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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Aotearoa’s Biggest Food Festival Is Back—Get Ready For International Guest Chefs And Local Collabs, Burgers And More

Image credit: Visa Wellington On A Plate 2026 | Supplied (Rodney Scott from Charleston | Photography by Angie Mosier)

The programme just went live for Visa Wellington On A Plate 2026 last Wednesday, and we’re drooling over all the burgers (yes, all 240+ of them), events (with Tāmaki Makaurau faves hitting the capital plus international guests George Motz headlining burger culture and Pitmaster Rodney Scott with his iconic whole-hog barbecue), and craft beer heaven a.k.a. Beervana at Hnry Stadium. With the festival kicking off in just less than two months time, keep up to date with all your ticket releases (plus Visa pre-sales) here. In the meantime, drool with us as we choose our picks from the festival here. 

Here Are Our Picks This Hot Chocolate Season In Tāmaki Makaurau

Image credit: Little ‘Lato | Supplied

Believe it or not, it is actually pretty cold in the once-tropical Tāmaki Makaurau. Coming from Pōneke, I’m pulling out the winter jackets from storage as we head into what is unofficially known as "hot chocolate weather." From Little ‘Lato’s hot chocolate affogato (or a reverse-affogato with their thick Italian-style hot choc), a very decadent toasted s’mores hot choc at Miann, to Cocoa Wild’s popular tiramisu-inspired fluff hot choc—let our picks on where to find the best hot chocolates in the city be an excuse to leave the house this week. Sip your way through our recommendations here. 

We’re Excited For Cassia’s Restaurant Residency in Grey Lynn Ahead Of Their City Opening

Image credit: Cassia x Ozone Grey Lynn | Supplied (Photography by Sahil Patel)

Award-winning modern Indian restaurant Cassia is entering an exciting new chapter, with restaurateurs Sid Sahrawat and Chand Sahrawat announcing a new Grey Lynn residency at Ozone Grey Lynn, ahead of the re-opening of Cassia’s new forever home on Albert Street (in Auckland’s CBD) later this year. From Wednesday 17th June to 15th August, diners will be able to experience a special Cassia and Ozone residency menu while their flagship restaurant is being completed. It’s a full-circle moment for Ozone Head Chef Karol Troncoso, who previously worked at Cassia and is now back in the kitchen alongside Sid, Cassia Head Chef Ketan Joshi and the team. 

Along with a special tandoor, new menu highlights feature Delhi style butter chicken, alongside fan faves such as pani puri and their famous Mughlai lamb chops (with smoked yoghurt, pickles and coriander). Plus, they had me at Moreton Bay toast and ghee lamb sausage rolls too. Save room for dessert: there’s lychee and yoghurt sorbet, and a decadent chocolate kulfi featuring cumin caramel and Ozone’s coffee ganache—this residency is definitely not one to miss.

The residency runs on Wednesdays to Sundays, from 5pm to late (and we hear there’s an Ozone lunch special on the menu with Cassia chicken kebab during the day too, plus great coffee). Walk-in’s welcome, but book to make sure you definitely have your seat here.

Liquid Lightning Has Landed With Their First Store In Auckland CBD

Image credit: Liquid Lightning | Supplied

Liquid Lightning is set to open its first permanent kiosk starting today, Monday 15 June. With the opening comes new offerings with their cult-following functional juices and cleanses, plus nourishing bone broth—they now have added smoothies, barista coffee and freshly prepared beverages canned on site (think seasonal juices and matcha). As a growing go-to wellness choice with brand collabs including ASICS, Superette and Lululemon, check out their stunning design-led, conceptual kiosk space (thanks to the creative eye of Designer Alasdair Tarry) at West City Collective, Monday to Friday from 7am-3pm.  

Check Out This New Wagyu Flavour With An Exclusive Weekday Lunch 

Image credit: Wagyu Shogun | Vicki Young

Wagyu Shogun’s popular A5 Kagoshima Wagyu lunch offering has seen their wagyu sukiyaki set (complete with Cocoro Chef-Owner Makoto Tokuyama’s popular ontama a.k.a. “hot spring egg” addition) sell out on lunchtimes during the week—along with free rice refill and miso soup, this is a bargain of a lunch for a special weekday price of $24.80. As of this week they’ve just released a new set and flavour, their A5 wagyu negi-shio, featuring a lighter marinade of spring onion and ginger, along with their signature ponzu sauce and all the refreshing grated wasabi and red yuzu kosho additions for an extra spicy kick. 

Side note: We also can’t get enough of their Kagoshima Kuroge wagyu and Iwate Iwachiku wagyu—for the ultimate wagyu fan, with premium wagyu cuts featuring two distinct wagyu eating experiences.

