Fresh, varied and influenced by natural local ingredients – the food in New Zealand is exciting and full of flavour. Enjoying a delicious meal and a glass of wine in a stunning setting can be one of the best memories of your New Zealand trip.
From crayfish to roast lamb to gourmet burgers, New Zealand’s dining scene has gone through a renaissance in recent years, there are so many delectable dishes to enjoy.
But of course, you want to know how much it costs to eat out here in New Zealand too so in this article we’ll introduce dining in New Zealand and give you an idea of how much it costs.
Kia Ora, we’re MoaTrek, we’ve been running small group tours all over New Zealand since 1971 so we’re just the right people to talk to about food and wine in New Zealand.
Here’s our handy guide to the cost of eating out in New Zealand, plus some of our favourite restaurant recommendations.
Contents
- How much does eating out in New Zealand cost?
- Overview: Dining costs in New Zealand
- Our favourite restaurants in Auckland
- Our favourite restaurants in Rotorua
- Our favourite restaurants in Wellington
- Our favourite restaurants in Queenstown
- Our favourite restaurants in Christchurch
- Food & Wine on your MoaTrek tour
Is dining out expensive in New Zealand? What kind of prices can you expect?
Dining in restaurants can be one of the big expenses of your trip to New Zealand, but when you compare it to the costs of dining in the UK, Australia or the USA it is not that much different.
Some prices might be slightly higher, but that is bound to happen when you consider the small population here and the fact that anything that isn’t grown locally has to be shipped to this remote island on the bottom of the world.
Also, although you will be paying slightly more to dine here – the quality of New Zealand restaurants is generally quite high.
There are many establishments that are focused on making their high quality local ingredients really shine. In addition to a thriving food scene, there is also a strong cafe culture which means that you can find excellent coffee no matter where you go. Eating in New Zealand is truly a treat.
How much does eating out in New Zealand cost?
The prices of food in restaurants in New Zealand will vary from place to place. Per person, you can expect to pay anywhere between NZ$25 – NZ$35 (USD $14-$20) for breakfast in a restaurant and around $NZ50 – $NZ80 (USD $29 – $45) for dinner, plus drinks.
The cost of lunch will be somewhere in between, but if you are eating in a more high end establishment it can cost as much as dinner.
You can find more reasonably priced meals if you check out some of the great international cuisine here, such as Korean, Chinese and Japanese (sushi is surprisingly affordable).
There are also several common fast-food chains, such as Burger King or McDonalds, Subway as well as the famous New Zealand fish and chip shops.
New Zealand dining costs at a glance
Here’s a quick summary of how much different meal types will cost in New Zealand.
Fast Food: NZD $10 – $20 per meal (USD $6 – $12)
Casual Dining: NZD $25 – $40 per meal (USD $14 – $23)
Fine Dining: NZD $40 – $80 (USD $23 – $45) per main course. A three course meal for two people would be NZD $150 – $200 (USD $85 – $115), excluding drinks.
Dining costs will differ depending which part of New Zealand you travel to. Restaurants in the Auckland CBD or Queenstown will be more expensive than places in small towns in the South Island like Hokitika.
All in all, you’ll find the cost of eating out in New Zealand to be similar to, or slightly higher than, what you’d pay in the USA, Australia, and the UK.
One thing’s for sure, the memories you’ll share over meals with friends and family while you’re travelling in New Zealand will be some of the highlights of your trip.
So read on to find out our favourite restaurants in some of the places we visit.
Our favourite restaurants in Auckland
As our biggest city, and the first stop for many people on their trip to New Zealand, there are so many great restaurants, cafes and food experiences to discover.
Many of Auckland’s best restaurants are within walking distance of the central city. Particular areas to try are Viaduct Harbour, the newer Wynard Quarter and Ponsonby Road, just to name a few.
When we’re staying in Auckland on our tours we always recommend our travellers enjoy an evening walk to the Viaduct, Wynyard Quarter or Britomart areas to try one of the many great eateries available.
| Restaurant | Why we love it |
|---|---|
| Best Overall: Soul Bar | Food lovers in Auckland adore the setting, atmosphere and cuisine at Amano. It’s the place we always take friends when they’re visiting! |
| Best Fusion: The Pantry | Nestled in the Hyatt Hotel in the lively Viaduct, the views add to the experience. The Pantry presents a contemporary blend of New Zealand and East Asian cuisine. |
| Best Value: Cafe Hanoi | The menu showcases affordable street-inspired Vietnamese dishes served in a stylish and sophisticated setting, which significantly contributes to its remarkable popularity. |
| Best International: Alma | Nestled within Britomart, a recently added Spanish eatery has great character, featuring a warm interior and a menu influenced by Andalusian cuisine and local ingredients, resulting in a unique and inviting dining experience. |
Our favourite restaurants in Rotorua
When you visit Rotorua, if you’re anything like us, you’ll be busy doing things all day so we just love “Eat Street”, Rotorua’s newest dining precinct. Just minutes walk from the lakefront, you’ll find a collection of the best restaurants in town all under one roof offering plenty of variety.
