The Best New Zealand Food in Auckland
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The best New Zealand food in Auckland, according to the experts: the Michelin Guide and The 50 have both weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Ahi. comes out on top.
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Mudbrick and Paris Butter hold the next two places. The Michelin Guide shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with The 50 next.
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Rank 1. Ahi.
Modern New Zealand
Ben Bayly's fine dining room sits above Commercial Bay with harbour light flooding through the windows and a menu built almost entirely from New Zealand produce, some of it grown in his own kitchen garden. Māori techniques like hāngi share the menu with Japanese-inflected ideas, which sounds like a manifesto but eats like a meal. It holds a Michelin star, and the room feels like it knows that without making it your problem.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
- The 50 The 50: The 50 Discovery
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Rank 1. Mudbrick
New Zealand
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
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Rank 1. Paris Butter
French-inspired New Zealand
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
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Rank 4. Cazador
New Zealand
Hunting trophies line the walls, and the menu at this Dominion Road restaurant makes that decor feel like a mission statement rather than decoration. It's a meat-forward dinner spot built around sustainable animals butchered and aged on site, from house-cured charcuterie through to wild venison. The Feast menu is the move if you want the full tour. A Michelin Bib Gourmand, and quail on the specials board is a good night to show up.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Bib Gourmand
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Rank 5. The Engine Room
Seasonal New Zealand
A neighbourhood bistro that moved into a former post office and never looked back, with chalkboards scrawled fresh daily and so many plants the dining room is halfway to a greenhouse. The cooking leans into Kiwi classics built from seasonal local produce, the kind of food that makes a Tuesday dinner feel like an occasion. Regulars from the nearby business district fill the room most nights, and they rarely need to read the menu.
The awards
- The 50 The 50: The 50 Discovery
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Rank 6. Lillius
New Zealand
A long, narrow dining room with an open kitchen visible through an arch at the far end sets the tone at this contemporary New Zealand restaurant in Grafton. The chef runs tasting menus of five or eight courses, built around seasonal local produce, alongside a shorter à la carte for the less committed. The intimate booths make it a reliable date-night call. The Michelin Guide has it on their selected list.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 6. Mr Morris
New Zealand
Shane Cotton's mural of pots marks the door of this restaurant tucked into a Britomart heritage building, where distressed walls and pale oak give the room a warmth that feels earned rather than designed. The open kitchen is the centrepiece, turning out New Zealand and Pacific flavours with a serious hand on the grill and enough finesse elsewhere to keep things interesting. The kind of place where the room and the food both look better than they're trying to.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 6. Onslow
New Zealand
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 6. Rodd & Gunn The Lodge
New Zealand
Sheepskin draped over the chairs sets the mood before you've opened the menu: this is a full-service restaurant from the New Zealand clothing brand Rodd & Gunn, and yes, the boutique is right next door. The kitchen leans on local produce and slow-cooked meats, lamb shoulder especially, with a few Mediterranean detours along the way. The duck-fat roast potatoes have a small but devoted following, best ordered without consulting your waistband first.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 6. The French Café
Modern New Zealand
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant