Bob Appleton owns Hog Heaven in Newmarket, a restaurant offering Southern barbecue fare with a decor inspired by the South in the United States.
This includes the old Confederate states flag, regarded by some as part of their heritage and by others as a reminder of a violent, racist chapter of the country's history.
Complaints about the hanging of the controversial flag at Hog Heaven have appeared on review website TripAdvisor.
"Overall would be a great atmosphere, except for the new Confederate flags all over the place," reads a review posted in January.
"It's like having an authentic German place and posting up a few swatsikas just as part of the decor. Obviously no malice intended, but still just unwelcoming depending on where you come from."
The reviewer said they asked Mr Appleton at the time to take the flags down but he said he would not because "that was all a long time ago ... It's only part of the theme".
The flag has been the topic of hot debate in the US this week after nine black members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston, South Carolina, were killed by gunman Dylann Roof (21) in a racially motivated act of domestic terrorism on June 17.
Following the shooting, the Confederate flag was removed from outside the South Carolina state capitol grounds due to public demand.
Flags were also removed from official sites in Alabama following the shooting, and even conservative Republican politician Mitt Romney, who ran unsuccessfully for president in the last election, supported the flag's removal.
Apple has said it will not host games featuring the Confederate flag, and the Duke's of Hazard car General Lee is being discontinued by Warner Brothers Consumer Products as merchandise for the popular 1970s show because of the flag pattern on its roof.
However, Mr Appleton said he would not do the same in his restaurant, because "It's part of the theme, we're not into politics or slavery or anything else".
The flags would not come down, he said, even if someone was offended by their presence.
"We are not in the USA, we are in New Zealand, in Auckland."
Mr Appleton said he was "very aware" of the incident in Charleston, but said that did not change his mind about the flags.
"It's totally my business and nobody else's - the flags are purely a decoration."
