The Feed | The New Zealand Food News You Need To Know

It's that time of the week again. Get ready to feast your eyes on all the hottest food news from around Aotearoa. We’ve got the inside scoop on all the latest and greatest openings, collabs, events, products and more so you can spend less time researching and more time munching (because priorities, people).

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Sip On Cocktails With Rooftop Views And Limited Edition Snacks 

Image credit: Bar Albert | Supplied (Sonna Studios @sonnastudios) 

Summer is almost here, and with the nights getting lighter and weather warming up in Tāmaki Makaurau, you can’t beat a cheeky cocktail with stunning sunset views. Bar Albert have been shaking up their Campari specials since Negroni Week in September, and this week is their final week of their Campari-themed celebrations on the rooftop. Get snacks like their antipasto platter with two Campari cocktails (for $65) or their limited-time dish special, duck liver and foie gras parfait—complete with a burnt orange compote and anise-spiced sourdough, for $24. Available through to this Friday 31st October—make your way up to the rooftop, stat.

Head To This North And South Aotearoa Restaurant Collab

Image credit: INATI | Instagram (@inatitoshare) 

For one night only this Friday 31st October, Chef Simon Levy from INATI in Ōtautahi will be coming to Tāmaki Makaurau to team up with Chef Sid Sahrawat at The French Cafe for their first-ever collaboration. True to the spirit of INATI, which means “to share” in te reo Māori, expect chilli King crab and Sid’s dry-aged duck alongside the INATI duck trumpet special to name some of the dishes on the four snack and four course menu (including a Halloween pre-dessert special). Book online to avoid missing out.

Upgrade Your Halloween Costume With The Ultimate Ice Cream Accessory

Image credit: Giapo | Instagram (@giapokitchen)

The team at Giapo are back again with their clever Halloween-spin on ice cream. They’ve been planning their creations for weeks and they’re now live for that Halloween costume inspo. Forget costumes you wear once and never think about again—get a memorable Halloween accessory you can add to your outfit this Halloween and snack on (a win-win, in my books). From a marshmallow stare you can wear (The Watcher), chocolatey spider-legged glasses (The Crawler), to blood-red Dracula lips on The Dracula Kiss (my fave), pop in and grab your must-have accessory this spooky season for $11 each (as a topping). Available this week only. 

Head To This Coffee Shop Pop-Up For Some Spooky Treats

Image credit: Alieto Dessert | Instagram (@alieto_dessert)

If you’re a bit like me and prefer treats over tricks, make your way to Kompass Coffee on Halloween where Alieto Dessert are doing their Halloween pop-up this Friday 31st October from 5.30pm (until sold out). We’re drooling over peanut butter bundt cake with a cute witches cookie hat, and the black sesame cream-cheese brownie grave—complete with edible soil and a headstone cookie garnish. Make your way there this Friday, dress-ups encouraged.

Make Your Way To A Pet Nat, Pinot and A Porchetta Long Lunch

Image credit: Huntress Wines (@huntress_wines) | Instagram (@lucymutchfoodphotographer)

Take your Sunday roast to the next level with a long lunch at Cazador, featuring their slow roast pork belly porchetta and Huntress Wine by the glass. Complete with smoked new season potatoes, fennel slaw and house made focaccia to mop up all those delicious flavours, this is no ordinary Sunday roast. Join Huntress winemaker Jannine Rickards as she introduces the latest drop, Matiti. Made from a new collective of six wāhine Māori producing the first-ever Hua Parakore (Māori organic verified wine) in Aotearoa with Huntress, they’ve created a bubbly and crisp pet nat Riesling (hello, two of my favourite wines). Tickets are $60 and include a glass of Matiti and Huntress Pinot Noir. 

Learn The Art Of Peruvian Ceviche And Causa At This Bilingual Cooking Class

Image credit: Uchu Hot Sauce | Instagram (@uchu_nz_)

Head to the Pachamama Latino Store in Tāmakai Makaurau this Saturday 1st November, for a special ceviche and causa cooking class with Chef Carolina Noble (from Uchu hot sauce and famous Rocoto sauces). Learn to make Causa Limeña, a layered dish with potatoes and lime, and traditional Peruvian Ceviche on this hands-on and fun interactive class taught in Spanish and English. Tickets are $25 and include everything you need to recreate this at home, with recipes too. Book online here.

