New Zealand's 'Pacific Rim' cuisine style is inspired by Europe, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Polynesia, Japan and Vietnam. This unique blend of influences has created a mouthwatering range of flavours and food available from cafes and restaurants around the country.

For dishes that have a distinctly New Zealand style, look out for:

• meat - lamb, pork and venison
• seafood - salmon, crayfish, Bluff oysters, paua (abalone), mussels and scallops
• vegetables - kumara (sweet potato)
• fruit - kiwi fruit and tamarillo
• dessert - pavlova, our national dessert, made from meringue with fresh whipped cream and topped with fresh fruit or berries.

 

Kiwis like to eat out informally in cafés and bars. It fits with our more casual lifestyle. You’ll find there’s a wide variety of international cuisines available. Asian cuisine is particularly popular and there are currently more than 900 Asian restaurants throughout New Zealand.

 

And there’s plenty of inexpensive fast food you can buy too – McDonalds, KFC, Burger King and our local ‘fish and chips’.

 

You can buy wine and beer at most supermarkets, restaurants and cafes.  But remember that you must be over 18 to buy or drink alcohol.