New Zealand’s top 100 restaurants

Cuisine magazine announces the finalists for the Cuisine Good Food Awards 2018

We’ve unearthed new flavours, hidden gems, old favourites and the restaurants that are bold, brave and hot to bring you Cuisine’s list of the very best dining experiences in New Zealand for 2018, as nominated by our team of assessors who visit restaurants across the country, unannounced, and pay for every meal. Our annual inventory is now complete.

These 100 restaurants will feature in the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2018, and many are our finalists for the Cuisine Good Food Awards 2018, where we will announce all of our winners including the Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the Year, the Santa Vittoria Chef of the Year and the allocation of the coveted Cuisine Good Food Awards hats. We congratulate each and every restaurant on this list. These are the restaurant teams and chefs that are claiming a place for New Zealand as a premium food and drink destination.

Lead assessor Kerry Tyack says he is delighted to have the opportunity to shine a light on those that have made Cuisine’s list of the 100 most influential restaurants of the last 12 months.
“The list recognises innovation, consistency, delivery of promise, value and satisfaction. While there are others who deserve applause and support, these are the best of the best, those of which Kiwis can be immensely proud.”

Cuisine magazine’s top 100 restaurants

Auckland

Amano
Antoines
Apero
Azabu
Baduzzi
Bracu
Cassia
Cazador
Cibo
Clooney
Coco’s Cantina
Cocoro
Cotto
Culprit
Depot
Euro
Federal Delicatessen
Gemmayze St
Gusto at the Grand
Harbourside
Hugo’s Bistro
Kazuya
Lillius
Masu by Nic Watt
O’Connell St Bistro
Orphans Kitchen
Ortolana
Pasta & Cuore
Pasture
Ponsonby Road Bistro
Prego
Satya Chai Lounge
Sid at The French Cafe
Sidart
Soul Bar & Bistro
The Engine Room
The Grill by Sean Connolly
The Grove
The Hunting Lodge
The Sugar Club
White + Wong’s – Auckland

Waiheke Island

The Shed at Te Motu

Hamilton

Chim Choo Ree
Hayes Common
Palate

Taupo

The Bistro

Hawke’s Bay

Bistronomy
Black Barn Bistro
Elephant Hill
Pacifica
Te Awa Winery Restaurant
Craggy Range Restaurant

Martinborough

Pinocchio
Union Square

New Plymouth

Social Kitchen

Manawatu

Amayjen

Wellington

Boulcott St Bistro
Capitol
Chameleon
Charley Noble
Egmont St Eatery
Field and Green
Havana Bar & Restaurant
Hillside
Hippopotamus
Logan Brown
Loretta
Monte Cervino
Noble Rot
Oikos Hellenic Cuisine
Ortega
Pravda
Rita
Salty Pidgin
Shepherd
Tinakori Bistro
WBC
Whitebait

Nelson

Hopgood’s
Urban Oyster Bar & Eatery

Marlborough

Arbour

Canterbury

Twenty Seven Steps
Black Estate
Chillingworth Road
Gatherings
Inati
Pegasus Bay
Pescatore
Roots

North Otago

Riverstone Kitchen
Fleurs Place

Central Otago

Amisfield Bistro
Bistro Gentil
Botswana Butchery – Queenstown
Fishbone
Kika
Ode Conscious Dining
Rata
Sherwood

Dunedin

Bracken

At the glitzy awards ceremony at Auckland’s iconic Civic Theatre on 15 October the winners of the following categories will be announced.

Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the Year

Santa Vittoria Chef of the Year

Best Metropolitan Restaurant

SILERE Best Regional Restaurant

Estrella Damm Best Specialist Restaurant

Epicure Trading Best Casual Dining Restaurant

De’Longhi Restaurant Personality of the Year

Ora King Salmon Innovation Award

Yellow Brick Road Best Winery Restaurant

Negociants New Zealand Best Wine Experience

Best Drinks List

Pead PR Long Term Player

Whitestone Cheese Best New Zealand Dish

Cuisine New Zealand Future Food Legend

 

Cuisine editor Kelli Brett says she is particularly proud that this year the awards will pay homage to longevity, commitment and contribution with a Long Term Player award, recognising those restaurants that may not be the hot new thing but have stood the test of time. “These New Zealand icons are still delivering excellence and have also trained and mentored some of the brilliant young chefs that we see making their way onto our Top 100 list this year. It’s important that we do not forget about these restaurants in our rush to be the first to Instagram the latest pop up or restaurant opening.”

Also new to the awards categories for 2018 is the Best New Zealand Dish award. “As a part of our desire to define the New Zealand food story and what makes us unique, we have included the search for a dish that captures the essence of Kiwi cuisine,” Brett added, saying that the new categories have each brought exciting elements to the awards table.

The big question  ‘Who will wear the hats for 2018?’ still remains to be answered at the New Zealand food worlds biggest night of the year, the Cuisine Good Food Awards presented by Vittoria Coffee at the Civic Theater, Oct 15. A limited amount of tickets for this much anticipated event will go on sale shortly. We’ll keep you updated across our social channels, below. Pick up the November issue of Cuisine magazine, on sale 29 October, for your copy of the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2018. Everything you will need to know about dining out in style in New Zealand, for the year ahead.