We dined at three of the newly announced one Michelin Star restaurants in New Zealand in 2026. Out of them, two of the places had already been a must-visit for us over the past years. We will take you on our dining journey at Ahi, Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant, Rātā, as well as a few more honorable mentions! See what we think about them and our favourite dishes.
Discovery Journey
Dear Travellers,
Just a few months before the announcement of New Zealand’s 2026 Michelin Guide that covers Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, we happened to dine at three of the now one-Michelin-star restaurants, two in Auckland and one in Queenstown. All three were discovered by chance a few years prior, as these restaurants were already quite popular well before the award.
We will share how we personally felt about our experiences at the Michelin-starred restaurants we tried during our stays in New Zealand. When it comes to food, taste and preferences, we understand that things are subjective; therefore, what we are talking about when it comes to these aspects is the “us” and not in any way trying to claim that it is what the restaurant is or not, unless it is mentioned otherwise.
Quick Navigation:
Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant
Waiheke Island, Church Bay Road, Oneroa
A dining experience in a vineyard on Waiheke Island. A spot perfect for a special occasion with exceptional wine and delectable food.
We discovered this restaurant while hovering around Google Maps for a place to visit during a short weekend spent on Waiheke. After our first visit, we have dined at the restaurant three times over the past few years, the latest being a few months before this article, including at the Bistro next to the restaurant, which was equally good, taste-wise. Visit our itinerary for Waiheke Island if you are planning a vacation there.
The Experience
The restaurant was one of the most impressive and memorable experiences, partly because of its scenic location, which undoubtedly makes it the reason for us to visit Waiheke Island. To go with that is, of course, their own wine, Mudbrick, a locally grown wine on the island of Waiheke.
Romantic is what Mudbrick describes themselves as, and honestly, it is hard to deny; we second them that the word best describes the setting and experience is romantic. Sunset hour in the summer, when the temperature is just right, gazing at the scenery of the island from the seat beside the open doors is the peak of such a romantic experience.
Atop the hill behind the restaurant is perhaps one of the most beautiful sunsets we have witnessed, and Auckland city can be seen in the distance from there.
To further support the romanticism side, Mudbrick Vineyard is also a venue for weddings.
On the menu
Lamb, pork, fish, beef, venison, etc., a choice of a variety of proteins. Every dish has a wine pairing suggestion from their own wine selections, most from the more recent vintages.
We find the three-course lunch to be the perfect amount of food for us, with any additional order from the à la carte menu that you would like to try.
Also, being on Waiheke, where oysters are one of the highlights, the market oysters are what we would recommend you go for.
Taste Profile
One we would describe, for lack of a better word, as balanced, and overall more straightforward. A taste you would expect the food to taste like when you look at it. An analogy that may sound simple, but we found that the taste is best matched to our likings, well-balanced, well-seasoned, and well-structured; it is what you wish the food would taste like.
Our Favourite Dishes
- Market Oysters
- Confit Pork Belly
- New Zealand Lamb Rump
- Lake Ohau Wagyu Short Rib
- Dark Chocolate Espresso
Ahi.
Commercial Bay, Auckland CBD, Queen’s Street
The closest on this list to experiencing the whole of Māori essence in food from locally sourced, New Zealand’s proud seasonal ingredients and vegetables grown on their own farm, put together by chef Ben Bayly.
We first visited Ahi in May 2023, when we were impressed by the food there, making it quickly become one of our go-to restaurants whenever we have the chance and the occasion. We have dined at the restaurant three times over the past few years, the latest being early 2026, not too long before they were awarded a Michelin star.
During our visit to Auckland, we stayed at InterContinental Auckland, which is right on top of the same building the restaurant is located in.
The Experience
The ambience of the restaurant is not what we would describe as uptight, but a more casual dining area in a semi-open-air setting lit by natural light, looking out at the view of the downtown ferry terminal. A more upscale casual setting might be the word we would use.
