I hadn’t expected a short flight to Tauranga to have me feeling like I’d stepped into a mini European vacation.
Discover
Dunners, you’re on…
With its Gothic architecture and stunning coastal landscapes, Dunedin has always had a quirky urban charm, but there is a sense of change in the air for the local restaurant industry with professional kitchens sizzling and a new wave of chefs stepping up to the pass.
WAITAKI, YOU LITTLE CHARMER
During my first trip to Ōamaru I joined a substantial group of people milling around on Harbour St. While in full chat mode I glanced down to see a tiny penguin waddling past; it wound its way through the crowd of ankles on that glorious road of stunning limestone buildings, with no one except me seeming to think this was unusual at all.
IN THE HOTSPOT
It’s a city that heaves with cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars, so the opportunity to take a deep dive into the local food culture of Rotorua was one I took very seriously.
Mr Morris
Auckland. This is a dining experience no serious gourmand should miss. Mr Morris more than meets expectations: it reinvents them.
Cellar Door
Christchurch. Remarkable wine bar and tasting room boasting an impressively extensive wine list, located in the magnificent Arts Centre.
ARTISAN WATCH
CUISINE CHEESE WATCH / Massimo’s Italian Cheeses, Dairy Flat, Auckland
While Parmigiano Reggiano is the king of cheeses, Massimo’s burrata is the undisputed queen – the Marilyn Monroe of mozzarella.
MAKING THE LINK
A scratchy phone line to Rob Beard is explained by the fact he’s on a high inland farm in Hawke’s Bay inspecting farming stock; he’s also overjoyed by the fact that he’s just spotted three deer.
WILD EDIBLES & HEALING HERBS
I discovered sauerkraut quite late,” says Kelli Walker from Forage & Ferment, an artisan producer of sauerkrauts.
CHILLI OUT
“Call me Betsy, that is what everyone in Wellington and New Zealand calls me,” says Betsaida Rivas Teutenberg.