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Rotorua has the area's most diverse dining scene. You can order anything from Indian to Japanese fare, or, for true local flavor, try a M?ori h?ngi (a traditional meal cooked in an earth oven or over a steam vent). Hawke's Bay is another hot spot; its winery restaurants emphasize sophisticated preparations and food-and-wine pairings. Around Eastland, which is so laid-back it's nearly horizontal, the choices are simpler, and you'll be treated with the area's characteristic friendliness. One thing you won't find on any menu is fresh trout. Laws prohibit selling this fish, but if you catch a trout, chefs at most lodging establishments will cook it for you.
Dressing up for dinner, or any other meal, is a rarity, expected at only the most high-end lodges and restaurants.
The menu is updated seasonally at this converted 1950s town house on a suburban street not far from the shores of Lake Taupo. Owners Prue and Felicity Campbell know what they're doing and use the best local ingredients to make delicious things to satisfy all palates. Wines include those from emerging and boutique vineyards.
The pleasing scent of spices may entice you into this large, open restaurant, which serves sustaining meals like chicken shiitake linguine (a grilled chicken breast set on pasta tossed in a creamy mushroom sauce, then topped with crispy prosciutto). Half of the space is a delicatessen that sells preserves and specialty foods, such as chutney made from kūmara (a local sweet potato) and a rub made from kawa kawa (a spicy native herb). Afterward, wander to the dessert cabinet and choose from goodies like the chocolate-cherry frangipani tart.
Enter this weathered blue bungalow to experience the innovative cooking and fresh produce Pacifica brings to the New Zealand dining scene. The five-course degustation menus with matched wine change daily and reflect the chef's creativity and commitment to using the finest local products.
The massive cedar doors, high circular roof, and open wood fire give this well-regarded restaurant at Craggy Range Winery a rustic character. Although the menu is loosely country French, the "rustic" cuisine here is far from unsophisticated. Start with venison tartare or the twice-baked goat cheese soufflé; then move on to mouthwatering main courses like wood-fired whole fish with fried potatoes and aioli. For a sweet finish, the eclectic dessert menu features a classic vanilla crème brûlée. On warm evenings, you can dine on the terrace with views of Te Mata Peak.
This café draws the crowds for breakfast and lunch thanks to its outside tables and excellent food. In the morning, try the Complete Replete Breakfast: honey-cured bacon, tomato relish, poached eggs, roasted field mushrooms, and grilled focaccia. The Vietnamese pork clay pot and prawn linguine are especially popular at midday. Tasty salads, including Thai beef with coconut-lime dressing or Asian chicken with crispy noodles, are top picks, too.
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