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Home > New Zealand > Best New Zealand Restaurants by Region: Blueprint Recommendations
Food and DrinksNew ZealandNorth IslandSouth Island

Best New Zealand Restaurants by Region: Blueprint Recommendations

By
Melina Goldman
ByMelina Goldman
Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, Traveler
Experience strategist turned travel writer. Melina has personally researched and visited every destination on this site across Japan, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.
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- Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, Traveler
Last updated: January 16, 2026
5 Min Read

This post may contain affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The exterior of a restaurant in a sunny New Zealand - best New Zealand restaurants
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Best New Zealand Restaurants: North IslandBest New Zealand Restaurants: South Island Local New Zealand Food and Drinks

One of Blueprint Travelers favorite parts of traveling is finding unique restaurants and bars that serve up delicious dishes in memorable environments. It can be challenging to decide where to go for a meal in a new country or region, and we conduct extensive research based on first hand recommendations as well as crowd sourced reviews (either online or sometimes just from a lively crowd being at a place we walk by). Many times, these places serve the local cuisine popular in the country, but others have international food with a twist. The places that we recommended are ones that we truly enjoyed (no sponsorships here), and think you will too. Here are some of the best New Zealand restaurants. 

In New Zealand we researched hundreds of restaurants, and had countless wonderful dining experiences over the course of the months that we visited. These lists include our absolute favorites, but feel free to reach out for further recommendations.

The exterior of a restaurant in a sunny New Zealand - best New Zealand restaurants

Best New Zealand Restaurants: North Island

Wellington

Wellington

Golding’s Free Dive

Bar

Fun setting for a bar and pizza

Neo Cafe & Eatery

Cafe

Quality coffee and wholesome food

Garage Project

Brewery

Popular craft brewery with cosy taproom

Little Penang

Malaysian

Authentic dishes in a comfortable setting

Duck Island Ice Cream

Ice Cream

Hand crafted small batch ice cream

Karaka Cafe

New Zealand

Celebration of Maori heritage and dishes

Clareville

The Clareville Bakery

Bakery

Artisanal craftsmanship applied to food

Hawke's Bay

Havelock North

Craggy Range

Winery

Family winery with food pairing restaurant

Waikato

Taupo

Grasshopper Chip Bar

Fish & CHips

To-go fish & chips and Chinese food

Two Mile Bay Sailing Club

Bar

Bar and cafe located along the lake

Rotorua

Mitai Maori Village

New Zealand

Educational Maori Hāngī dinner and show

Kai Caff Aye

New Zealand

Locally owned serving Maori dishes

Whangamatā

Port Road Project

Cafe

Airy cafe serving locally produced food

Whitianga

The Lost Spring

Cafe

International bites with poolside dining

Coromandel

Pepper Tree Restaurant

New Zealand

Local seafood and modern cuisine

Thames

Cafe Melbourne

Australia

Unpretentious cafe with a vintage vibe

Bay of Plenty

Manganui

Rice Rice Baby

Vietnamese

Authentic dishes in colorful setting

Auckland

Auckland

Gemmayze Street

Lebanese

Authentic dishes in energetic arcade

Remedy Coffee

Cafe

Great coffee and food in friendly setting

Fat Puku’s

Hamburger

Top quality smashed burgers on a griddle

Waiheke

Three Seven Two

New Zealand

Cheerful beach spot with seasonal menu

Tantalus Estate

Winery

Family owned estate and brewery

Northland

Whangārei

Fat Camel Cafe

Israeli

Fresh and healthy Middle Eastern cafe

Paihia

JFC

Seafood

Seafood delights served near the water

Russell

Duke of Marlborough

New Zealand

Historical hotel with classic favorites

Kaikohe

Kaikohe Bakehouse

Cafe

Homemade pies, hot food, and more

Best New Zealand Restaurants: South Island

Canterbury

Christchurch

Cookie Time Bakery

Retail

Shop with beloved cookie products

Otago

Dunedin

Speight’s Brewery

Brewery

1876 brewery with tours, shop, ale house

Rob Roy Dairy

Ice Cream

Classic convenience store for ice cream

Queenstown

Fergberger

Hamburger

Always busy high end burger shop

Glenorchy

Mrs. Woolly’s General Store

Cafe

Great souvenirs, pies, and coffee

Central Otago

Mount Difficulty

Winery

Delicious dining alongside top wines

Chard Farm

Winery

Family owned, excellent pinot noirs

Wanaka

Big Fig

Cafe

Lakefront sustainable food cafe

Kai Whakapai Eatery

Bar

Lakefront bar and coffee shop

The Stoaker Room

BBQ

Food made in custom wine barrel grills

Southland

Invercargill

Buster Crabb

New Zealand

Modern takes on Southland cuisine

Te Anau

Redcliff Restaurant

New Zealand

Upscale New Zealand mains and drinks

Milford Sound

Pio Pio

New Zealand

Local ingredients in an upscale setting

West Coast

Ross

The Historic Empire Hotel

Bar

Gold rush era pub with lots of charm

Greymouth

Monteith’s Brewery

Brewery

Craft brewer with modern tap room

Tasman

Marahau

Hooked on Marahau

Bar

Waterfront beer garden and cafe

Marlborough

Blenheim

Cloudy Bay Vineyards

Winery

Famous winery for Sauvignon Blanc

Rapaura

Moa Tap Room & Food Truck

Brewery

Handcrafted beers and ciders

Renwick

Number 11 Restaurant

New Zealand

Sharable craft dishes made to order

Local New Zealand Food and Drinks

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Contents
Best New Zealand Restaurants: North IslandBest New Zealand Restaurants: South Island Local New Zealand Food and Drinks

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Blueprint Travelers was founded by Kevin and Melina, two travelers who have personally visited every destination on this site across Japan, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand. Every guide starts with extensive research through guidebooks, travel blogs, and specialist resources, then conversations with locals and tourism centres, then the trip itself. Nothing makes it onto the page until it has been tested firsthand.

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