Planning a trip to New Zealand? Our Frequently Asked Questions page covers everything from booking tours and transport options to what to pack and when to visit. It’s your go-to guide for clear, reliable answers that help take the stress out of organising your holiday. Whether you're travelling solo, as a couple, or with a group, you'll find helpful tips to make your Kiwi adventure run smoothly.
From Māori traditions to Kiwi classics, explore New Zealand's popular dishes - a blend of culture and innovation. Discover a list of must-try dishes below:
Yes, there are several restaurants and cultural centres throughout New Zealand that offer traditional Māori dining experiences with Hangi and other indigenous dishes.
Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty region are great places to try authentic Māori cuisine, including Hangi and Rewena bread.
Hāngī is a traditional Māori dish involving meat and vegetables slow cooked in an underground oven. One of the best places to enjoy this cultural feast is in Rotorua, where you can also taste food that has been steam-cooked in naturally heated geothermal pools.
New Zealand offers a Pacific Rim cuisine that draws inspiration from Europe, Asia, and Indonesia. It's known for its abundant and fresh food, with a seasonal focus on ingredients.
Some popular food markets and halls in New Zealand include the Christchurch Farmers' Market, Wellington Night Market, and Auckland's La Cigale French Market.
Restaurants in regions like Hawke's Bay, Northland, and Marlborough often embrace the farm-to-table concept, offering fresh and locally sourced ingredients.
Crayfish is a Kiwi favourite seafood, known as lobster in some regions. You can try it in places like Kaikoura at restaurants such as Nins Bin, Cods & Crayfish, Karaka Lobster, and Kaikoura Seafood BBQ.
New Zealand offers a variety of drinks, including full-bodied pinot noir and light and fruity sauvignon blanc wines. Craft beers and ciders are also gaining popularity, and non-alcoholic options like Lemon & Paeroa (L&P), feijoa juices, and kombucha creations can be found throughout the country.
L&P stands for "Lemon & Paeroa," a non-alcoholic soft drink made from lemon and carbonated water. You can buy it from any supermarket, dairy, or fast-food joint, but for the full experience, visit Paeroa in Waikato.
New Zealanders love hokey pokey ice cream and pavlova, a meringue-based dessert topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. Stone fruit and fruit salads with kiwifruit, feijoas, and passionfruit are also favourites.
Whittaker's chocolate, especially the peanut slabs, creamy caramel, and jelly tip chocolate, is a favourite among New Zealanders. Other popular sweets include Cookie Time Cookies, Pineapple Lumps, and Jaffa's.
While mince pies are traditional, New Zealand offers a variety of creative pie flavours, including 'hāngī in a pie,' creamed pāua pie, bacon and egg, steak and cheese, potato-top pies, and award-winning varieties like salmon and bacon, butter chicken, lamb and mint, and venison pies.
New Zealand has several world-class cheese companies, including Kāpiti Cheese, Whitestone, and Puhoi Valley, known for blue cheese, sharp vintages, and creamy soft cheeses. There are also many boutique cheese companies in New Zealand, where you can enjoy cheese tastings.
A traditional Kiwi fish and chips meal consists of fresh fish coated in crispy batter and deep-fried, along with a generous serving of hot chips, usually accompanied by fresh white bread and tomato sauce.
Whitebait fritters are a delicacy made with immature fish and are often compared to a fishy omelette. You can try them at various restaurants like The Landing in Franz Josef, Clocktower Cafe in Hokitika, and more.
Green shell mussels, also known as green-lipped mussels, can be found all over New Zealand but are particularly famous in the "Green shell Mussel Capital," Havelock on the South Island. Try them at restaurants like The Mussell Pot in Havelock or Green shell Mussel Cruise in Picton.
Yes, New Zealand caters well to those with specific dietary requirements, such as gluten-free, vegan, or dairy intolerant individuals. You can find options to suit your dietary needs at many restaurants and eateries throughout the country.
Savoury pies, like mince and cheese or steak and cheese, can be found at Fairlie Bakehouse in Fairlie, The Burleigh in Blenheim, Gold Star Bakery Patrick's Pies in Rotorua, Fat Bastard Pies in Invercargill, and Sheffield Pie Shop in Canterbury.
Craft breweries like Garage Project (Wellington), Emerson's (Dunedin), and 8 Wired (Auckland) offer unique beers and often have taprooms with dining options.
The cost of a restaurant meal, including drinks, can vary. For a couple, the bill should be roughly $100 and up. Fine dining establishments may charge a little more.
At local restaurants, you can expect to pay around NZ$19 to NZ$40 for a main meal. Fine dining restaurants typically charge NZ$30 or more for mains.
Drinks prices range between NZ$9 and NZ$15 for a glass of wine, depending on the variety. A beer will typically cost between NZ$9 and NZ$15. A bottle of wine at a restaurant or cafe will cost anything from NZ$35 upwards.
Look for local cafes, food trucks, and eateries away from tourist hotspots. Additionally, lunchtime menus often offer better deals than dinner menus.
New Zealand is very accommodating towards Muslim visitors' dietary needs. With a small but diverse Muslim population, the country has a range of Halal-certified or Halal-friendly establishments that cater to the specific dietary requirements of Muslim travellers. Visitors can easily find suitable food options during their stay in New Zealand.
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