
Looking back at old photos, Belinda laughs at how much the place has already changed.
“When we got here there were a couple of bottles of spirits on the shelf behind the bar, some cordial and chips.”
They’ve already completed renovations and they are not done yet.
The hotel is about to undergo earthquake strengthening work, with plans to close for two weeks while more renovations take place.
As for exactly what they have planned?
“You’ll have to wait and see,” Belinda says.
We can’t wait, whatever they do it’s sure to be a winner.