New Zealand's food, wine and beer attracts people from all over the world, and with good reason.
Check out our Top 10 must-do food and drink activities to help plan your trip.
Put your apron on and roll up your sleeves! Gather produce straight from the farm and create paddock to plate style dishes with Hapuku Kitchen(opens in new window) and Akaroa Cooking School(opens in new window). See you if you can perfect a sponge cake or pavlova at the Chelsea Bay Edmonds Baking School(opens in new window).
What is a progressive winery dinner? It's three (or more) courses of gourmet food and wine pairing at three different winery venues. Taste three of the finest wineries in Queenstown and Arrowtown with Alpine Wine Tours(opens in new window). Starting with an entree at Amisfield Bistro, enjoy your main at Aosta and dessert at Eichardt's. Or, explore the Hawke's Bay with Twighlight Odyssey(opens in new window). This tour begins with a champagne sunset over Te Mata Peak, then it's on to Craggy Range Winery or Elephant Hill Winery for dinner. Followed by dessert and sweet wines at New Zealand's oldest wine estate, The Mission Estate.
Odyssey Food Tours(opens in new window) know a thing or two about Wellington's food and drink scene. Sneak down Hannah's Laneway in search for secret foodie spots such as Fix & Fogg peanut butter, Wellington Chocolate Factory and Goldings Free Dive bar. Or explore Auckland with Aucky Walky Tours(opens in new window) and taste your way around the city, sampling dumplings, lamb and sweet treats. Then, take a quick ferry ride to Waiheke Island and meet Ananda Tours(opens in new window) to eat fresh oysters, visit great local vineyards and a micro-brewery.
Craft beers are a growing phenomenon in New Zealand and micro-breweries can be found all over the country. Breweries are popping up all over Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Auckland. You’ll even find specially brewed ale at Hobbiton Movie Set Green Dragon Inn, in Matamata. On the West Coast the Monteiths Brewery offer a behind the scenes brewing tour and the restaurant serves up hearty pub food next to a roaring fire. For a more traditional beer visit the Tui Brewery(opens in new window) in Mangatainoka.
New Zealand's world-famous Mānuka honey has natural antibacterial properties. It’s used in a wide range of food and drinks, as well as in health products and skin care and is a favourite take-home souvenir. The Bay of Islands Honey Shop(opens in new window), and the Arataki Honey Visitor Centre are great places to learn about bees and honey and taste Mānuka honey, clover honey, pohutukawa honey and many more. Or, explore The Huka Honey Shack(opens in new window) and sample the many types of New Zealand honey!
In traditional hāngī cooking, food such as fish and kūmara (sweet potato), were cooked in a pit dug in the ground. Today, pork, lamb, potato, pumpkin and cabbage are also included. A modern hāngī is likely to use cloth sacks to wrap the food in, also aluminium foil and wire baskets. The baskets are placed on hot stones at the bottom of a hole dug into the ground. The food is covered with a wet cloth and a mound of dirt that traps the heat from the stones. The hāngī food is left in the ground for a few hours, revealing tender meat and delicious vegetables, infused with smoky, earthy flavours. Find a hāngī meal at Whakarewarewa Living Māori Village, Tāmaki Māori Village, Te Puia or at Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