There’s limited sets daily, so make sure you book your lunch reservation in advance here. 

Shake Up Your Workday Lunch With Free Tacos (And A New Taco Menu)

Image credit: Sienna at TRIBE Auckland Fort Street | Supplied

TRIBE Auckland Fort Street's SIENNA is shaking up Auckland CBD's work lunches by giving away 50 taco lunches from midday this Thursday 18th June—and all you have to do is show up. The first 50 people in line at SIENNA will receive two full-sized tacos alongside a spicy-sweet Jalapeño and Pineapple Alchemy & Tonic soda. Choose from beef or pork tacos in celebration of their new taco menu launch. Their new menu tacos include flavours like baja salmon with refreshing radish slaw, jackfruit birria, BBQ lamb with pickled pineapple, beef cheek with chipotle jus, and sticky pork belly. All tacos from the menu come as a pair for $18 per serving. 

Make Your Way To Panmure This Saturday For A Global Eats Feast

Image credit: Peach’s Hot Chicken | Vicki Young

Panmure has an epic food festival day lined up this Saturday 20th June brought to the community by Panmure Business Association and Chow Luck Club, with support from Mount Wellington Charitable Trust. From 11am-3pm, snack your way around Panmure’s food spots with 18 eateries serving a special $10 tasting sampler of their signature menu items. From Beijing Restaurant’s roast duck, Lumbini’s momos, Hei Kitchen’s famous ube cake by the slice, to Peach’s fried chicken and biscuits in a hot mini size (pictured a recent feast at Peach’s, with their full-size chicken and biscuits on the table on the bottom left)—just to name a few in the line-up. Check out all the eateries and plan your Panmure all-day feast here. 

Head To This Cosy Cafe For Crêpes This Sunday—And They’re Gluten-Free

Image credit: Dear Deer Ellerslie | Vicki Young 

Gluten-free or not, you’ll have to get to Dear Deer in Ellerslie quick this Sunday 21st June—CHAYA Japanese Crêpe will be popping up from 9am to 2pm with their loaded crêpes and the flavour line-up has us drooling. Think hojicha with tapioca mochi, matcha tiramisu, jammy strawberries and cream, and banana crème brûlée—all filled, topped and swirled into a freshly baked rice flour crêpe. Pair it with one of Dear Deer’s specialty coffees (we’re eyeing up an ube number) and that’s one delicious Sunday morning. 

Come Hungry, A New Ramen Bar Has Opened In Tāmaki Makaurau

Image credit: Den Ramen Bar | Instagram 

Tokyo street ramen food truck Miso-Ra and the Pici crew have opened their joint venture Den Ramen Bar on Cross Street. For those who have been following Miso Ra’s food truck locations across Tāmaki Makaurau for that miso ramen fix, you can now check out this new brick and mortar chapter tucked just off Karangahape Road. Having just opened last Thursday, this bar takes walk-ins only—we’ll see you there for comforting bowls of ramen and drinks. With Kirin on tap, chilled red, sake, cocktails and ramune on the sip list…I’m eyeing up a yuzu negroni with a hearty chashu-topped, steaming bowl of ramen already (plus a couple of snacks on their hot and cold snack menu). Follow their socials here for opening days and times. 

Truffle Season Is Here—Tāmaki Makaurau Has All The Truffle-Infused Dishes From Breakfast To Dinner

Image credit: Bar Albert’s Truffle Cocktail | Supplied

While the winter weather is coming in brisk and cold, let truffle season be the answer to go out and treat yourself to something decadent. From fresh NZ truffle on hollandaise over poached eggs with culatello at Duo to start the day (only available for a limited time on their specials board), truffle-laden pizza for lunch at Mozzarella & Co., and then for dinner—freshly-shaved truffle added on to any dish at Bossi. Add (at cost by the gram) to dishes like Bossi’s famous giant ravioli, fettucine tossed in a Parmigiano Reggiano wheel, and Scampi Risotto—but what I really want to know is whether we can add it over their signature Tiramisu, too.

Round off the night with a truffle-infused vodka cocktail overlooking the city at Bar Albert. Plus, Bar Albert has an exclusive single-serve whole-baked truffle camembert from Over the Moon Dairy that’s just arrived on the menu (think oozing cheese and truffle, with pretzel sticks). Get a taste of ‘black gold’ from the South Island while you can these next few months (a.k.a. Black Périgord truffles—incredibly fragrant, and one of my faves).

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

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Main Image Credit: BOSSI | Supplied (Photography by Sonna Studios)