New Zealand Foodie Bucket List: 21 Dishes To Try Before You Die

With world class produce and some of the best chefs in the world, the food scene in New Zealand is beyond exciting. But where to begin with choosing what to eat in the city? Whether you’re traveling around NZ or living there, you’ll be consistently impressed by the choice of cuisines.

Fear not we’ve come up with the ultimate New Zealand foodie bucket list that you can work your way through drooling every step of the way.

Food doesn’t really get much better than this in fairness…

New Zealand Foodie Bucket List: 21 Dishes To Try Before You Die, How do these rankings work?

1. Steak – Jervois Steak House & Saloon, Queenstown

Nothing beats a good steak for a special night out and this huge beast is about as perfect a dish as you’ll find in New Zealand. It’s cooked with the bone in to retain flavour and is served table-side.

2. Fresh Mussels – The Mussel Pot, Havelock

Setting up an entire restaurant dedicated to mussels is a bold move, but they have seriously nailed it here – these big, plump mussels are just to die for.

3. Ice Cream – Giapo,  Auckland

Nothing beats some really good gelato for a treat. While they stock lots of flavours and are bursting full of originality it is the simply chocolate that steals the show.

4. Charcuterie And Cheese – The Hunting Lodge Winery, Waimauku

There can be no better feeling than being in a beautiful winery drinking a chilled glass of white, looking out at the grapes and eating a plate of food as diverse and tasty as this. Pure heaven.

5. Slow Roast Lamb And Potatoes – Pedro’s House of Lamb, Christchurch

The first thing that many people think of when talking about New Zealand food is the world-class lamb. Although it’s served in most restaurants, this slow cooked dish is perfectly simply and just oozes flavour.

6. Sunday Roast – Pub on Wharf, Queenstown

A proper pub setting with a key focus on high quality ingredients, simple but precise cooking and great service. A roast dinner that has it all. Just LOOK at that pastry…

7. The 12 Course Tasting Menu – Roots Restaurant, Lyttelton

Roots Restaurant is home to some of the very best cooking in the entire country. Their menus change with the seasons and sitting here for a meal is like watching art or live theatre. Masterful cooking.

8. Pizza – Farina, Auckland

Farina does classic pizza and is probably the best pie in the whole country. You don’t need to go overboard with the toppings as they do the simple things so well; this is just a delight.

You might also want to check out the 7 best coffee shops in Auckland.

9. Burgers – Corner Burger Mt Eden – Auckland

We recently listed them as the 2nd best burger in all of New Zealand so believe us when we say you’ll want to get your mouth around these bad boy burgers. Forget about the diet. Nothing can tempt you away from this.

You might also want to check out the 7 best coffee shops in Auckland.

10. Afternoon Tea – Cordis Hotel, Auckland

One for those who want to treat somebody special and take them out for a magical and truly unique experience. Throw in a glass of champagne to top it off and you’ll be in dream land.

You might also want to check out the 7 best coffee shops in Auckland.

11. Beef Wellington – Ostro Brasserie & Bar, Auckland

What could possibly be better than perfectly medium rare fillet of beef served in pastry with mushrooms and onions? We’ll tell you – literally nothing. Nobody does it better than Ostro.

You might also want to check out the 7 best coffee shops in Auckland.

12. Eggs Benedict – Charley Noble, Wellington

Eggs Benny is such a staple on brunch menus all over the world, but the beauty here is they serve it all during the week for breakfast. If every single day started with this dish life would be perfect.

13. Frying Pan Brownie – Cibo, Auckland

You probably think you’ve had good brownies but you haven’t even come close to the best ever until you taste this masterpiece. Served hot in your own little frying pan, this is melt-in-the-mouth stuff.

You might also want to check out the 7 best coffee shops in Auckland.

14. Proper Roast Chicken – Bird On Wire, Auckland

They focus on slow roasted chicken which is always absolutely delectable, but it’s the sides like really food salads and fresh sauces that make this a complete experience.

You might also want to check out the 7 best coffee shops in Auckland.

15. Oyster Bloody Mary Shot – Urban Oyster Bar & Eatery, Nelson

Combining two of life’s great pleasures into one almost orgasmic experience. This is the perfect way to start off a Saturday or Sunday lunch and see where the day takes you…

16. The Lobster – Captain’s Restaurant, Queenstown

While Captain’s Restaurant specialises in a variety of great seafood, it’s the lobster that is the king of the show here. Order it to share, cooked in a number of of different ways and suck up that deliciously sweet, tender meat.

17. Fried Chicken Wings – ARCADE social club and eatery, Auckland

These mega crunchy fried wings are one for the cheat day. Treat yourself with something that is so tasty you’ll be thinking about it for the rest of the week. The sauces are the droolworthy clincher.

18. The Waffles – Miann, Auckland

A wonderful little bakery that serves up all sorts of delectable home made treats; the waffles served with fresh fruits, ice cream and chocolate sauce are from another planet.

You might also want to check out the 7 best coffee shops in Auckland.

19. Seafood Platter – FINZ Seafood & Grill, Queenstown

In a country where seafood plays such an important part of the diet, this dish is like a celebration of everything that is good about NZ. Throw in a cold bottle of white and you have a match made in heaven.

20. The Tacos – Little Mexico, Auckland

If like us, you like nothing more than picking up a small little parcel of Mexican food and gobbling down those rich complex flavours then this is the spot for you. Their sauces round off the whole experience.

21. Mince On Toast – Geeks On Sainsbury, Auckland

The debate around where to find the best mince on toast in New Zealand could go on for decades. Stick to this spot thought, and you won’t go far wrong. The portions are generous but you’ll be wanting to lick the plates.

You might also want to check out the 7 best coffee shops in Auckland.