From Pāua Patties To Te Matuku Oysters: These Dining Experiences Are Worth The Journey

Kiwi dining is all about connection and manaakitanga—sharing fresh, local kai with warmth and generosity. Rooted in Māori culture, it’s about honouring the land, the people, and the stories behind every meal, turning food into a celebration of community and place.

As the Michelin hype lands on Aotearoa New Zealand’s shores, the country’s food scene punches well above its weight—where clever local twists, and a deep connection to the land shape every plate.

It’s not just where to eat, but why it matters and is all about sharing a kōrero with those turning local treasures into global experiences. From a traditional hāngī prepared by locals to the cool-climate Pinot Noirs of Central Otago, we’ve teamed up with 100% Pure New Zealand to share the story of effort, craft, and landscape behind every flavour.

Far North To Deep South, Here’s Your Guide To Feasting On Aotearoa’s Finest Produce:

• AUCKLAND
• NORTH ISLAND
• WELLINGTON
• SOUTH ISLAND

From The Plane To Ponsonby 

Te Kaahu

Aotearoa’s culinary itinerary begins as soon as you land in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Chef Nancye Pirini at Te Kaahu celebrates the rich culinary traditions of Te Ao Māori kai on her menu, with modern snacks like fried bread with kina espuma and sea grapes, to their signature ika mata (raw rish)—with salted panna cotta, salsa and citrus. Choose mains like their take on pork belly boil-up—complete with crispy Hāngī Master pork belly, doughboys (flour dumplings), kūmara and watercress, or opt for the Mount Cook Salmon with charred asparagus and burnt yuzu sauce. 

Ahi

Head into the city to Ahi where Chef Ben Bayly needs no introduction. When he’s not at the pass, you’ll see him showcasing food producers from all across the country on TV series, A New Zealand Food Story. He draws inspiration from those ingredients, which are then featured at his flagship restaurant, Ahi, in Commercial Bay. Meaning “fire” in te reo Māori, Ahi symbolises Chef Ben’s cooking philosophy utilising flame to bring out flavour. The menu nods to ingredients from all across the country (including noting their region, and how far it’s travelled, both in te reo Māori and English). Vegetables come from Ahi’s regenerative agricultural garden in Patumāhoe, South Auckland. Choose from à la carte options like wild-shot red deer or woodfired crayfish, or trust the chef with A New Zealand Food Story set menu. 

Onslow

Another Tāmaki Makaurau hospitality icon is Chef Josh Emmett—and Onslow is a culmination of Chef Josh’s culinary journey from London to New York and back to Aotearoa. Fancy bites include eclairs of the savoury variety—filled with Chatham Islands crayfish in an eggy, spiced bisque (a signature snack), which reminds me of an elevated egg sandwich and lobster-style roll. The menu showcases Aotearoa produce from start to finish, from Kemureti (Cambridge) duck breast to Southern Station wagyu in Ōtautahi (Christchurch). The salmon trolley with Stewart Island’s Big Glory Bay salmon is a must (as the martini trolley), and don’t skip on dessert—we’re here for Aotearoa citrus in sorbet form.

kingi

Next up, it's got to be kingi. kingi is a celebration of independent fishermen and women around Aotearoa—supporting line-caught, wild and practices that look after the future of fish stocks as well as the surrounding environment. Their menu nods from North Island to the South, from Waiheke’s Te Matuku oysters to NZ king crab tagliolini, smoked eel, and confit Mount Cook salmon, to nduja Mills Bay mussels from Marlborough. Their menu acknowledges the individuals and businesses involved in bringing sustainably-caught kaimoana to the menu. 

Harbourside Ocean Bar

Before you make your way to Waiheke for the day, at the doorstep of the ferry terminal is the ultimate selection of Aotearoa kaimoana (seafood), complete with views looking out into the Viaduct Harbour. Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill’s menu is a celebration of the beautiful seafood coming from Aotearoa—from raviolo with Aotearoa scampi and Big Glory Bay salmon, Marlborough’s Mills Bay Mussels, Creamed North Island Paua Toastie, West Coast Whitebait fritters, to Northland gurnard with Cloudy Bay Clams and freshly caught NZ crayfish (get it with Pernod butter). Indulge with a glass of champagne in a white table-cloth setting overlooking the water and watching the people and ferry go by.

