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