Scarlett Johansson's high praise for NZ

Scarlett Johansson says she has found the best chocolate cake in the world, in Lower Hutt.

The international star has recently spent six months in New Zealand filming her new movie Ghost in the Shell.

She told E News she ate healthy most of the time but had one guilty pleasure.

"There was this incredible place in Wellington called Zany Zeus that had the best piece of chocolate cake I've had in my entire life.

"So, it was worth the like 35 minute drive to get there I was like, I was on a mission.

"Give me that chocolate cake", Johansson told E News.

Zany Zeus has been a family owned business for 17 years in the Lower Hutt suburb of Moera.

It supplies cheese, organic milk, cream and cultured products but every Saturday morning a freshly made chocolate cake is also on the counter.

It swiftly disappears piece by piece, gobbled up by customers in the know.

Zany Zeus co-owner Meropi Matsis said Johansson was treated like any one of those customers when she walked through the door.

'"She was really low key, really friendly and we just served her like we would our others and then she could just sit down and relax and eat whatever she purchased."

Matsis said she tried the ice cream and the savouries but there was a clear winner.

"As we found out, her favourite was our chocolate cake."

Chocolate cake from Zany Zeus cafe.

Matsis said Johansson would always be with a body guard and would sometimes bring her 3-year-old daughter Rose Dorothy Dauriac with her.

She said it was incredible to get a glowing endorsement from such a well known star.

"We're thrilled, we think it's just wonderful to get feedback like that. We pride ourselves on producing beautiful products.

"Getting the endorsement from Scarlett Johansson is just like the icing on the cake really, isn't it?"

Chocolate cake from Zany Zeus cafe.
Chocolate cake from Zany Zeus cafe.

This story originally appeared on Newstalk ZB and is published here with permission.