SamanthaH

As some of you know, I’ve been travelling around New Zealand and exploring different regions for their food and dining. Hawke’s Bay has been such a highlight, and while I’ve had some amazing vineyard meals and fine dining, one of the most memorable experiences was much more casual, Community Burgers in Napier. It’s a small, community-focused restaurant that’s all about good, wholesome burgers. Nothing too fancy, just honest good food. The vibe is family-friendly, the service is warm, and the food really delivers. I tried both a classic cheeseburger and one of their seasonal specials (kimchi beef), and both were excellent. Lot of the locals came in for takeaways on a wednesday night, we choose to dine in their small but lovely restaurant. For anyone visiting Hawke’s Bay and looking for a solid lunch in Napier, I’d definitely recommend checking them out: Community Burgers – Lunch & Takeaways in Napier Community Burgers on Google I love how they tie into the local community as well, a portion of sales goes towards supporting local charities, which makes the whole experience feel even more special. Curious if anyone else has been, or if you’ve found other hidden gems in Napier for casual lunch or dinner?

Kia ora all, My partner and I are currently travelling New Zealand. Our next destination is Hawke’s Bay for a week or two and I’d love some ideas from people who know the region well. I’ve heard it’s a bit of a foodie destination (wineries and whatnot) but I’m keen on a mix of things. Anything from casual lunch spots through to vineyard restaurants and maybe some takeaway gems. Places I’ve already got on my list are: Pacifica in Napier Black Barn Bistro in Havelock North Mister D in central Napier Some of the cellar doors like Craggy Range or Mission Estate Let me know if there's any great recommendations out there

The Ram down cuba street is an absolute winner at the moment, its a no stress bar down one of the main streets in wellington. The have a bunch of small plates and awesome cocktails. The aborist just down the road is also well worth checking out

Heres my list of absolute favourite restaurants at the moment in New Zealand: Sid at The French Café (Auckland) – legendary fine dining, consistently rated among NZ’s best Ahi (Auckland) – modern New Zealand cuisine, heavy focus on local produce Depot Eatery (Auckland) – casual but world-class, oysters and small plates are a must Community Burgers (Napier) – world class burgers in the middle of Napier city, the vibe is awesome Black Barn Bistro (Havelock North) – vineyard restaurant with a strong regional reputation Amisfield Bistro (Queenstown) – famous for their “Trust the Chef” menu and Central Otago wines Rata (Queenstown) – owned by Josh Emett, polished but approachable Logan Brown (Wellington) – set in a historic bank building, creative NZ cuisine Ortega Fish Shack (Wellington) – fun, unpretentious, and excellent seafood Riverstone Kitchen (Oamaru) – regional favourite, great paddock-to-plate ethos

Rockpool is absolutely amazing, have been there multiple times. Maybe its just me but I couldn't taste the difference between their $50 steaks and their $300 steaks! Caution that if you dont know what you're looking for in taste and quality of a steak, potentially just get the more affordable one

Hi there Kenneth! I know this is a dated post, but just in case anyone is here in the future, here is my recommendations for Christchurch dining Cassels (3 Garlands Road) is a good allrounder thats open from breakfast to dinner, they have something for absolutely everyone and anyone and its a huge space thats got a really fun vibrant vibe. Very much worth checking out! The Monday Room (161 High Street) is a super nice and cosy dining experience that we loved when we were in christchurch. You will leave this place breathless and wondering why all hospitality experiences arent exactly like The Monday Room, honestly they take care of you in way thats not seen much these days. Let me know if you or anyone else needs any more recommendations, I travel around New Zealand looking for awesome dining experiences