Your Guide to a Gastronomic Experience Across New Zealand

Photo Credit: Pxhere under CC0 Public Domain

This is a Guest Post by Johanna Cider. You can check out more about her at https://johannacider.tumblr.com/

New Zealand is a little country that truly packs a punch when it comes to culinary delights.With second-to-none seafood, internationally-awarded vineyards, and fiercely-guardedpavlovas, New Zealand is the travelling foodie’s dream.

But which of the countless destinations on the gastronomic NZ map should you explore first? We’ve condensed the best spots into the following list so you can get the most of your delicious sojourn in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Surveying everything from the top city for Maori fare to the best location for Kiwi food festivals, our guide is the only one you’ll need.

Bluff

Nearly all the seaside towns and cities in New Zealand offer first-rate seafood – Aotearoa boasts some 14,000km of coastline, after all – but if we were to choose a tiny town thatpunches above its weight, Bluff is the one. Located near the very bottom of the South Island, Bluff’s oysters are a sought-after commodity throughout the country.  Why not enjoy them as close to the source as possible, with a visit to the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival in nearby Invercargill?

Queenstown

Queenstown has incredible popularity among adventure tourists, a thriving foodie scene has emerged in this Southern town in recent years. Situated in the middle of Central Otago (arguably one of the finest wine-producing regions in the world), Queenstown boasts a myriad of wine bars, including the lauded Bardeaux venue. Queenstown also has its fair share of fine-dining establishments: we recommend leading Kiwi chef Josh Emett’s Rata to start, or perhaps Lombardi.

Photo Credit: Jay Wennington via Unsplash under License

Dunedin

Another stop on your way through the South Island, the gothic city of Dunedin offers an eclectic mix of fusion restaurants, hole-in-the-wall bars, and delicious spots for brunch. For a taste of Dunedin’s Scottish heritage, make sure to check out Scotia Bar & Bistro on Stuart Street.

Wellington

New Zealand’s capital city has more cafés per capita than NYC – so you can bet on only very short walks between the next brilliant cup of coffee. Since hipsters rule the roost, Wellington also lays claim to the title of NZ’s craft beer capital: from Little Beer Quarter to the Hop Garden, a bar crawl is a prime activity to reserve for your time in Welly.

Maori Experience – Hangi – Ceremonial Revealing of the Food

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Rotorua

If you’ve travelled to NZ determined to taste a genuine Maori hangi (a meat and vegetablefeast cooked below ground), then Rotorua will extend you multiple opportunities to do just that – often combined with a holistic cultural immersion experience, to boot.

Paeroa

If you’ve heard of L&P, New Zealand’s best-loved fizzy beverage, then you’ve got to stop in at Paeroa on your way to Auckland. This town has a fascinating Maori heritage, and of course, it’s stocked to the brim with the lemony goodness of L&P. You’ll know you’ve made it when you spot the famous L&P bottle sculpture on the main street.

Photo Credit: Caroline Attwood via Unsplash under License

Auckland

As New Zealand’s biggest city, Auckland is a melting pot of Western and Eastern cultures, and its restaurant scene is a testament to that. Top-rated establishments in recent years include European fusion restaurant The Sugar Club, much-loved Indian restaurant Cassia, Italian joint Baduzzi, The French Café, and gelato place Giapo.

Auckland is also a hub for some of the best markets in the country. La Cigale French Market, held every Saturday, is a perennial favourite, and you won’t find better Pasifika farethan at the Otara Flea Markets. If you’re mobile, take a short weekend drive to the nearby Clevedon Farmer’s Market (a true rural affair), and the Matakana Farmer’s Market (one for those with more expensive tastes).

Johanna Cider is a freelance writer from New Zealand who loves traveling and exploring new destinations. As adedicated foodie, she heads to the local dining scene before anything else whenever she visits a new city. You can find more of her work here.