Food & wine
New Zealand eats and drinks brilliantly. A cool maritime climate and pristine land and sea give it world-famous Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, superb seafood, prized lamb and venison, and a fresh, produce-driven food culture. From Marlborough's vines to a Rotorua hāngī and Kaikōura crayfish, here's how to taste the best of it.
Sauvignon, Pinot & the cellar doors
New Zealand wine is a global star. Marlborough, at the top of the South Island, pours the zesty Sauvignon Blanc that made its name; Central Otago, around Queenstown, crafts elegant Pinot Noir as the world's southernmost wine region; Hawke's Bay and Martinborough shine on the North Island; and Waiheke Island is a short hop from Auckland. Cellar doors are friendly and scenic. See our food & wine tours.
Seafood, lamb & a hāngī
The food matches the wine. Feast on green-lipped mussels, Bluff oysters and Kaikōura crayfish; try New Zealand lamb and venison, share a Rotorua hāngī cooked in the earth, and finish with hokey pokey ice cream. Manuka honey and kūmara are local staples, and the café and fine-dining scenes in Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown are first-rate. Farmers' markets are a delicious way in.
Making a day of it
For wine days, a guided tour means everyone can taste — from Marlborough and Central Otago to Waiheke off Auckland. Time a trip for autumn harvest (March–May) for festivals and colour, or enjoy long summer cellar-door afternoons. Tell us your tastes and we'll fold a food-and-wine day into your itinerary. See our food & wine tours.
New Zealand food & wine: your questions
Above all, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc — the zesty style that put New Zealand on the world wine map, from producers like Cloudy Bay. Central Otago, the world's southernmost wine region, makes superb Pinot Noir; Hawke's Bay is known for Syrah, Bordeaux blends and Chardonnay; and Waiheke Island near Auckland for reds. Cellar doors are relaxed and welcoming. See our wine tasting page.
Marlborough (top of the South Island) is by far the largest, famous for Sauvignon Blanc. Central Otago around Queenstown and Bannockburn makes elegant Pinot Noir; Hawke's Bay and Martinborough star on the North Island; and Waiheke Island, Nelson and Waipara round out the map. Many pair beautifully with a day trip. See our food & wine tours.
Seafood leads: green-lipped mussels, Bluff oysters (in season), Kaikōura crayfish and fresh fish and chips. Try lamb and venison, a Rotorua hāngī (earth-oven feast), manuka honey, kūmara (sweet potato), and hokey pokey ice cream — and settle the age-old pavlova debate with the Aussies. The café and fine-dining scenes in Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown are excellent.
Yes — and it's the relaxed way to enjoy it, with the driving handled. Options range from Marlborough and Central Otago cellar-door days to Waiheke Island from Auckland, plus food trails, farmers' markets and a Rotorua hāngī. We can build a tailored food-and-wine day into your trip. See our food & wine tours.
Autumn (March–May) is harvest and festival season in the wine regions — vibrant and beautiful — while summer offers long, warm cellar-door days and outdoor dining. Marlborough's big wine festival falls in February. Bluff oyster season runs roughly March to August. Really, though, the produce is superb year-round. See our trip planning guide.