Make Your Way To This Garden Oasis For Bespoke Pastries And Flowers

Image credit: Park Hyatt Auckland x Viaduct Harbour | Supplied 

Market Square in Tāmaki Makaurau has transformed into a vibrant garden oasis with a lush floral garden pop-up. Created in collaboration with Park Hyatt’s Executive Pastry Chef Callum Liddicoat, surround yourself with beautiful florals while snackig on elegant works of art celebrating flavours of the spring season—like their signature iced strawberry oat matcha with a lush strawberry custard danish combo for $15 (see stunning pastries pictured in the main article image). Finish with a berry garden floral spritz ($8.50), and if you’re lucky, you might get a bespoke floral bouquet from local floral design studio Isadia Floral (for the first 30 customers). The first 25 customers will also receive 20% off Living Room’s High Tea at Park Hyatt where you can indulge in all the sweet and savoury treats crafted by Chef Callum and the team. Make your way to the viaduct for their last pop-up (Friday 31st October and Saturday 1st November).

If You Love Halloween Tricks, You'll Love This Fried Chicken And Chocolate Cookie Burger

Image credit: KFC New Zealand | Supplied

Did someone say fried chicken and cookies, but make it a Halloween special? KFC New Zealand are bringing all the tricks and treats in the form of two limited edition Trick or Treat Burgers for two days only (from Friday 31st October). Get the Trick Burger—a fiery Zinger fillet, with fresh lettuce and spicy Korean mayo in a Halloween-inspired bun. Or treat yourself to the controversial Treat Burger—secret recipe fillet with fresh lettuce, chocolate drizzle… and a cookie. Inside the bun. I’m intrigued. 

Head To The Wairarapa For A Boutique Festival Celebrating Wine, Gin, Local Eats and Big Tunes

Image credit: Huntress Wines | Instagram (Bonny Beattie @bonny.beattie)

Taste of Wairarapa kicks off this Friday 31st October for just over two weeks, until Sunday 16th November. With local wine and food events across the region (and a splash of gin—we’re looking at the Margrain Three Sisters Gin event, with acoustic jazz duo Scarlet), there’s a series of meet-the-maker events, oysters and pet nat with Huntress Wines at Metita, blend your own Pinot masterclass, Moy Hall’s spring lamb and Pinot Noir dego, plus tunes from soulful powerhouse Hollie Smith. Along with Sweet Mix Kids, The Beat Girls, DJ Takas and friends at The Runholder, they’ll be bringing smooth tunes against the rolling hills of Martinborough vines on the last weekend of the festival. Check out the full line-up here. 

Gindulgence Is Heading To Tauranga This Weekend

Image credit: Kākāpō Distillery Ltd. | Instagram (@kakapo.distillery)

Soda and tonic at the ready, Aotearoa’s very own Alchemy & Tonic is the official sponsor for Gindulgence this 2025/26 season (love the grapefruit and thyme tonic—and partial to a pineapple and jalapeño soda). Nothing quite beats a refreshing G&T in the summer sun and Aotearoa’s boutique gin festival Gindulgence is kicking off summer early, with their season debut at Soper Reserve in Mount Maunganui this Saturday 1st November. From Southward Distilling in the rugged south coast of Te Whanganui-a-tara to the sunny Kākāpō Gin shores of Whangaparāoa in Tāmaki Makaurau, distillers from all across the motu will be bringing their craft for the biggest gin day out. There will also be international distillers, like South Australia’s Prohibition Gin (check out their award-winning London Dry style, Juniperus), plus other distilled spirits, loca eats, live music and talks at the Gin Theatre. The next Gindulgence won’t be until January in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (followed by Ōtautahi in March, and Tāmaki Makaurau in May next year) so make your way to Tauranga this weekend for the first Gindulgence festival of the season. 

