The Country's Best Restaurants Have Been Named

A fine dining restaurant in a weathered beach bungalow has been awarded the highest honour at this year's New Zealand Cuisine Good Food Awards. The awards identify and celebrate the very best dining experiences the country has to offer.

Napier's Pacifica took the top accolade of Restaurant of the Year for 2017. The restaurant run by Chef Jeremy Rameka is renowned for its unique Kiwi cuisine that shines across a five-course degustation experience. Rather than crisp white table cloths and fine cutlery typically associated with the fine dining format, Pacifica offers "Michelin quality food in a relaxed Pacific-style atmosphere". The restaurant was also given the ranking of two 'hats'.

The sought-after Chef of the Year award went to Ed Verner from Auckland's Pasture. The core ethos of the Parnell restaurant is nature-inspired eating which Verner highlights with local and foraged ingredients through a six-course tasting menu. The restaurant also claimed Best Drinks List for its pairing menu that includes handmade juices, infusions, natural ferments and extractions.

Further high points of the presentation include: Fleur Sullivan of Moeraki's much-loved Fleurs Place being honoured as a "Food Legend", Christchurch restaurant and living wine bar Gatherings picking up Best New Metropolitan Restaurant, and K' Road's Apero receiving Best Metropolitan Restaurant.

The winners, and those awarded one, two or three 'hats', were drawn from ​Cuisine​'s list of New Zealand's top 100 restaurants. See the full list of winners below.

CUISINE NEW ZEALAND GOOD FOOD AWARDS 2017

Food Legend Award: ​Fleur Sullivan, Fleurs Place, Moeraki
Restaurant Of The Year:​ Pacifica
Chef Of The Year: ​Ed Verner, Pasture
Best Metropolitan Restaurant: ​Apero
Best New Metropolitan Restaurant:​ Gatherings
Best Regional Restaurant:​ Bistronomy
Best New Regional Restaurant:​ Malo
Best Specialist Restaurant: ​Cassia
Best Casual Dining Restaurant:​ Ababa
Restaurant Personality Of The Year:​ Liz Buttimore, Arbour
Innovation Award:​ Vaughan Mabee, Amisfield
Best Winery Restaurant:​ Black Estate
Best Drinks List:​ Pasture
Best Wine Experience:​ Noble Rot

More information can be found at: www.cuisinegoodfoodawards.co.nz/