Taupo & the Ruapehu Region
Short for Old Coach Road, OCR has limited opening hours but remains a favourite among locals and visitors. Burgers, sandwiches, salads and breakfasts are…
Must-see restaurants in North Island
Parnell & Newmarket
Marrying the flavours and shared dining style of Southeast Asian cuisine with an American approach to meat (smoky slow-cooked brisket, sticky short ribs…
Taupo
Calling all carnivores! SMK slow-cooks beef brisket, pulled pork and shredded chicken on an American wood-fire smoker. It arrives with mac 'n' cheese,…
Viaduct Harbour & Wynyard Quarter
A makeover in early 2019 incorporated a seafood-focused upscale food court and a relaxed courtyard bar with a good beer and wine selection. Dining options…
Napier
This stellar subcontinental outfit should really be charging more for its dishes than it does. Factor in one of the city's best selections of local Hawke…
Waiheke Island
Before school, after school, and on weekdays and weekends, Waiheke locals crowd Island Gelato's shipping-container garden for delicious ice cream, coffee…
Hamilton
Located northeast across the river in Claudelands, this farmers market is a Sunday-morning feast of local cheeses, baked goods and produce. A piping-hot…
Taupo
With a Tiffany-blue colour scheme, local products for sale and 'green dollars' for customers' excess fruit and vegetables, this cafe is all about…
Coromandel Peninsula
Good coffee, fresh-fruit ice cream and burgers made from meat from local Hereford cattle are the standouts at this rustic self-described ‘farm shop’,…
Tauranga
This local legend sells fresh fish as well as frying up arguably Tauranga's best fish and chips – you can pick a fresh fillet yourself and have it cooked…
Hamilton
River Kitchen does things with simple style: great coffee, cakes, gourmet breakfasts and fresh seasonal lunches (angle for the baked eggs with chorizo)…
Patrick's Pies Gold Star Bakery
Tauranga
Winner of NZ’s best pie seven years running. More than 30 types of pie are on offer – mince and cheese is perennially popular but we enjoyed the roast…
Napier
Pizza by the slice (or the whole big disc) comes hot and fresh from this great little art-deco nook, with a skinny wedge of a window seat and punky retro…
Kingsland & Mt Eden
One of Mt Eden's most loved cafes has been reborn after a stylish makeover. The coffee and cakes are still great – especially the baked New York…
Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula
This busy restaurant and bar in the former railway station celebrates a great location on the station platform with a relaxed ambience and a menu of…
Taupo
Run by two local sisters and operating out of an unobtrusive 1950s house, the Brantry reigns as arguably the best in the region for well-executed,…
Tauranga
In a wonderfully atmospheric 100-year-old boathouse at the end of the Strand, Harbourside is the place for a romantic dinner, with boats as neighbours and…
Kingsland & Mt Eden
Traditional Italian flavours inspired by the cuisine of Bologna shine at this friendly neighbourhood eatery. Secure a table in the rear garden and feast…
Taupo & the Ruapehu Region
The Powderkeg is the party bar of the Powderhorn Chateau, with DJs in winter and occasional dancing on the tables. Food-wise, it's also no slouch year…
Coromandel Peninsula
Licensed and right by Waihi Beach, Flatwhite has a lively brunch menu, decent pizzas and flash burgers. Our favourite off the dinner menu is the dukkah…
Coromandel Peninsula
Sixfortysix does tasty counter food like baguettes crammed with hoisin pulled pork, as well as tasty lunch mains such as fish tacos and a prawn and…
North Auckland
Matakana's heritage pub features stylish decor, local wines and craft beers, and decent bistro food, sometimes including Mahurangi oysters. An American…
Palmerston North
Yeda feels like an urban mess hall or uni cafeteria – a long, minimalist room packed with students, with easy-clean concrete floors. It covers all the…
Rotorua
This slick, barn-like delicatessen-cum-cafe is perennially busy, and with good reason. Breakfasts run from potato waffles to slow-cooked chickpeas and the…
The Wairarapa
A perennial local favourite, this airy Italian cafe has a sunny courtyard, great coffee and happy staff (always a good sign). Tasty, home-cooked food…
Parnell & Newmarket
Renowned for some of Auckland's best homestyle baking, the sleek and modern Little & Friday is worth the 500m stroll from Newmarket's main shopping street…
Waiheke Island
A wrought-iron-and-glass pavilion backed with a Gaudí-esque mosaic garden is the stage for a very entertaining troupe of servers who will guide you…
City Centre & Britomart
Mediterranean and regional Italian flavours are showcased at this stylish restaurant. Dishes are as artfully arranged as they are delicious, and much of…
Wellington
If this stretch of Aro St – and this long-running licensed cafe in particular – were any more photogenic it'd be a crime. Order from the cabinet or take a…
Napier
We mourn the loss of our favourite Napier hippie cafe, but its buzzy and welcoming replacement is a more modern interpretation of East Coast cafe life…
Wellington
Buzzing to the point of mild chaos once the after-work crowd descends, this cavernous establishment occupies the gloriously renovated Huddart Parker…
Taupo
If Alice in Wonderland lived in a mosaic world, this is what it would look like. Teacups balancing on flowers (dubbed 'tea totems') and oversized chairs…
New Plymouth
Thick-accented Italian staff add authenticity to this discreet family-run restaurant. It's one of a dozen Portofinos across the North Island, but manages…
East Cape
A rather stately two-storey timber pub by the pier, serving hefty meals such as pork chop with apple sauce and offering accommodation ranging from grassy…
Palmerston North
Set in a spruced-up 1918 Victorian house with a manicured alfresco dining area, Nero is the peak of fine dining in Palmy. The chef and owner is an…
Lake Taupo Region
Cavernous and colourful, with local art for sale on the walls, Hydro is the town’s earliest riser if you’re chasing trout. It commands an elevated…
The Wairarapa
After a hard day's wine tasting, work your way into a quiet beer at this handsome 1882 pub. Most of the space is given over to diners, though, under the…
Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd
Waiting for a table is sometimes part of the experience at this popular and bustling cantina, but propping up the bar is hardly a hardship – the ambience…
Bay of Plenty
Perched over a swampy back-reach of Ohiwa Harbour (serious oyster territory), this classic roadside fish shack is perfect for a fish-and-chip picnic or to…
Palmerston North
Formerly located at 188 Featherston St (hence the name), this remains a classy bistro and on the top branch of Palmy's dining tree. The seasonal menu is a…
