DINING ACROSS AOTEAROA
New Zealand’s Best Restaurants: A Dining Guide for Your Journey
New Zealand’s dining scene reflects the country itself—seasonal, creative and closely connected to the land, ocean and people who produce its food.
This guide introduces New Zealand’s MICHELIN-starred restaurants, exceptional vineyard dining and other memorable food experiences that may be worth including in your journey.
It has been created as a reference for Timeless NZ clients. We can help you decide which restaurants suit your route, preferred dining style and available time.
MICHELIN-STARRED DINING · VINEYARD LUNCHES · LOCAL PRODUCE · PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
The MICHELIN Guide Arrives in New Zealand
The inaugural MICHELIN Guide New Zealand was released in 2026, recognising 110 restaurants across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and the Queenstown region.
The selection included:
One restaurant awarded Two MICHELIN Stars
Fourteen restaurants awarded One MICHELIN Star
Thirty-five Bib Gourmand restaurants
Sixty MICHELIN Selected restaurants
Essence by ROKI in Queenstown received Two MICHELIN Stars, making it the highest-rated restaurant in the inaugural New Zealand guide.
The guide currently focuses on selected regions. Excellent restaurants elsewhere in New Zealand should not be overlooked simply because their destination has not been included.
Choose the Right Dining Experience
Not every exceptional restaurant offers the same type of evening.
A Landmark Dining Experience
Choose Essence by ROKI or Amisfield for an extended tasting journey designed to be one of the main experiences of your stay.
Modern New Zealand Cuisine
Consider Ahi, Rātā, Logan Brown or Paris Butter for refined cuisine shaped by seasonal New Zealand produce.
A Distinctly Pacific Experience
Tala offers contemporary Samoan cuisine presented through food, storytelling and cultural tradition.
Vineyard Dining
Choose Mudbrick, Tantalus Estate, Tussock Hill or Amisfield for food, wine and scenery within a vineyard setting.
Refined but More Relaxed
Ortega Fish Shack, Sherwood and Kika are excellent choices for travellers who value outstanding food without wanting a formal tasting-menu experience.
Auckland and Waiheke Island
Auckland offers everything from contemporary Samoan cuisine to refined interpretations of New Zealand produce. Nearby Waiheke Island combines destination dining with vineyards, wine tasting and Hauraki Gulf scenery.
Ahi
AUCKLAND · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Refined modern New Zealand cuisine.
Led by chef Ben Bayly, Ahi celebrates New Zealand’s landscapes, producers and seasons. Ingredients are sourced from around the country and from the restaurant’s own kitchen garden.
Its central Commercial Bay location makes it particularly convenient for travellers staying near Auckland’s waterfront.
Best suited to: Travellers wanting a polished introduction to contemporary New Zealand cuisine.
Paris Butter
AUCKLAND · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Creative seasonal dining with French influence.
Located in Herne Bay, Paris Butter combines refined technique with premium New Zealand ingredients in an intimate neighbourhood setting.
The experience is elegant without feeling overly formal, making it a strong choice for a special dinner in Auckland.
Best suited to: Couples and travellers who enjoy creative, beautifully presented cuisine.
Tala
AUCKLAND · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Contemporary Samoan tasting menus.
Tala presents Samoan food and hospitality through a deeply personal dining journey created by chef Henry Onesemo. Traditional flavours, memories and cooking techniques are reinterpreted through a modern fine-dining menu.
Tala became the first contemporary Samoan restaurant in the world to receive a MICHELIN Star.
Best suited to: Curious diners seeking a distinctive cultural and culinary experience.
Planning note: The experience is based around set menus. Dietary requirements should be discussed before booking.
Mudbrick
WAIHEKE ISLAND · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Refined vineyard dining with Hauraki Gulf views.
Mudbrick is one of Waiheke Island’s best-known vineyard destinations. Its gardens, vineyard setting and views towards Auckland make the surroundings an important part of the experience.
The flagship restaurant showcases seasonal New Zealand ingredients accompanied by Mudbrick wines.
