10 Best Restaurants in New Zealand
The 2026 selection of restaurants in New Zealand, presented in the order of the 10 Best destination selection.
Ahi
New Zealand
Cocoro
Auckland, New Zealand
Cocoro brings a quiet, intimate Japanese dining experience to Auckland’s Ponsonby neighbourhood. The restaurant occupies a modest street address rather than a large hotel or waterfront development, with timber and restrained details giving the room a composed atmosphere. Its name suggests heart and spirit, a useful reflection of the attention paid to the meal’s progression. The kitchen works with Japanese techniques and New Zealand ingredients, with seafood playing a central role. Sashimi, seasonal preparations and more elaborate courses are arranged within menus that encourage an unhurried approach. The treatment of texture and temperature is important, allowing subtle differences between ingredients to register across the sequence. Sake provides a particularly rewarding accompaniment, although the drinks selection gives other options too. Staff can guide diners through unfamiliar styles and explain how they relate to the food. Cocoro suits an evening set aside for a considered meal, with advance booking advisable and dietary requirements best discussed before arrival at the restaurant.
Sidart
New Zealand
Onslow
New Zealand
Amisfield Restaurant
New Zealand
Rata
New Zealand
Botswana Butchery Queenstown
New Zealand
Inati
New Zealand
Logan Brown
New Zealand
Bistronomy
Napier, New Zealand
Bistronomy occupies a central Napier address, bringing a contemporary, produce focused restaurant to the streets of Hawke’s Bay’s Art Deco city. The room has the ease of a neighbourhood bistro, while the kitchen’s approach is more exploratory. It is a natural place to connect a visit to the city with the agricultural and wine growing landscape beyond it. Seasonal ingredients shape the menu, with European techniques and broader influences applied to regional produce. Diners can follow a tasting sequence or build a meal from the available dishes, depending on the current format. Vegetables, seafood and meat are treated with equal attention, and the changing menu rewards curiosity about what the kitchen is using that day. Wine is an important part of the experience, with Hawke’s Bay providing a particularly relevant frame of reference. The setting suits a relaxed evening after exploring Napier or nearby vineyards. Ask for guidance on matching the menu to regional bottles, and leave time for several courses.