City: New Zealand
Top Things to do in New Zealand
Top Hotels in New Zealand
- 1. Kamana Lakehouse
- 2. Fable Auckland, MGallery
- 3. Cordis, Auckland by Langham Hospitality Group
- 4. Sudima Christchurch City
- 5. Rydges Wellington Airport
- 6. Aoraki Court Aoraki/Mt Cook Village
- 7. Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel
- 8. Auto Lodge Motor Inn
- 9. Rainforest Retreat
- 10. Sojourn Apartment Hotel
What to do and see in New Zealand, New Zealand: The Best Food & Drink
New Zealand (/njuːˈziːlənd/ ( listen); Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui), and the South Island (Te Waipounamu)—and around 600 smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland.
Restaurants in New Zealand
1. Brookfields Vineyards
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 83 reviews
Reviewed By 829melvinl - Napier, New Zealand
Sharon is a great host, this is the absolutely best wine tasting experience I have had and probably will be for ever! Excellent wines to take home after to relive the experience!
2. Bushmere Estate
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 79 reviews
Reviewed By BexMay_12 - Wellington, New Zealand
Came for lunch and a wine tasting and wow! Pork belly was amazing, wine was fabulous and service was great! Brought two bottles to enjoy at home. A must stop winery in Gisborne!
3. Poppies Martinborough
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 190 reviews
Poppies Martinborough is the tasting room cellar door for our wines we serve a simple but beautiful vineyard platter for lunch that we believe will enhance our wines
Reviewed By fionah108
Poppy and the staff were most welcoming. Our platter was the perfect lunch to have with our chosen wine
4. Volcanic Hills Winery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 602 reviews
Rotorua has a unique wine experience in its tourism repertoire with Volcanic Hills Winery. The winery where we make the wine is at the base of Skyline Rotorua, however you will need to take the Skyline Gondola up to the Volcanic Hills Tasting Room. Currently only open Friday and Saturdays from 12pm to 6pm and Sundays from noon until 5pm. Do arrive at the gondola terminal an hour before closing to ensure you have time to enjoy the Gondola ride and your tasting before we close. Come up and drink the view overlooking Lake Rotorua. Please note we are closed Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday each year. We open at 1pm on 25th April each year.
Reviewed By 55esthed
What an amazing experience with friends! We noticed the spectacular view at Volcanic Hills Winery while browsing at the gift shop and could not resist the lure of an unplanned wine tasting. Great selection of wines and between Brent, Johnny and Georgia we were well taken care of. We were entertained by an unexpected tiki tour of New Zealand's best vine growing spots and funny facts about kiwi culture in general. Highly recommend the Tawny Port. Perfect place to spend an afternoon with friends and I can guarantee we will be back.
5. Weaver Estate Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 29 reviews
We are a small family vineyard, winery and cellar door. We also provide guest accommodation on site in our two self contained guest cottages. Open from 11am - 5pm Wednesday - Sunday between September and April, outside of these hours by appointment.
Reviewed By KC_Melbourne - Melbourne, Australia
Near new cottage which sleeps up to five (2 bedrooms with queen bed each, camp bed in lounge).Beautiful views all around, short drive to town. The family Border Collier Maddy greeted us as our car drove in. The cottage is very well equipped, with dishwasher, induction cooktop,laundry and cloth drying rack.The fridge has bread, milk, yoghurt for our breakfast. They provide packets of cereal, jam, peanut butter, honey, Marmite. I have travelled around the world but i must say i am very impressed with Weavers estate wine's cottage. I hope the owners will get as lot of bookings and build more cottages.
6. Grey Ridge Vineyard
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 48 reviews
Grey Ridge is a boutique vineyard in Alexandra, Central Otago, with the most amazing views across the vineyard to the mountains beyond. At Grey Ridge we offer free and relaxed Wine Tasting from the Cellar Door, along with wine by the glass and platters. The vineyard has only Pinot Noir vines, from which we make four different wines: a White Pinot Noir, a Pinot Rosé, and two Pinot Noir. They are all "Single Vineyard" wines, made from hand tended and hand picked grapes. Our accommodation in our Grey Ridge Vineyard Suite, or Orchard Studio, is spacious and completely private, and you are free to explore the gardens, terraces and the vineyard. When you stay with us your package includes a private vineyard tour with the owner, followed by a private wine tasting and a delicious breakfast the next day. If you would like to join your hosts for a casual home-cooked dinner, (with wine of course) so that you can relax rather than leave the vineyard again, be sure to book that option in advance.