Best suited to: Romantic meals, celebrations and leisurely vineyard lunches.
Planning note: Ferry times and transport between the ferry terminal and vineyard need to be coordinated with the reservation.
Tantalus Estate Restaurant
WAIHEKE ISLAND · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Contemporary vineyard dining influenced by French technique.
Set in the Onetangi Valley, Tantalus combines an architecturally impressive dining room with vineyards, gardens, estate wines and an onsite craft brewery.
Seasonal New Zealand ingredients are presented through refined dishes that complement the estate’s wines.
Best suited to: Travellers looking for an elegant long lunch as part of a wider Waiheke Island day.
Wellington
Wellington’s compact city centre, creative culture and strong hospitality scene make it one of New Zealand’s most enjoyable dining destinations.
Ortega Fish Shack
WELLINGTON · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Refined seafood bistro with a lively neighbourhood atmosphere.
Ortega is known for fresh seafood, regularly changing menus and warm, character-filled service. It provides serious cooking in a setting that feels relaxed and distinctly Wellington.
Best suited to: Seafood lovers and travellers who want excellent food without a formal fine-dining atmosphere.
Jano Bistro
WELLINGTON · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Intimate French and New Zealand-inspired degustation dining.
Jano Bistro occupies a restored historic cottage and offers creative, seasonally changing menus within a small and personal dining room.
Its intimate scale creates a different experience from Wellington’s larger landmark restaurants.
Best suited to: Couples and experienced diners who enjoy inventive tasting menus.
Logan Brown
WELLINGTON · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Classic New Zealand fine dining.
Set inside a beautifully restored former bank on Cuba Street, Logan Brown is one of Wellington’s most established dining institutions.
Its polished service, historic interior and emphasis on New Zealand produce make it an excellent choice for a traditional special-occasion dinner.
Best suited to: Travellers looking for classic fine dining in an impressive heritage setting.
Christchurch and Canterbury
Christchurch combines contemporary city dining with exceptional Canterbury produce and vineyards located surprisingly close to the city centre.
Inati
CHRISTCHURCH · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Interactive chef’s-table dining designed around sharing.
Inati places guests close to the open kitchen, allowing them to experience the energy and theatre of dishes being prepared.
The menu is designed to be shared and showcases seasonal Canterbury and New Zealand ingredients.
Best suited to: Travellers who enjoy interacting with chefs and watching the kitchen at work.
Tussock Hill
CHRISTCHURCH · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Seasonal vineyard lunch with organic estate wines.
Tussock Hill is a family-owned organic vineyard on Christchurch’s Port Hills, approximately 15 minutes from the central city.
The restaurant serves seasonal sharing dishes alongside estate-grown wines, with views across Christchurch and towards the Southern Alps.
Best suited to: Travellers wanting a relaxed vineyard lunch close to Christchurch.
Planning note: Tussock Hill primarily operates as a daytime dining experience. Check current opening days before including it in your plans.
Queenstown, Wānaka and Central Otago
Queenstown and the surrounding region offer New Zealand’s highest concentration of destination restaurants outside Auckland.
The region’s dining is shaped by Central Otago produce, wild game, alpine landscapes and some of the country’s most celebrated Pinot Noir.
Essence by ROKI
QUEENSTOWN · TWO MICHELIN STARS
Dining style: Contemporary New Zealand tasting menus with European culinary technique.
Essence is located within ROKI Collection Queenstown and is led by Director of Culinary Paul Froggatt.
Its tasting journey showcases premium seasonal produce through precise cooking, creative presentation and carefully considered wine or non-alcoholic pairings.
Best suited to: Travellers seeking New Zealand’s most highly recognised fine-dining experience.
Planning note: Allow the entire evening and avoid adding other activities around the reservation.
Amisfield
LAKE HAYES, QUEENSTOWN · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Extended tasting-menu dining with Central Otago wines.
Located approximately 20 minutes from central Queenstown, Amisfield presents an inventive dining experience centred on local produce, wild ingredients and wines from its Central Otago vineyards.
