The best restaurants in the country as assessed by Cuisine magazine have been narrowed down, with a list of more than 250 restaurants to feature in its 2023/2024 Good Food Guide.
On August 7, the list will be further reduced with 18 category winners and Cuisine Hatted Restaurants named at the Cuisine Good Food Awards. Restaurants deemed the best of the best will receive one, two or three hats, New Zealand’s equivalent of France’s Michelin stars.
“When choosing our restaurants, we are looking for places that have identified their niche and deliver on their promise to their customers,” lead judge Kerry Tyack said.
“We award points for mood, décor and service, but our main focus is food: flavour, technique, innovation and balance.”
Tyack said all restaurants had been assessed by a 40-strong Cuisine Good Food Guide judging panel comprised of food writers and critics, chefs and hospitality-industry professionals.
Co-owner of Mussel Inn in Golden Bay, Jane Dixon has been in the business for more than 30 years and this was her first time on the Food Guide List.
“It’s pretty cool because I have respect for Cuisine. It’s been a great place here, and we’re still trucking along.”
Described as a “Kiwi woolshed/tramping hut meets Aussie farmhouse” the Dixons built the restaurant in 1992 and advertise their food as “simple and wholesome and as much as possible prepared in our own kitchen.”
Nero restaurant in Palmerston North has been on the list previously but Yvette Kennedy who owned the business with husband Scott Kennedy could not remember when that was.
“It’s really nice to get the region acknowledged. We’re going strong here; it’s good to be noticed.”
Mark Louis of Hour Glass in New Plymouth said he was “stoked” and attributed inclusion on the guide for the first time to the effort of his staff.
“We’d love to win but the highlight for us has been the friendships we’ve built with our customers.”
Sam Webb just opened Frank’s Oyster Bar and Eatery in Blenheim in May last year, and it was also his first time on the guide.
“We’re thrilled; it’s nice to have the recognition and be acknowledged, and for others in Marlborough as well.”
Marlborough has a strong showing on the food guide with eight. Others included Arbour, Cloudy Bay Jack’s Raw Bar, Gramado’s, Harvest, The Marlborough, Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen, Sisu and Wairau River Wines Restaurant.
Big centres Auckland (48 with another 46 in the CBD) and Wellington (15 with another 24 in the CBD) dominate the food guide.
The numbers for other regions were: Canterbury 17, Hawke’s Bay 16, Bay of Plenty 11, Nelson-Tasman 6, Manawatū 4, Otago 22, North Otago 2, Northland 9, Ruapehu 1, Southland 1, Taranaki 8, Waikato 7, and Wairarapa 10.
Cuisine editor Kelli Brett said a new “Cuisine Destinations” section had been added to the 2023/2024 guide to allow for a wider focus across regional and metropolitan areas.
“Cuisine Destinations will throw a spotlight on those experiences that you wouldn’t want a visitor to miss.”
The Cuisine Good Food Awards will be held at SkyCity Auckland on August 7 when the 18 category winners will be named, including the prestigious awards for Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year.
Click here to see the full 2023/2024 Good Food Guide list.
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