SCORE: 18/20

Although it’s named after a city on the other side of the world, this fine-dining establishment that brings superb eating to the lakeside settlement is very much grounded in the local. Chef Phill Blackburne, who was born in Taupō, ended up in Edinburgh on his OE and ‘Embra’ is short for the place where he began his craft under the mentorship of chef Dominic Jack at the award-winning Castle Terrace restaurant. Since opening in January 2022, Embra has been attracting high praise from locals and visitors passing through who make the happy discovery. This is food that you typically don’t find in small, regional towns. Phill, his wife Nora and the team present a seasonally changing menu within a dining room that is elegant and intimate and has a view of the pass. The service is friendly and professional, there’s a great drinks list and the food so meticulously crafted that many international diners have likened it to Michelin-star quality (for a fraction of the price). The menu is presented by principal ingredient – for example ham hock, gurnard, beef or persimmon, all sourced as locally as possible. Simple it may sound, but exemplary British and French cooking techniques turn these treasures from the land and sea into triumphs.