Kai (Māori cuisine ) is celebrated across Aotearoa. From fine dining experiences led by top fusion chefs to hāngī takeaways, kai makes the most of traditional food flavours from forest, sea, river and field.

Local recommendations

Travelling through Aotearoa you'll notice Māori flavours everywhere, from kaimoana (seafood) and the unusual kina (sea urchin) to flavours from the native bush like pikopiko (fern shoots), kawakawa, horopito or other greens like kōwhitiwhiti (watercress) or pūhā (sow thistle), which is often partnered with pork. 

Pork is also a staple of the traditional ‘boil up’ – a wonderful broth also containing root vegetables, which you can try at the Hāngī Shop in South Auckland, along with other favourites like Rewana bread. 

Or, why not try mouth-watering hāngi – a traditional cooking method where food is steamed underground. You can grab it to take away or eat in. Try Auckland's Māori Kitchen.

Kai (Māori cuisine) and performance 

A visit to Te Puia and Pohutu geyser in Rotorua is not complete without a hāngi buffet lunch(opens in new window) or dinner at Pātaka Kai(opens in new window).

The food is a fusion of Māori and international flavours, from corn and watercress soup to chicken steamed underground.Or head to nearby Te Pā Tū for culture and kai (Māori cuisine) served together. You'll experience Māori history, traditions, and future aspirations across four hours of celebration and feasting.

Each year it celebrates a Māori chef, inviting them to design and curate a taotaka kai (menu) of seasonal kai.