Coastal Flavours And Hāngī Pits

Te Motu Vineyard

A short ferry trip from Tāmaki Makaurau is a slice of summer paradise in Aotearoa—with vineyards, kaimoana (those juicy Te Matuku oysters), and that relaxed, Waiheke island-time. A short drive from Matiatia Ferry Wharf is Te Motu Vineyard, where Chef Rowan and the team are creating exceptional dishes from their restaurant garden and local produce. Aside from the freshest local oysters, their crudo with kawakawa oil and kawakawa salt (foraged from nearby) is fresh and a taste of the place, along with green-lipped mussels warmed with a blanket of saffron-tinged rouille and crispy shallots. From the land, the standout is their pekepeke kiore (native lion’s mane mushroom)—treated like a steak and cooked meltingly-tender with sauce au poivre (peppercorn sauce), that would have any non-vegetarian fooled it was meat. 

Hāngī Master

What’s a taste of Aotearoa without hāngī made the traditional way? Chef Rewi Spraggon is the Hāngī Master bringing Aotearoa’s hāngī traditions to life—on the go. Based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Rewi and his team serve traditional hāngī, as well as hāngī-inspired burgers and pies, straight from their custom-built food truck at events around the country. They also run workshops on tikanga hāngī, help set up hāngī pits at schools and marae, and train the next generation of hāngī masters.

Captain Kaimoana

Speaking of food trucks, follow the food truck-boat Captain Kaimoana, and you’ll find comforting Kiwi kai in the form of barbecued buttery crayfish (get the creamed pāua and fry-bread addition), pāua smash burgers in fry bread (and upgrade with seared scallops), ‘ota ‘ika (raw fish salad in coconut milk) and marae-style seamed pudding with custard. They’re parking up across the country, so follow their socials to keep tabs on where they’ll be next. 

The Duke Of Marlborough

Head North and get a taste of modern Māori kai at The Duke Of Marlborough. Slurp down some Russell oysters, along with a creamed pāua and crayfish bisque bun, but save room for standout mains (like their whole flounder or hāngī carrot dishes) or if you’re hungry and want to share a bit of everything, go for the seafood platter with the works. Think ika mata, sashimi, oysters, kingfish wing, tua tua, scallops and prawns, plus paua risotto. Don’t leave without dessert—we’re eyeing up hāngī kūmara ice cream too.

Kārena And Kasey

For a taste of truly food-inspired storytelling, follow sisters Kārena and Kasey (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manawa) from Maketū in the Bay of Plenty. Since winning Aotearoa MasterChef in 2014, the pair have shared their passion for te Ao Māori (the Māori worldview) through multi-sensory pop-up dining experiences—complete with waiata, thought-provoking messages, and dishes inspired by childhood food memories. Their latest pop-up, “Maumahara: Edible Nostalgia”, has toured across Aotearoa with Kitchen Takeover, capturing moments like driftwood bonfires and digging for pipi. Want to catch their next pop-up? Follow them on socials here and be the first to experience it.

Craggy Range Winery

Make your way to Hawkes Bay along the East Coast to Craggy Range Winery. The restaurant has breathtaking views of Te Mata Peak, and guests can now dine at the flagship restaurant or at The Loft—an intimate, dinner party-style feel that seats up to 36 guests. The menus showcase produce from Hawkes Bay and around Aotearoa—unpretentious cooking that’s delicious. Drool over flavours like crispy duck skin, black-peppered strawberries, and sourdough crumpets topped with crayfish. Main courses highlight Aotearoa from land (spring lamb tartare) to sea (slow cooked pāua with greenlip mussels) and there’s even a dedicated vegan and vegetarian menu too. Don’t leave without trying Chef Casey’s famous potato focaccia bread (you can get it with the Local’s Lunch offering).

Capital Cult-Classics 

Karaka Café

And when you land in the captial, a must-visit for their café hāngī is Karaka Café, a classic for over a decade. With oven-smoked pork and chicken, steamed root veg, cabbage, stuffing and rēwana, this signature dish is inspired by the traditional Māori hāngī. Don’t forget to swing by during breakfast for their smoked hāngī hash on hēki kaurori (eggs benedict). 