Hercules Noble’s Viral Sourdough Has Just Landed At Deli Di Bossi

Image Credit: Bossi x Hercules Noble | Supplied

In huge news for sandwich lovers, the King of Sourdough himself, Hercules Noble, has teamed up with Deli di Bossi for a one-week-only collab just in time for World Sandwich Day (Monday 3 November). For the first time ever, you can actually buy Hercules’ cult-favourite sourdough—and it’s taking form as the Carbonara Pane Fritto, created alongside Bossi Executive Chef Shaun Dowling.

Inspired by Rome’s iconic carbonara, the toastie features a thick slice of Hercules’ viral Carbonara Sourdough (yes, the one that hit 5M+ TikTok views), egg-washed and fried to golden perfection, then topped with mascarpone, pecorino and ricotta cream, crispy guanciale and a drizzle of maple syrup.

The limited-edition sando is available Monday 3 November to Saturday 8 November at Deli di Bossi for $22 a serve or $16 for a whole Carbonara Sourdough loaf. Hercules will even be there in person for the World Sandwich Day launch, Monday only from 10am–2pm. This marks the first time his viral sourdough will ever be sold, so if you want a taste, move fast; we're expecting it to sell out daily.—Maisie Gray

Aotearoa’s Christmas Pie Champ Has Been Announced 

Image credit: Baking NZ | Supplied

Earlier this month, Baking NZ held The Great New Zealand Xmas Mince Pie competition at Daily Bread in Britomart, Tāmaki Makaurau—where myself (as a baker and patisserie-trained chef) along with expert baking judges Graham Heaven and Matt Havill, we blind-tasted our way through countless Christmas fruit mince pies from all over Aotearoa ahead of the silly season. We had the difficult task of judging each one based on appearance, pastry quality, filling, aroma and flavour, as well as technical skill. From boozy brandy-soaked fruit, almond pastry, to yuzu-peel additions—there were so many different takes on the Christmas classic. With friendly competition and an engraved silver trophy with all the Christmas rep at stake, Madeleine Colombie from Paneton Bakery in Tāmaki Makaurau took out the winning spot for the 2025 championship. Mike Kloeg from Clareville Bakery in the Wairarapa came in second, and third place went to Canterbury’s Franz Lieber from Fairlie Bakehouse. Mad respect for all the bakers across the motu as they gear up for the silly season ahead.

Go To This Inner-City Bar For A Taste Of The Sun-Drenched Med

Image credit: Estelle’s | Supplied

Anchovy and pickled chilli gilda, nutty Ilberian jamón and a signature dirty negroni complete with gin sous-vide in manuka-smoked olives—Estelle’s is the new wine and cocktail bar opening inside Grand Millenium Hotel Auckland this Wednesday 29th October. With an equally impressive mocktail program (looking at you, caramel apple pie) and dessert line up (Crème Catalana, Malaga raisin ice cream and cinnamon-sugared leche frite), they’ve got my attention.

This Kiwi Chippie Brand Is Bringing The Fiesta With Their Sweet Offerings 

Image credit: Xolo | Website

Inspired by buñuelos (those flaky cinnamon fritters—an essential item at every fiesta), Proper Crisps is releasing a limited-edition, sweet cinnamon tortilla chip. Just when you thought your snack decisions at the supermarket couldn’t get any harder, this cinnamon-sugared crisp arrives in supermarkets next Monday 20th October. For those based in Ōtautahi then you’re in for a pre-release treat—Chef Carlos Rodriguez from Xolo taqueria is giving the tortillas his own twist, plating up a spiced syrup and berry compote-loaded take of the dish on his menu for a limited time (from this Saturday 18th October, to 31st October). A churro crunch meets a cold scoop—proper indulgent.

Explore Tāmaki Makaurau With Your Key To The City

Image credit: Te Motu | Vicki Young

If Waiheke is on your weekend list, make it a weekend this October. SO/ Auckland and partners are running their Key To The City offers this month, with exclusive beauty, fitness, activities and food offerings around Tāmaki Makaurau with your SO/ hotel booking. From exclusive collaboration menus with Pici, complimentary dessert at Ghost Street, to archery, cellar treats and tastings over the water at Waiheke. Spend the day at Te Motu Vineyard, where Chef Rowan and the team have created an outstanding menu with fresh produce from the vineyard’s veggie garden (and the juiciest Te Matuku oysters you’ll ever taste). Make your way down the hill to Wild Estate for a game of archery and laser clay-shooting before heading back to the luxe SO/ Auckland. Admire the best night views of the city from Hi-SO Rooftop Bar—with a BATCHED Pistachio Chocolate Martini in hand (and on tap, might we add). Don’t forget the tasty menu from Harbour Society—famous for their woodfire offerings (get the melt-like-butter salmon and dreamy pistachio dessert). 

