It’s an exciting time to be eating out in New Zealand, as evidenced by the Top 50 finalists in this year’s Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards.
In a departure from previous years, Cuisine magazine has hand-picked its Top 50 rather than taken entries, and the magazine’s editor, Sarah Nicholson, says the number of first-time finalists on the list is an indication of how strong the country’s restaurant scene has become.
“The Top 50 finalists are a good-news story for our country’s dining scene; our judges have been hugely impressed by the standard of restaurants in both the main centres and regionally.
As we look towards the Rugby World Cup, it’s great to see that there are so many places that can showcase the best of New Zealand food and wine and hold their own on the world stage,” she says.
Now in its seventh year, the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards, proudly supported by Mercedes-Benz, is the only national restaurant competition in New Zealand.
Kerry Tyack, who is regarded as one of the country’s most experienced food and restaurant judges, returns as head judge for the 2011 awards. He says that while compiling the Top 50 was tough, the judging panel was confident that the list represented the best of New Zealand dining, spanning everything from fine-diners to local bistros.
“The Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards continue to highlight great dining throughout the country,” he says. “As well as a number of exciting new finalists in Auckland and Wellington, it’s fantastic to see first-time appearances on the list in Hamilton, Nelson, Canterbury and Otago.”
Two Christchurch restaurants, Pescatore and Edesia, are also included in the Top 50.
Pescatore has previously been a finalist while Edesia is a newcomer to the list.
“We’re thrilled that after all that Christchurch has been through, it still has restaurants of this high standard following the February quake. It’s a testament to the strength of the city’s dining scene and we look forward to the emergence of more top-quality eateries as the city rebuilds,” Nicholson says.
Judges will visit each of the final 50 restaurants anonymously in pairs to select eight category winners.
The categories for the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year 2011 are:
Supreme Winner
Mercedes-Benz Best Smart-Dining Experience – Metropolitan
Vittoria Coffee Best Smart-Dining Experience – Regional
SanPellegrino Best Casual-Dining Experience – Metropolitan
Electrolux Best Casual-Dining Experience – Regional
PLUMM Glassware Best Specialist Restaurant
Whitestone Cheese Best Winery Restaurant
Villa Maria NZ Restaurant Personality of the Year
The following is a list of finalists in the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards
Northland
À Deco
Auckland
Antoine’s Restaurant
Café Hanoi
Cibo
Clooney
Cocoro
Coco’s Cantina
Dallow’s
Harbourside Seafood Bar & Grill
Kitchen at Hotel DeBrett
Merediths
Molten
O’Connell Street Bistro
O’Sarracino
Ponsonby Road Bistro
Sidart
Soul Bar & Bistro
SPQR
The Engine Room
The French Cafe
The Grove
TriBeCa Restaurant & Bar
Two Fifteen Bistro & Wine Bar
Vinnies Restaurant
Waikato/Bay of Plenty
Chim-Choo-Ree
Palate
Hawke’s Bay
Black Barn Bistro
Elephant Hill Estate & Winery
Pacifica
Terrôir at Craggy Range
Wellington
Ambeli
Arbitrageur
Capitol
Hippopotamus
Martin Bosley’s
Ortega Fish Shack & Bar
The Larder
The White House Restaurant
Nelson
Boat Shed Cafe
Boutereys Restaurant & Bar
Hopgood’s Restaurant & Bar
Canterbury
Edesia
Pescatore
Pegasus Bay Winery Restaurant
Central Otago
Amisfield Bistro
Botswana Butchery
Wai Waterfront Restaurant
North Otago
Riverstone Kitchen
Dunedin
Pier 24
Two Chefs Bistro
