New Zealand dining is right up there with some of the best dining in the world. There’s variety, skill, passion and deliciousness in restaurants from award-winning places to understated local favourites. These are the unique restaurants that are tucked away in corners of the country. Some are on boats, others are mountain top experiences. These 18 restaurants all do something a little different, and you’ve got to add them to your list!
1. Hapuku Kitchen, Kaikoura
At Hapuku Kitchen they believe in a paddock to plate philosophy. Located in Kaikoura in the South Island, Hapuku Kitchen is surrounded by mountains and coastline. Experiences here include a hands-on farm-to-table cooking experience, where you harvest and forage before preparing your carefully gathered produce. This experience of course includes sitting down together and feasting. Great memories created over food.
2. Pasture, Auckland
This Auckland restaurant has only 6 seats. Though you won’t find any tables here either. A unique experience at Pasture begins as you’re seated at the chef’s counter. Soak in the moment as you savour their tasting menu with drink matches. The set menu is seasonally driven, and usually consists of 17-23 courses! Enjoy an intimate and unparalleled evening of food and drink in this special Auckland restaurant.
While you’re at it, check out their bar, Boxer, for an incredible bar experience.
3. Fleur’s Place, Moeraki
Fleur’s Place is a beautiful, rustic restaurant perched on the waters edge in Moeraki, an hour out of Dunedin. Chef, Fleur Sullivan is somewhat of a local legend and has created a place that is unique and one-of-a-kind. This is the place for fresh fish and seafood, straight off the Moeraki fishing boats. Ask any foodie in New Zealand and they’ve likely heard of Fleur’s.
4. Pavlova on a Peak, Queenstown
Munch on a classic kiwi Pavlova from a mountain top in Queenstown! Now that is pretty unique. Over The Top helicopter company will fly you up and over some incredible Queenstown scenery before landing on a mountain and bringing out the Pav! Enjoy it with a mulled wine or craft beer and you’re in business.
5. Auckland Harbour Dinner Cruise
Ditch the steady ground and board a sailboat with Explore Group to sail on Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour and enjoy a dining experience in a league of its own. You’re greeted with canapes and a welcome drink to kick off the evening, and watch the sunset as your dinner is served above deck. A delicious dessert is served in the cockpit to wrap an incredible three-course dinner on the water.
6. Mitai Maori Village Evening Experience, Rotorua
A hangi for dinner is on the cards at Mitai Maori Village in Rotorua. An authentic hangi is hard to beat. Food is cooked under the earth to produce a delicious, hot buffet of meats and vegetables. Paired with salads, this is a feast you won’t forget any time soon.
7. Nins Bin, Kaikoura
Nins Bin is the coolest place to get fish & chips in New Zealand! Perched on the Kaikoura coast, Nins Bin is a blue and white food truck serving up whole crayfish, mussels and beer battered fish & chips. This seafood couldn’t be fresher. Indulging by the water is an unbeatable experience, and Nins Bin is an institution in New Zealand. Definitely a must-visit!
8. Pacifica Restaurant, Napier
Pacifica Restaurant in Napier bring you a ‘pure, unfussy’ set menu, degustation style. No à la carte menus here. In fact, there are no menus at all. The team at Pacifica change the food experience daily, always offering either a seafood focused or a meat forward degustation. The bungalow style restaurant is unassuming and intimate. This Napier restaurant will blow your socks off.
9. HIAKAI Wellington
HIAKAI offers an incredible and highly memorable dining experience in Wellington. One of this once-in-a-lifetime things, expect you can always go back for more. “A culinary exploration of Māori ingredients & culture”, HIAKAI creates flavours that will inspire thought and discovery.
10. The Foredeck, Bay of Many Coves
Fine dining in Marlborough Sounds. The Foredeck is everything you love about a fine establishment, yet it’s uniquely located in the Bay of Many Coves. Taste the region while looking out onto the serene bay. This restaurant is a part of the Bay of Many Coves resort.
11. Riverstone Kitchen, Oamaru
Riverstone Kitchen is in Oamaru, North Otago and is captained by chef Bevan Smith. They’ve been growing, foraging and serving beautiful food for many years. The restaurant sits on a paddock of the family farm, and close by is the Riverstone Castle. Check out one of New Zealand’s only castles and then enjoy dinner at Riverstone Kitchen for a truly unique day out.
12. Fix & Fogg, Wellington
Fix & Fogg are answering all the peanut butter dreams, with the most delicious and inventive nut butters! Their Eva Street window in Wellington is a hole-in-the-wall store where keen PB lovers can roll by for amazing toast, toasties, smoothie bowls and more. You can also pick up jars of your favourite nut butters while you’re at. Toast with Granola Butter, coco yoghurt, strawberries, brandy snaps and berry syrup is certainly rare!
13. The Stoaker Room Bistro & Bar, Cromwell
Here to break the mould and do things a little differently is The Stoaker Room in Cromwell. They smoke, steam, bake and grill their food in French Oak Pinot Noir wine barrels. These cookers fashioned from wine barrels give the food at The Stoaker Room a uniquely oaky flavour. Genius! This is a must-visit dining experience in the south.
14. Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Dining, Queenstown
This is not your average BBQ. The food at a Walter Peak gourmet BBQ dining experience is incredible. You may never look at BBQ’s the same way. The Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant at Walter Peak is accessed by a cruise across Lake Wakatipu on the famous TSS Earnslaw Steamship. Only after a spectacular cruise, heading away from the hustle and bustle of Queenstown, do you then indulge in this unique dining experience, with outstanding views.
15. Orbit, Auckland
Orbit is a restaurant at the top of Auckland’s Sky Tower, and they guarantee a 360 degree, uninterrupted view of Auckland City and the Hauraki Gulf. How can they guarantee this you may ask? The entire dining room every hour! A rotating restaurant that serves up an equally impressive à la carte menu is one to put on your list.
16. The Christchurch Tramway Restaurant
Sticking with the original theme, this is New Zealand’s only restaurant on a tram. This restored heritage tram provides a surprisingly luxurious dining experience, with air-conditioning, white tablecloths and great service. Enjoy a four-course meal and a sightseeing tour of Christchurch Inner City!
17. Queenstown Progressive Dinner Tour
Have a nibble on this, taste some of that, then head to the next fantastic Queenstown destination. A progressive dinner tour with Alpine Wine Tours is a unique and spectacular way of eating and drinking your way through the town. Start the evening with an entree and wine tasting in the vines, progress to your main meal (and more wine!) in Arrowtown, and arrive to dessert and a digestif by the lake.
18. Caluzzi Cabaret
For an unforgettable and unique dining experience in Auckland, check out Caluzzi Cabaret. This is entertainment and dinner, all in one! There are plenty of laughs to be had here! Enjoy a gorgeous dinner plus amazing shows, fantastic comedy and service from your award winning Drag Queens waitress’! Service in stilettos is certainly impressive.