Head To This High Tea For Their Famous Dessert Trolley And Mozzarella Cheesecake

Image credit: Esther | Vicki Young

If you haven’t experienced Esther’s exquisite High Tea, this is your sign to do so. They roll over the sweet menu via a beautiful trolley of sweet treats piled high—complete with their signature chocolate choux swans and a big tableside scoop of Sean’s orange-scented tiramisu. Their savoury offerings are just as drool-worthy, with Mediterranean flavours (I’m here for all the pops of Ortiz anchovies on toast with salsa verde). Plus, you’d be rude not to go bottomless (with a free-flowing prosecco in each hand) for an extra $20. Book online and don’t miss out—their sweet creations are always executed with such technical skill and finesse (re last season’s lemon-shaped dessert, pictured, that had me fooled)—we hear there’s a buffalo mozz cheesecake on the latest menu that looks just like the real deal. High tea starts at $79 per person (or $99 for bottomless).

Prepare To Get Served At SkyCity

Image credit: SERVED SkyCity | Supplied

In case you missed it, SkyCity’s culinary series SERVED is making a grand return, bringing global flavours and exclusive culinary events to some of Auckland’s most celebrated restaurants. Think Pacific-inspired plates at Michael Meredith’s Metita, Diwali feasts at Sid Sahrawat’s Cassia, and the best of Aotearoa at The Grill. And that’s just the start—there’s also Japanese creations at MASU by Nic Watt, traditional Chinese at Huami, sky-high cocktails at SkyBar,  and NYC style chopped cheese sandos at Al Brown's Fed Deli. Basically, you’re about to embark on a round-the-world dining trip without leaving the city. Visit here for the full line-up and start plotting your next feast—because this is one culinary passport you’ll definitely want stamped. —Maisie Gray

Take a Break Up North, Go To This Month Long Food Festival

Image credit: Māha Restaurant Kerikeri | Instagram

Savour Northland is back this October, with a month-long festival celebrating Northland produce, wines and the hospitality scene. From Mangawhai to Cape Reinga—feast on lazy long lunches, nourish the mind with an exhibition on kūmara, jump on a catamaran with a wine in hand, feast on native Northland forest ingredients at Māha, or head out for a forage at the beach and cook by the sea with Chef Anna Valentine. The festival kicks off from this Wednesday 1st October, until the end of the month. Jump on the website to check out all the exciting events happening across the region.

Head South For A Wine and Food Riverside Dining Experience

Image credit: Wine + Food Experience Marlborough | Supplied

While down south, extend the trip to Marlborough where Marlborough’s Wine + Food Experience has just opened in Blenheim’s riverside precinct. With more than 50 local wineries and food producers under one roof, around a stunning copper and stainless steel grape vine sculpture commissioned by Ōtautahi-based artists Steve Trevella and Rose McKenzie, the fit out is lush and an exciting way to experience a literal taste of Marlborough. Spend the day (or night, with the space open from 11am-10pm) cellar door-hopping and experiencing personalised wine tastings (with Wine Emotion dispensers) and snacking on artisan Marlborough produce. We’re talking Little River Estate cheese, Premium Game charcuterie, Mills Bay mussels, Cloudy Bay clams, and Marlborough oysters and smoked salmon just to name a few—all while looking over at the Taylor river and Richmond ranges. Having just been to Marlborough recently, I’m looking forward to heading back and checking this space out. 

Hungry for more? Check out the hottest new openings you need to know about here. 

Urban List The Feed has our highest stamp of approval—curated lists of the very best recommendations for you to eat, do, see, buy or book, carefully chosen by our Editors.

Main Image Credit: Park Hyatt Auckland x Viaduct Harbour | Supplied