Queenstown
Since losing its original business in the Christchurch earthquakes, Tatsumi has brought its blend of traditional and modern Japanese 'tapas' to central…
Must-see restaurants in New Zealand
Queenstown & Wanaka
Walking into Saffron is like stepping out of town, with its formal, clean-lined setting providing a contrast to Buckingham St's gunslinger appearance…
Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd
Housemade terrines, sausages and charcuterie are the culinary stars at Apero, another Karangahape Rd establishment offering the perfect blend of eating…
Viaduct Harbour & Wynyard Quarter
Serving the residential precinct emerging around the Wynyard Quarter, Williams Eatery's always-excellent coffee partners with hotcakes and mandarin curd…
Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd
Featuring the cuisine of the eastern Mediterranean, unpretentious Lokanta is a laid-back alternative to the trendier eateries along nearby Ponsonby Rd…
Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd
Restaurants, cafes, bars and gourmet food shops fill this upmarket former warehouse space offering everything from Auckland's best pizza and Argentinian…
City Centre & Britomart
Traditional Māori food is cooked in an authentic hāngi (earth oven) and served in modern ways. Options to devour the tasty steamed vegetables, kumara …
Hamilton
A dazzling array of ever-changing flavours – how does white chocolate, macadamia and pomegranate sound? – makes Duck Island one of NZ’s best ice-cream…
Bay of Plenty
Winner of outstanding-cafe-of-the-year awards in 2017 and 2019, this pistachio-green cafe runs an all-day menu that blurs the lines between breakfast and…
Viaduct Harbour & Wynyard Quarter
Japanese, Korean and Chinese flavours are all filtered through a fun contemporary vibe near Auckland's Viaduct Harbour. Secure a spot with ocean views,…
Nelson
Hopgood’s relaxed approach to service and gastro-pub feel seem a little at odds with the hefty prices, although the bistro menu (two/three courses $49/59,…
Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula
Brunch classics – try the chickpea-and-corn fritters – and interesting mains such as kimchi fried rice and slow-roasted lamb shoulder feature at Raglan's…
Christchurch
C1 sits pretty in a grand former post office that somehow escaped the cataclysm. Recycled materials fill the interior (Victorian oak panelling, bulbous…
Nelson Region
This fantastic cafe serves excellent breakfasts and lunches such as salmon hashcakes, lamb burgers, pies and some good vegan options, then stays open late…
Havelock
With a deck jutting over the water, this brasserie-style cafe serves plenty of seafood: fish and chips, steamed greenshell mussels, and a particularly…
Hamilton
One of our favourite Hamilton restaurants, Gothenburg showcases a scenic riverside spot with high ceilings and a summer-friendly deck. The menu of shared…
Blenheim
This modish, mud-brick cellar door and bistro has a wide veranda and beautiful gardens with plenty of shade. The adventurous cuisine-straddling menu may…
Parnell & Newmarket
Korean flavours continue to influence Auckland's dining scene, and Han's evolution from a food truck to a standalone restaurant is testament to the…
Hamilton
In a heritage riverside building, Chim Choo Ree focuses on small plates such as confit pork belly, or spiced calamari with pickled cucumber and lemon mayo…
Bay of Islands & Northland
Despite the name, Mangawhai's best restaurant is nowhere near the sands. Situated in the heart of the village, Dune is half bar, half cafe – with sunny…
Auckland Region
Complementing its rural aspect with rustic-chic decor, this slick eatery conjures up delicious dishes inspired by the flavours of Asia, the Middle East…
Queenstown
After gaining Michelin stars for restaurants in London, New York and LA, chef-owner Josh Emett now wields his exceptional but surprisingly unflashy…
Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd
Modern Italian cuisine shines at Cotto, a perpetually busy eatery along Karangahape Rd. On the shared-plates menu, highlights include spinach and goats'…
Queenstown
Disproving the rule that all tiki houses are inherently tacky, Blue Kanu serves up a food style it calls 'Polynasian' – Fijian kokoda (raw fish with…
Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd
Nothing about Odette's is run of the mill. Not the bubbly light fixtures or the quirky photography, and certainly not the menu. How about lamb meatballs…
Queenstown
At this ever-popular cafe, excellent home-style baking combines with great coffee and the sort of breakfasts that make bacon and eggs seem very passé –…
Nelson
Stellar cocktails and a vast array of gin make the corner bar an essential destination, but this heritage space also serves up excellent food. A concise…
Nelson Region
There's a huge menu to peruse at this highly fragrant restaurant, so cut straight to the house specialties, such as the venison yellow curry and the…
Havelock
Beyond cute, this baby-blue cafe has cloth bunting around the windows, potted succulents on the tables and a counter filled with scrummy baked goods…
Coromandel Peninsula
Excellent counter food and creative breakfast and lunch mains make Weta one of the region's standout cafes. Sit outside in the courtyard on a warm day and…
Franz Josef Glacier
Voyaging from India to China via Thailand, this atmospheric restaurant matches piquant dishes with Asian-inspired cocktails, red-and-black decor, Chinese…
North Island
Conjuring a vaguely Robinson Crusoe–esque look, this chipper cafe offers a sophisticated menu and terrific views of Kāpiti Island out the front window…
Dunedin
We wouldn't recommend walking to this sophisticated cafe at the top of Maori Hill, but luckily it's well worth the price of a cab. The fancy cafe fare…
Rotorua
A spinning wheel and a Mary Poppins–style bicycle lend a folksy feel to Rotorua's best cafe. But there's nothing old-fashioned about the town’s most…
Queenstown
Occupying a light-filled corner site near the gondola, Bespoke delivers everything you'd expect of a smart Kiwi cafe. It has a mouthwatering selection of…
Wanaka
As Wānaka as that tree, this local institution is where the town seems to congregate on a sunny evening for a liquid sundowner over excellent pizza…
Christchurch
You will find one of Christchurch's biggest and best cafes packed to the rafters most days. A compact shop selling fair-trade gifts jostles for attention…
City Centre & Britomart
TV chef Al Brown's popular eatery offers first-rate comfort food in informal surrounds (communal tables, butcher tiles and a constant buzz). Dishes are…
Wellington
A big industrial-minimalist space houses the city's slickest espresso bar and roastery, owned by long-time Wellington caffeine fiends. Beautiful house…
Wellington
An airy affair at the sophisticated end of Wellington's cafe spectrum, Nikau consistently dishes up simple but sublime stuff (pan-fried halloumi,…
