The best restaurants New Zealand

Timetable

New Zealand's rhythm of life can be a bit confusing for us Europeans!

Here, we get up early and go to bed early. The typical working day runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (the famous "9 to 5"), and everyone goes home quietly after that.

Lunch is eaten in a hurry, usually somewhere between 12 and 2:30pm. After 3pm, there's no one left in the cafés, which consequently usually close between 3 and 4pm.

In the evening, you may linger to eat or have a drink, but the establishments empty out by 8.30/9pm, and you are then gently pushed out so that they can close their doors, even if this doesn't correspond to the closing times indicated.

"Go with the flow" is one of the country's mottos! And it applies to everything. In this case, if the flow of customers dries up, we close earlier. It's rarer, but on the other hand, if the flow is greater than usual, we sometimes stay open longer than indicated. So be careful not to take the times quoted at face value, as they can fluctuate. Many establishments don't even bother with a closing time, simply indicating that they're open until "late". In other words, "if no one's there, we close, no matter what time".

Budget & Tips

The average price for lunch is around $20-25, and more like $25-30 for dinner.

Don't panic if you've bitten off more than you can chew: here, doggy bags are commonplace and will never be refused.

A good idea for a good, inexpensive meal on the go in the evening: in the cities, sushi restaurants liquidate their stocks at the end of the day (between 3 and 4 pm) and sell boxes of sushi to take away for $5 to $8.

Many establishments also run specials depending on the day of the week! If you see a slate showing a "241" something (burger, pizza, dessert, drink...), don't read it as "Two hundred and forty-one" but "Two-Four-One"; "Two for One": two for the price of one!

To find the best deals by city and day of the week, visit https://gethappy.co.nz/

If you're going out for dinner and don't want to spend miles and cents on alcoholic beverages at the restaurant, you can look for "BYO" establishments, an acronym for "Bring Your Own", where you're allowed to bring your own bottle.

What costs extra

No complicated calculation of taxes like in the US, here everything is included in the price, even the service. So tipping is not common, but it is always highly appreciated. Restaurant jobs are quite thankless and often paid at minimum wage, so you'll be glad you tipped a little.

No extra charge for water, just ask for tap water. Most of the time you don't need to ask for tap water because it is self-service. Restaurants set up "water stations" where you fill your glass (or carafe for the table) yourself. Keep your eyes open and scan the horizons before asking the waiter! (And if you take the carafe from the water station to fill the glasses at your table, don't forget to put it back in its place for the other customers!)

The local way

New Zealand is a country where "eat out" and "take-away" have a strong place in the culture. People don't cook much, and eat out or take-away a lot. So, when it comes to catering, we're not talking about gastronomy, but mostly about simple, practical, good food that you can eat every day. In fact, the majority of establishments don't even call themselves "restaurants" but "eateries" - simply places where you can eat.

Local specialties follow this pattern, and you can't get much more Kiwi than the famous fish'n'chips (be careful with the accent, it often turns into "Fush'n'Chups"), pies filled with beef and cheese or butter chicken (a classic recipe for chicken in sauce), or sausage rolls. No great gastronomy, we tell you, but it's good and it's practical.

Similar to their Australian neighbors (don't tell them we said that), another common practice here is outdoor barbecuing (BBQ). Many public parks are equipped with them, and anyone can set up shop and prepare their own meal. A great way to plan a festive afternoon with friends! If you're going to indulge in this custom, be as scrupulous as the locals and clean up your barbecue thoroughly after use.

Fast food is also an important part of the culture. Most of the major chains are present in the country, some of which (KFC, to name but one) are intriguingly successful.

If you hear the name "Macca's", don't be put off, it's simply McDonald's.

Two local fast-food chains are worth trying at least once: Burger Fuel and Hell's pizza.

To be avoided

Do not forget your passport if you are (or look to be) between 18 and 25 years old and you were hoping to have a beer or a glass of wine with your meal, as identity checks to verify age are almost systematic.

In restaurants and cafés, there is no need to wait for hours at your table for someone to come and take your order: table service is rather the exception and you often have to order at the counter. If in doubt, ask when you are seated.

Kids

Children are generally welcome everywhere, but there are some very strict rules on alcohol policies.

Establishments licensed to serve alcohol may choose to divide their premises into different zones where different rules apply. There are three types of zone: restricted, supervised and undesignated. In "restricted" zones, minors under 18 are not allowed; in "supervised" zones, they must be accompanied by a legal guardian; in "undesignated" zones, there are no age restrictions. Some establishments apply only one of these designations, while others choose to create several zones and restrict access to only some of them.

In terms of consumption, it is forbidden for minors under the age of 18 to buy alcohol. They may, however, taste or drink a little if the drink has been purchased by a parent or guardian.

Kiwis don't take this lightly, however, and identity checks to verify age are very common. If you've just turned 18, you'll constantly need to prove it, so make sure you've got your passport with you!

Smokers

Smoking indoors is against the law. Vaping is not, but in practice it's often the same treatment that's meted out to vapers: if you want to smoke, smoke outside and that's that!

Some places will tolerate smoking or vaping on terraces.

In 2022, New Zealand declared war on tobacco by passing a law increasing the legal age at which cigarettes and tobacco can be purchased each year, so that the next generation will legally never be allowed to buy them.

A Secretary of State for Health defended the bill in Parliament, saying:

"For decades we've allowed the tobacco industry to maintain their profits by making increasingly addictive products. It's disgusting and bizarre. There are more laws in this country guaranteeing the safety of selling a sandwich than there are guaranteeing the safety of selling cigarettes (...) Our priority is to protect people, protect our families, protect our communities."

Some members of Parliament are concerned that the ban will lead to the development of a black market, but the law was passed anyway at the end of 2022 and applied from 2023.