New Zealand is a land of plenty and boasts European, Southern American, Asian, Indian, American, and Polynesian restaurants. When eating out in New Zealand, you can usually count on creatively made-up plates, generous portions, and fantastic value for money.
Internationally acclaimed New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is rated worldwide as the definitive benchmark style for this varietal. In addition, the growing recognition for New Zealand Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Méthode Traditionelle sparkling wines, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot blends is helping to further cement New Zealand's position as a producer of world-class wines.
- Lamb is among the most popular and traditional dishes and is generally on almost every restaurant's menu.
- Beef is excellent, reasonably priced, and a favourite of traditional barbeque.
- Sausages are tasty, come in all shapes and sizes, and are often served at takeaway shops or a typical kiwi barbeque.
- New Zealanders are also partial to farm-raised venison, veal, duck, pheasant, and wild pork.
- A Maori specialty is a hangi (feast), a traditional food steamed to perfection in an underground oven.
- New Zealand's abundance of shellfish ranges from Toheroa, Pipi, Paua, and Oysters to Lobsters and Crayfish.
- Other seafood, such as cod, flounder, kingfish, snapper, and squid, are tasty and widely available.
- Freshwater fish lovers can easily find fresh and smoked salmon.
- Rainbow or brown trout from crystal-clear steam is a real treat.
- Trout is not sold commercially, but if you catch one, most restaurants will prepare it at your request.
- Fresh fruit and vegetables are abundant throughout the year.
- The kiwifruit was developed in NZ (brought initially over from central China almost a century ago)
- New Zealand's rich dairy foods are lethal to the waistline but delicious.
- There is a wide variety of tasty cheeses, including local Camembert, Feta, Romano, and blue varieties.
- Climate and geography have combined to produce highly distinctive, premium-quality wines. New Zealand Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc have recently won many awards at international Wine Challenges worldwide.
- The Capital, Wellington, has more cafes and restaurants per capita than New York City.