| Restaurant | Why we love it |
|---|---|
| Best Overall: Atticus Finch | Right in "Eat Street", fantastic tapas style dishes with global influences. Sharing style family dining. |
| Best Fine Dining: Regent Room | "Pacific Fusion", sharing platters, tapas style in a beautiful setting. For a treat. |
| Best Value: Urbano Bistro | Experience a seamless blend of flavors in a spacious and inviting setting, where innovative cuisine crafted from premium New Zealand ingredients shines, catering to breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks. |
Eat Street is literally right across the road from our accommodation in Rotorua and with two nights there we usually find ourselves enjoying a meal with our travellers here, it’s a great place to share a memory after a fun day exploring and experiencing Rotorua’s wonders.
Our favourite restaurants in Wellington
The dining scene in Wellington is going from strength to strength, they’re now home to festivals like “Eat Wellington” and “Beervana”, which tells you something.
If you happen to be visiting when these events are on don’t miss out. The great thing about Wellington is that all the best restaurants are really close, right around the Courtney Place and waterfont areas.
| Restaurant | Why we love it |
|---|---|
| Best Overall: Floriditas | Known as “Flo’s” by locals, this is a culinary standout located in Wellington’s eclectic Cuba Street. Offering globally inspired dishes using fresh Kiwi produce with excellent service. |
| Best Fusion: Chow | Another Wellington institution offering fresh Asian cuisine in a modern setting. Have a drink in the Library bar next door, then one of their cocktails with your noodles. Great for a group of friends. |
| Best Seafood: Shed 5 | Indulge in a dining experience where the finest New Zealand seafood takes center stage. Located in an old wharf store on the waterfront, the setting matches the cuisine. |
When we stay in Wellington, travellers always tell us how much fun they’ve had walking and discovering the city’s best restaurants and cafes.
Our favourite restaurants in Queenstown
With Queenstown’s reputation as a visitor favourite, you’d expect to find all kinds of great dining options and you won’t be disappointed.
Hosting international visitors for many years has given birth to a truely global cuisine scene, in such a small area. Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Italian as well as the latest modern Kiwi dining.
Just like with activities, you’re spoilt for dining choice here in Queenstown.
| Restaurant | Why we love it |
|---|---|
| Best Overall: Public Kitchen | This lakeside restaurant with a beautiful outdoor terrace is all about serving exceptional local produce from the coast, the surrounding high country or farmed down the road. |
| Best Experience: Rata Restaurant | Discover a contemporary eatery in the heart of Queenstown, surrounded by a native urban forest and historic buildings, offering a menu of balanced and inventive New Zealand cuisine, accompanied by exceptional service, making it a sought-after dining destination. |
| Best International: Tatsumi | The standards for Japanese restaurants in Queenstown are high and Tatsumi is lifting the bar. Fresh New Zealand seafood prepared in Japanese style, combined with famous Japanese service, will make a meal to remember. |
| Best Casual: The Cow | A local favourite for many years, this hidden gem is a Queenstown institution. Freshly made Pizza, open fires and staff you won't forget in a hurry! |
Our favourite restaurants in Christchurch
Located right in the middle of the breadbasket of the nation and as the largest city in the South Island, Christchurch has always punched above its weight in the restaurant game, a lot of our travellers finish their New Zealand trip in Christchurch, so a celebration dinner is called for!| Restaurant | Why we love it |
|---|---|
| Best Overall: 27 Steps | One of the most talked about restaurants in Christchurch, this fabulous restaurant in New Regent Street is worth a visit. |
| Best Fusion: King of Snake | Renowned in Christchurch, offering high-quality modern Euro-Asian fusion cuisine in the heart of the city. A unique and exceptional dining experience. |
| Best Experience: Soul Quarter | Enjoy a cozy and inviting dining atmosphere with European and Louisiana-inspired cuisine, featuring local and seasonal ingredients, accompanied by a thoughtfully crafted drinks selection and attentive service. |
Food & wine on your MoaTrek tour
We know how important food is when you’re travelling, and for many of us, a huge part of the pleasure of travelling comes from trying great new food in exotic locations.
When you’re travelling with us you’ll love the home hosted lunches and special dinners at our favourite spots along the way, find out more about the food and wine on our tours here.
If you have any dietary requirements just let us know before you arrive and we’ll help you with that. All the restaurants we visit on our tours can look after any special requests you may have such as vegetarian, vegan or gluten free requirements. Just let us know in your booking information and we’ll take care of it for you.
If you’d like to find out more about the wonderful food and wine experiences included in our small group tours, get in touch now and one of our friendly team would be happy to help.
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