Graze

Go up the hill in Kelburn and to Graze, a neighbourhood wine bar in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. Focussing on thoughtful and ethical bites that are locally-sourced, foraged and supporting the slow fish movement, chef-owner Max Gordy works directly with local fishermen who spear-catch, hand-dive or single-line catch fish, pāua, and crayfish (along with responsibly farmed oysters and mussels). The team at Graze carry the same ethos on their drinks list, with housemade syrups repurposing produce trim and preserving as much as they can, with a zero waste goal in mind (which is reflected in their fit-out, with recycled jean upholstery, reclaimed wood details and second-hand crockery). Grab a seat at the chef’s table and snack on Strait Speared butterfish skin crackling, smoked kingfish from Awatoru Wildfood on popcorn arepas and hand-rolled soft pretzels made with Aotearoa grains from Capital Millers. 

Ortega

A Te Whanganui-a-Tara institution. Synonymous with kaimoana, Ortega knows a thing or two about beautifully-cooked fish. Start with a teeny-weeny French toast fish sandwich, followed by their menu staple pan-fried prawn tails and tagliatelle. Get the main size or pan-fried snapper for a taste of classic fish cookery done consistently well. 

Jane Bistro

Got something to celebrate? There is nothing wuite like a celebration of Aotearoa produce by Chef-owner Pierre-Alain Fennoux at Jano Bistro. The menu is seasonally-inspired and locally-sourced, elegantly plated and thoughtful on every level. Trust the chef and choose the Jano Experience Degustation—six courses celebrating vegetables, honouring locally-raised meat (including Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s Conscious Valley free-range and grass-fed sheep and cattle), and sustainably speared butterfish from Cook Strait (thanks to Strait Speared). Jano Bistro still continues to be one of the most memorable dining experiences in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

The Mighty South

Nin's Bin

Jump on the Cook Strait ferry to the Top of the South Island for another tick off the Aotearoa food list—the South Island edition. No trip to Kaikōura is complete without a visit to Nin’s Bin, a small white and blue caravan parked up along the coastal highway in Kaikōura. Owned by third-generation Johnny Clark, the menu is simple—fresh crayfish pulled from that morning, served hot with garlic butter and lemon, local mussels and hot chips. Open from October through to March every year, plan your crayfish experience stat.

Muttonbird

Continue onto Wanaka to Muttonbird, a casual eatery and drinkery in the heart of Wānaka. With a menu that changes daily depending on whats in season and fresh from their producers and growers, expect small plates like rhubarb and ginger Kingfsh crudo, to larger plates like BBQ gurnard with little neck clams (also known as cockles, found in harbours and estuaries around Aotearoa). Grab a seat with delicious plates, local wines (they have Amoise Gamay Noir on tap) and views of the snow-capped mountains.

Kika

While in Wānaka, head to Kika for global flavours using the best of Aotearoa produce. Presented like works of art and made to share, their dishes make the most of each season. Think Aotearoa scampi made into carpaccio with dressing made from their shells, or for vegetarians—heirloom tomato carpaccio with smoked tomato sorbet, goats curd cream, chardonnay vinegar and a good glug of olive oil. Don’t leave without having their beautiful dessert—we’re dreaming of Kika’s interpretation of the golden crunchie bar with chocolate mousse and honeycomb ice cream. 

Aosta

Based in Arrowtown a short 20 minute drive out of Queenstown and led by Ben Bayly with Head Chef Josh Phillips, Aosta brings a refined and authentic Northern Italian menu which showcases the very best of Central Otago’s seasonal produce. With an alpine tartare trolley, pāua pappardelle, and kingfish cannelloni, this is a celebration of Aotearoa with Italian culinary technique and subtle French influences. 

Hayz At The Anchorage

Don’t forget one last stop to Bluff, at the bottom of the South Island, where Haylee-Chānel Simeon, award-winning chef-owner from Hayz At The Anchorage, has her humble restaurant attached to local pub Anchorage. Making kai she grew up with a modern twist—from creamed pāua wontons (a nod to her mum’s creamed pāua on toast), paua cheese rolls and tītī (muttonbird) pâté, to housemade pāua pattie burgers, South Island blue cod steamed, fried or battered and if you’re lucky, pick up a takeaway gourmet hāngī with all the stuffing and watercress trimmings. This kaimoana experience is a must and has become an institution in Bluff over the last five years.