Must-see restaurants in New Zealand

  • Tantalus Estate

    Tantalus Estate

    Waiheke Island

    Up a winding driveway framed by grapevines, Waiheke's newest vineyard restaurant and tasting room channels an Iberian ambience, but the savvy and diverse…

  • Saan, Ponsonby.

    Saan

    Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd

    Hot in both senses of the word, this super-fashionable restaurant focuses on the fiery cuisine of the Isaan and Lanna regions of northern Thailand. The…

  • Refinery

    Coromandel Peninsula

    Get pleasantly lost in the Refinery, a spacious showcase of 1960s and 1970s Kiwiana style including a turntable where customers are encouraged to play the…

  • Sidart

    Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd

    No one in Auckland produces creative degustations quite like Sid Sahrawat. It's food as both art and science but, more importantly, food to fire up the…

  • Rock-It Kitchen

    Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula

    Around 3km from town adjacent to surf beaches, Rock-It Kitchen combines rustic decor – it's housed in an old woolshed – with the area's best food. New…

  • Nanam

    Auckland

    Modern Filipino food is the star at Nanam in the North Shore suburb of Takapuna. Dine on innovative updates of traditional Filipino food that made UK chef…

  • Whistling Frog

    Fiordland & Southland

    Colourful and fun, the Frog is the best dining option in the Catlins, offering craft beer on tap and crowd-pleasing meals, often garnished with flowers…

  • Church Hill

    Fiordland & Southland

    Top-notch nosh is prepared at this friendly restaurant, making use of home-grown veggies, house-made pasta and Stewart Island/Rakiara seafood, such as…

  • Amisfield Bistro & Cellar Door

    Queenstown & Wanaka

    Put yourself in the very capable hands of the kitchen wizards at this stylish vineyard bistro; simply inform the waiters of any dietary restrictions or…

  • Fergbaker

    Queenstown

    The sweeter sister of Fergburger bakes all manner of tempting treats – and though most things look tasty with 3am beer goggles on, it withstands the…

  • Riverside Market

    Christchurch

    Central Christchurch's new essential destination for travelling foodies is this superb multi-level market combining fresh produce stalls with…

  • Aosta

    Queenstown & Wanaka

    Everything at this elegant restaurant is designed to be shared, from the cicchetti (Venetian-style bar snacks) to the pasta and substantial secondi (mains…

  • Fleur’s Place

    Dunedin & Otago

    There's a rumble-tumble look about it, but this tin-and-timber fishing hut houses one of the South Island's best – and most popular – seafood restaurants…

  • Chop Shop

    Queenstown & Wanaka

    Perhaps the tables are a little tightly packed, and the open kitchen does take up half the space, but we're splitting hairs. This place is uniformly…

  • Luke’s Kitchen

    Coromandel Peninsula

    Luke’s Kitchen has a rustic surf-shack ambience, cold brews including hyper-local craft beer from Kūaotunu's tiny Blue Fridge Brewery and excellent wood…

  • Wharf Road

    Coromandel Peninsula

    Bringing cosmopolitan cool to Coromandel Town, Wharf Road offers the opportunity to ease into another day equipped with excellent coffee, interesting…

  • Gerome

    Parnell & Newmarket

    Greek cuisine is rare in Auckland, but Gerome's modern interpretation of traditional Hellenic flavours make it one of Auckland's best restaurants…

  • Mister D

    Napier

    This long, floorboarded room with its green-tiled bar is the pride and joy of the Napier foodie scene. Hip and slick but not grossly unaffordable, with…

  • Gemmayze St

    Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd

    Located amid the restored heritage architecture of St Kevin's Arcade, Gemmayze St presents a stylish update on Lebanese cuisine. Mint, orange blossom and…

  • Logan Brown

    Wellington

    Deservedly ranked among Wellington's best restaurants, Logan Brown oozes class without being overly formal. Its 1920s banking-chamber dining room is a…

  • Cazador

    Auckland

    The Persian heritage of the Lolaiy family combines with game meat and foraged ingredients at Cazador. Decor such as stuffed animal heads is largely…

  • 5th Street

    Christchurch

    Global influences punctuate the shared plates menu at this recent opening south of the city centre. The honey- and chipotle-fired chicken goes well with…

  • Earl

    Christchurch

    Mediterranean flavours are presented with flair in Earl's spacious dining room. Combine slow-cooked lamb and smoked yoghurt with a quinoa salad or mix it…

  • Azabu

    Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd

    Nikkei cuisine, an exciting blend of Japanese and Peruvian influences, is the focus at Azabu. Amid a dramatic interior enlivened by striking images of…

  • Batch

    Fiordland & Southland

    Large shared tables, a relaxed beachy ambience, and top-notch coffee and smoothies give this cafe its reputation as Southland's best. Delicious counter…

  • Beach Road Deli

    North Island

    Stocked with home-baked goodies (chubby muffins, bagels, pastrami-stuffed baguettes), this bijou deli and wood-fired pizzeria is heaven-sent for the…

  • Fairlie Bakehouse

    Christchurch & Canterbury

    Famous for miles around and the top-ranking reason to stop in Fairlie, this superb bakery turns out exceptional pies, including the legendary salmon and…

  • Three Seven Two

    Waiheke Island

    Referencing the first three digits of Waiheke phone numbers, Three Seven Two's oceanfront location includes an outdoor deck and a shaded rear courtyard…

  • Storehouse

    Taupo

    Taupō's coolest cafe is just outside the town centre, filling an old plumbing store over two warren-like levels. Indoor plants drape over warehouse beams…

  • Pasture

    Parnell & Newmarket

    Pasture is unlike any other dining experience in the city. You'll need to book a few months ahead – the compact space has just two seatings per night and…

  • Hokitika Sandwich Company

    The West Coast

    To say this hip place is serious about sandwiches is an understatement. Everything's made to order and served on chunky slices of freshly baked bread,…

  • Louie’s

    Fiordland & Southland

    Part tapas and cocktail bar, part chic fusion eatery, Louie's is a great place to while away an evening snuggled into a sofa or a fireside nook. The…

  • Fidel’s

    Wellington

    A Cuba St institution for caffeine-craving rebels, Fidel's cranks out eggs any which way, pizzas, panini and fab salads, along with the city's best…

  • Matheson Cafe

    Westland Tai Poutini National Park

    At the start of the Lake Matheson Track, this cafe does everything right: sharp architecture that maximises mountain views, strong coffee, craft beers and…

  • Surf Shack Eatery

    Coromandel Peninsula

    On the outskirts of Waihi Beach, the Surf Shack is definitely worth a detour for its plate-filling salads and quite possibly the best burgers in New…

  • Noble Rot

    Wellington

    This warmly lit, atmospheric wine bar serves some of Wellington's best food. Euro influences pervade the menu, featuring the likes of charcuterie plates,…

  • Port Road Project

    Coromandel Peninsula

    Sleek Scandi style makes the Port Road Project a standout in sleepy Whangamatā. Join the locals on the sunny, shared tables and partner the all-day menu…

  • Cucina

    Dunedin & Otago

    The most sophisticated kitchen in Ōamaru serves superb seasonal food in a heritage dining room painted black and filled with plants. Try dishes like 55…

  • Bistro at the Falls Retreat

    Coromandel Peninsula

    The Bistro at the Falls Retreat is located in a wooden cottage under a shaded canopy of trees. Gourmet pizzas and rustic meat dishes emerge from the wood…

  • Akarua Wines & Kitchen by Artisan

    Queenstown & Wanaka

    This joint venture between Akarua Winery and Queenstown caterers Artisan features a restaurant inside a cottage originally built as offices for a flour…

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