This is not simply a meal; it is a significant part of the day and should be given sufficient time.
Best suited to: Adventurous diners, wine enthusiasts and travellers who enjoy long tasting menus.
Planning note: Private transfers should be arranged so every guest can enjoy the wine experience.
Sherwood
QUEENSTOWN · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Relaxed garden-to-table dining.
Sherwood’s menus are shaped by the seasons, with many ingredients grown onsite or sourced and foraged around Central Otago.
The atmosphere is more casual than a traditional fine-dining restaurant, while the cooking remains thoughtful and highly regarded.
Best suited to: Travellers wanting excellent food, plant-forward choices and a relaxed local atmosphere.
Rātā
QUEENSTOWN · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Modern New Zealand dining in central Queenstown.
Rātā draws inspiration from the landscapes and producers of the South Island, presenting seasonal ingredients in a warm, contemporary setting.
Its central location and choice of dining formats make it an accessible alternative to Queenstown’s longer destination tasting experiences.
Best suited to: Travellers wanting refined New Zealand cuisine within walking distance of central hotels.
Kika
WĀNAKA · ONE MICHELIN STAR
Dining style: Creative sharing plates in a relaxed alpine setting.
Kika combines New Zealand produce with global flavours in dishes designed to be shared.
Its friendly atmosphere and central Wānaka location make it an excellent choice for travellers who want accomplished cooking without committing to a lengthy formal tasting menu.
Best suited to: Couples, friends and travellers who prefer relaxed shared dining.
Exceptional Dining Beyond the MICHELIN Regions
The MICHELIN Guide does not currently assess every New Zealand destination.
This means restaurants, vineyards and luxury lodges in Northland, Rotorua, Lake Taupō, Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Kaikōura, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Dunedin and Fiordland are not represented by the star system.
Depending on your journey, we may also recommend:
Private dining at luxury lodges
Vineyard lunches in Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough and Central Otago
Māori-led food and cultural experiences
Chef’s-table and private-kitchen experiences
Coastal seafood restaurants
Farm-to-table dining
Food tours and artisan producer visits
Private dining in remote locations
At properties such as Huka Lodge, Rosewood Kauri Cliffs, Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Hapuku Lodge, The Lindis, Rosewood Matakauri, Blanket Bay and Fiordland Lodge, dining is often an important part of the overall stay.
Planning Your Restaurant Reservations
Reserve Early
New Zealand’s most sought-after restaurants can fill well in advance, particularly between November and March.
Once your itinerary dates are confirmed, we recommend considering important restaurant reservations promptly.
Allow Enough Time
Tasting menus may occupy most of an evening or afternoon. Avoid placing them after a long touring day or before an early departure.
Discuss Dietary Requirements
Tell the restaurant about allergies and dietary requirements when making the reservation. Some set menus cannot be substantially adapted without advance notice.
Check Cancellation Conditions
Many restaurants require a credit card to secure the reservation and charge for late cancellations or no-shows.
Consider Your Transport
Vineyard restaurants and properties outside town centres may require private transfers. This is particularly important when wine pairings are part of the experience.
Check Current Information
Opening days, menus, prices and reservation policies change seasonally. Always check the restaurant’s official website before confirming your plans.
How Timeless NZ Can Help
When we are arranging your complete New Zealand journey, we can recommend restaurants that fit naturally with your route and daily plans.
Some restaurants allow us to assist with reservations. Others require guests to book directly and provide their own credit card because of cancellation conditions. When this applies, we can provide the correct booking link and advise on the most suitable time.
Our aim is to make dining part of the journey—not something that leaves you rushing from an activity or arriving too tired to enjoy the experience.
Taste Your Way Through New Zealand
Whether you want one exceptional dinner or an entire journey shaped around food and wine, we can bring together restaurants, vineyards, accommodation and private touring in one personalised itinerary.
REFERENCE NOTE
Restaurant awards, menus, opening hours and booking conditions may change.
Information last reviewed: September 2026.