Reviewed By markmarChristchurch - Christchurch, New Zealand
Very welcoming and a fantastic set up. We enjoyed a thoroughly wonderful tasting with Sue and Paul and followed that with a great platter (and yes another glass of wine!!). Great story of the way they came to own the vineyard, and the challenges and successes they have had over the last 5 years. We heard about the cultivation, the winemaker in Alexandra, and the 5 wines they had to share (all 100% Pinot Noir), including a white wine!! Not the normal commercial wine tasting but a glimpse at a boutique operation with friendly, engaging and passionate owners. One of the highlights of our trip.
7. Matawhero Wines
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 68 reviews
Only a 10 minute drive south of Gisborne city on SH2, the Matawhero Cellar Door faithfully portrays the history of our winery. Come and enjoy gourmet platters and wine tasting nestled amongst the vines and olive trees or enjoy a game of petonque. A highlight to our cellar door is to explore the underground cellar which is home to many older vintage Matawhero wines, as well as other iconic New Zealand wine producers.
Reviewed By bianca5699 - Tauranga, New Zealand
A lovely setting for lunch and wine tasting with outdoor seating under trees and indoor in a unique cottage. Wines were all good too. Service was friendly but there were no one to one explanations which you get with most wine tasting trips. However we preferred this and were given full written info to read at our leisure. We didn’t try the platters so not sure what they were like but the place was busy and the food we saw looked good.
8. Chard Farm Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 316 reviews
Specialising in Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer. Cellar Door Open for tastings 10am - 5pm weekdays and 11am - 5pm on weekends
Reviewed By Dawnnapa
I saw the reviews for Chard farm, yesterday, the day before we were leaving Queenstown. So, quickly made a call to find out if they were open, it being Easter Monday. This was the best wine tasting I’ve ever experienced. Pauline, our host, was a hoot! She was so funny and she knew her wines. The views on our way there, were so beautiful. Well worth the 1.5km unsealed road, to get there. 10 out of 10!
9. Gibbston Valley Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 712 reviews
As pioneers of the Central Otago wine region, Gibbston Valley Winery has been handcrafting premium wines for more than three decades. Located about 25 minutes from Queenstown, the winery is home to a bistro-style restaurant, tasting room, bike centre, the country's largest wine cave and a luxury Lodge & Spa, offering a range of ways for guests to experience everything that the Central Otago wine region has to offer. Learn some fun facts on our daily Cave and Winery tours or stop in for an exquisite lunch at the winery restaurant. Wine tasting is available at Cellar Door where you can taste our award-winning Pinots and other varietals. At the bike centre, you can hire a bike, book a package and get access to some of the top trails in Queenstown. Return transportation from Queenstown is available on winery's daily shuttle service. To upgrade your experience, stay at Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa and we're here to help you create stories that you will carry with you for a lifetime.
Reviewed By Changi11 - Auckland Central, New Zealand
Great wine tasting, my favourite was the rose.. ????lovely and warm inside which is great in winter, staff very knowledgeable about the wines
10. Pegasus Bay Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 227 reviews
Pegasus Bay is a family owned and operated winery in North Canterbury’s Waipara Valley. The unique setting operates as a premium events venue. The winery cellar door is open Saturday and Sunday
Reviewed By AllanJGJ - Wellington, New Zealand
It's been some years since we visited any of the North Canterbury wineries and weren't sure what to expect when we booked for a wine tasting and lunch here - and I have to say we were mightily impressed. A rustic building in an attractive setting with beautiful gardens added to excellent wines and a quite superb lunch sitting in the sun. The food was a genuine surprise; an interesting menu with quality fresh ingredients superbly cooked and beautifully presented. We enjoyed our dishes of fish, duck breast and wagyu beed plus some lovely desserts. Clearly a quality chef in the kitchen. And our server, a pleasant, professional and friendly lad from Canada was another plus. A great experience all round. Highly recommended.