On the menu
The main ingredients used in every dish served at Ahi have their origin listed, telling you how far away it had travelled before reaching the kitchen, a detail that gives you a sense of connection to the local ingredients.
Taste Profile
The taste of food at Ahi: we found savoury dishes to be more towards the robust side, one that would impact the palate strongly, and a richer profile in general. The main ingredients are well-highlighted; however, the style of flavour of the restaurant also stands out just as much. From the restaurants featured in this article, we would say their character is the most noticeable.
Our Favourite Dishes
- Wild Goat tart
- Hamana (King Salmon)
Rātā Restaurant
Queenstown, Ballarat Street
We discovered this place while spending the New Year of 2026 in Queenstown, and it was a choice we would never regret. The restaurant was already a well-reknowed award winning establishment in the town and was fully booked on the day we went, for the obvious reason that we quickly came to the realization after trying their food.
The Experience
The food you expect from a well-curated fine dining quality restaurant, but an experience that felt as if it were a casual dining experience shared with friends and family, which is what makes the food even more enjoyable for us. Needless to say, we felt the “warmth” of their dining room–mentioned on their website–during our visit.
Great service duration from our experience, even when the restaurant was full.
On the menu
One that you would not really know what to expect from reading the menu alone. In spirit, they are grounded in where they are and what they are, the South Island of New Zealand, and source their ingredient mainly from local produce.
Taste Profile
We would describe the taste of some dishes, out of the three, one Michelin star in this article, as leaning more towards the experimental and bold mix of flavour side, but also not overtly so; they still retain the aspect of being able to be easily enjoyed by most.
Our Favourite Dishes
- Vintage Cheddar Donut (We ordered 4 servings of this after trying the first one.)
- Southland Venison
- Zenkuro Sake Kasu Ice Cream Sandwich
Honorable Mentions
The Terrace Restaurant by ROKI Collection
Queenstown, Brunswick Street
A name that might be a little familiar if you have read about the restaurants on the Michelin Guide in New Zealand. The Terrace by Roki is run by chef Paul Froggatt, the same man who led Essence Restaurant by Roki, which was the only restaurant in the country that was awarded two-michelin stars this year.
Different from the Essence, which served fine-dining tasting menus, the Terrace serves an à la carte experience fueled by Chef Paul Fraggatt’s love of fishing.
The setting of the restaurant is what attracted us to it in the first place, a stylishly decorated interior looking over a gorgeous view of Lake Wakatipu. This place is undoubtedly one of the most scenic restaurants in Queenstown, and it was the place we chose to celebrate our first meal of 2026 during lunch hour.
As one would expect from the look of the place and the hotel it is located in, be aware of the price.
Advieh
Queen Street, Auckland CBD
A restaurant that appeared in the 2026 New Zealand Michelin Guide, one we tried during our stay at the Intercontinental Auckland, and is also the venue for the hotel’s breakfast.
The restaurant offers the taste of the Middle Eastern, adding depth with spices. We would recommend this place to those staying at the InterContinental Auckland, especially if the hotel’s credit is included in the room package.
If you are curious about the question of “If we were to choose one of these Michelin-starred restaurants, which one would it be?”
We would say there is no answer. Choose the location most convenient to you or a place that is on your plan already. Choose the style of food the restaurant serves. If you like the picture, you go with it. Choose the setting if you want to dine for the occasion. If the restaurant looks good to you, then that is probably the best place for you. All three of the one-Michelin-starred restaurants on this list are what we can recommend you try.
Since taste is a subjective matter, what all the awards and stars confirm is the credibility and standard to a certain level. Whether you will like the food, no one can answer. For us, we discovered these places by simply looking for a place to eat when we were in the area, and a handful of them turned out to be featured on the 2026 Michelin Guide a few months later, with three being one-star.
Look around the place you are going to, read some reviews, and just go for it, rather than always specifically going to a place because you want to eat at a specific restaurant, and you would be surprised at how many great places there are around the country. Many times, we found that going to a place without having high expectations often returns more satisfaction.
We hope you will enjoy,
Travel Tegami