Food in New Zealand is mouth-watering, to say the least. I do not know anyone who went to New Zealand and did not find food to their liking. Someone did express a little dismay over the country not having a unique food culture. Indeed, there isnât a famous cuisine called New Zealand/Kiwi like Italian, Indian, Chinese etc. but there is Maori food. Since NZ is abundant in international restaurants, it may get difficult to understand what are the must eats or the traditional foods in New Zealand. Wonder what foods are truly Kiwi or enjoyed immensely by them?
In all honesty, Kiwis love meat with roast lamb being a particular favourite. Also, with a 15,000km coastline, an inclination toward seafood is inevitable. Seafood in NZ is expensive but you cannot visit this island country without trying some of it. Must eat seafood include- King Salmon from Mt. Cook Area (you can also visit a Salmon farm), Paua (their beautiful green and blue-hued shells are also used as ashtrays and to make jewellery), Mussels, Scallops, Oysters from Bluff and Kina (Sea Urchins). The list goes on!
That doesnât mean they donât relish vegetables and fruits. In fact, we had some lip-smacking vegetarian food in NZ. Vegetables like Kumara and the fresh raspberries we purchased from Geraldine deserve a shout out. Yummy! Take me back, please!
On that note, let me mention the 10 foods that made it to our list of must eat food in New Zealand. Note that I have included some non-vegetarian dishes I couldnât try but would have absolutely loved to, had I been travelling with a fellow non-vegetarian. Also, the items mentioned in the list are in no particular order.
1. Hangi
First on the list, is THE traditional food of New Zealand – a Maori preparation of meat (fish, chicken, lamb, pork) and vegetables (kumara, potato, pumpkin, cabbage etc.) cooked underground in pits with heated rocks. The food is covered with a wet cloth (aluminium foil in the modern era), placed in baskets in a pit, covered with earth and left there for three to four hours. The result is tender meat that falls of the bone and vegetables with a smoky flavour- relished by many!
Try this in Rotorua, known for its concentration of Maori culture and geothermal hotspots, after watching the Haka at one of the many Maori centres or villages- Te Puia, Tamaki Maori Village, Mitai Maori Village.
2. Kiwi Burger
The burgers in New Zealand are to die for, especially the vegetarian/eggetarian ones. Yes, you read that right! There wasnât a single restaurant in New Zealand where we did not enjoy the burger, and we had so many of them. Try the Kiwi burger. No, it doesnât have kiwis in it; that would be weird! It has beetroot and fried egg with a patty of your choice.
Burgers at Our Dog Friday in Tekapo were delish. However, Fergburger in Queenstown is world-famous. To locate Fergburger, you donât need to refer to maps or ask people. Just walk around the Queenstown CBD and look for the queue. Read the complete list of the best burgers in New Zealand here.
3. Fish and chips
Fish and chips, a traditional English dish, is a much-loved one in New Zealand. An obvious British influence in this Commonwealth country made popular due to the abundance of fish. I donât think there is any particular place to try fish and chips. Have it at any coastal town in New Zealand.
I tried it at a small restaurant, Pour House, in the beachside village of Hahei and was amazed at this deep-fried yet light fish that just melted in the mouth. It was served with a side of sweet potato chips. Yum! You can even try this at Coopers Catch in Kaikoura!
4. Pies
Savoury pies are standard Kiwi takeaway lunch. You will find a variety of flavours ranging from mince and cheese to bacon and egg. They also have savoury vegetarian and sweet fruit ones. Kiwis are so into their pies they even have an award every year. To know the winners and where to eat mouth-watering creamy pies, click here. If you canât visit the places mentioned in the list, donât fret! You can find delicious ones at bakeries, gas stations and department stores throughout the country.
5. Kumara
Kumara is the New Zealand sweet potato. I canât describe why it is so special, it just is. Maybe you can try it and tell me. I donât think New Zealand will give you an opportunity to miss eating this vegetable. You will probably be served Kumara fries as a side with burgers and fish ‘n’ chips. The best way to eat this would be in Hangi as Maoris were the ones who brought this vegetable to New Zealand.
We loved eating kumaras with our Mediterranean Bowls at Big Fig. For snacking on the road, be sure to buy kumara chips. We enjoyed eating the chips so much that we brought a few packets home.
6. Crayfish
Crayfish aka âRock Lobsterâ is a New Zealand food you shouldn’t miss, albeit not the most economical- a full crayfish will cost you about NZD 70-80. Donât mistake it for a regular lobster; it tastes different is what I have heard!
In the Maori language ‘kai’ means food, ‘kĆura’ means crayfish, making Kaikoura the most obvious choice of a place âto eat crayfishâ. Nins Bin, a little caravan shack overlooking the ocean, is quite famous and also unmissable when walking the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway toward Point Kean Car Park.
7. Whitebait
Come West Coast in South Island, you will start seeing a new item in the breakfast section – Whitebait omelette. Whitebaits are small immature fishes about 1-2 inches long usually served as fritters. Fritters can be of two types- the omelette type and the crunchy deep-fried type. It is considered a sin to not have these delicately flavoured fish when in the area.
Read up for the places to eat whitebait fritters on the West Coast.
8. Pavlova
The Pavlova is a meringue-based dish, crispy on the outside and marshmallowy soft on the inside with a subtle sweetness. It is served with kiwis and other fresh fruits, cream or ice cream. Childrenâs birthday cakes are often Pavlovas in New Zealand!
It is a dish inspired by the tutu of a Russian Ballerina, Anna Pavlova, who toured New Zealand and Australia in 1926. Aussies and Kiwis are since at loggerheads as to which country it was that introduced the Pavlova to the world.
We ordered it without knowing what it was, and henceforth, kept ordering it wherever it was available. The best one we had was at Alice May in Franz Josef, served with Hokey Pokey Ice-Cream.
9. Manuka Honey
Manuka honey, a type of honey native to New Zealand, is produced by bees who pollinate the Manuka Plant. It is thicker, darker, less sweet, more aromatic and more flavourful than regular honey. It is known for its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Higher the UMF (Unique Manuka factor) on the package, higher the potency of the honey, and higher the price. Ideally, go for something between 10-18 UMF to balance price and potency. Buy this for folks back home as it is highly sought after. If they donât enjoy the taste, they will surely enjoy the topical application benefits. It is a win-win! Manuka honey can be found throughout New Zealand at department stores and souvenir outlets.
10. Hokey Pokey Ice-Cream
Hokey Pokey is vanilla-flavoured ice cream with small lumps of honeycomb toffee. It is so popular in NZ that you can get it at any creamery throughout the country. Try this at Giapo in Auckland, Black Peak in Wanaka, or Patagonia in Queenstown. If you arenât a fan of honey, try any ice cream at the above-mentioned ice cream parlours. My mouth is watering just thinking about the rich and creamy ice-creams I had in New Zealand!
That brings us to the end of the New Zealand food list. Remember to wash your food down with a glass of wine (wine is available in plenty and is relatively cheap in NZ) or with the non-alcoholic Kiwi favourite Lemon and Paeroa (L&P).
Do try and let me know what you think about New Zealand Cuisine. Drop in your favourites New Zealand foods in the comments. If you are thinking of going to New Zealand, be sure to check out our blog posts on planning a trip to New Zealand including detailed itineraries and travel inspiration.
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