Queenstown’s Essence restaurant has been named restaurant of the year at the Cuisine Good Food Awards 2026 and 12 other Otago restaurants have been awarded “hats”. In June, Essence became the only restaurant in New Zealand to be awarded two Michelin stars and at Monday night’s Cuisine awards in Auckland it was awarded “three hat” status, placing it among the country’s best dining experiences. To achieve that status, restaurants are recognised as “outstanding, world-class dining destinations at the highest level of the Cuisine hat rating system”. Essence was the only South Island restaurant to have been awarded three hats this year — the others are Auckland’s Ahi, Cocoro, Paris Butter and Tala, and Havelock North’s Craggy Range Restaurant. Wānaka’s Arc restaurant was named regional restaurant of the year, while Queenstown chef Pier Italiano, of Toast & Oak, won the rising talent award. Cuisine owner and editor Kelli Brett said at a time international attention was turning towards New Zealand dining, the annual industry celebration had never felt more important. “Michelin’s arrival has shone a welcome spotlight in restaurants in four of our cities, but Aotearoa’s food story stretches much, much further than that. “Exceptional hospitality exists throughout all of our regions and small towns, delivering outstanding New Zealand flavour that has become part of the reason to travel there in the first place. “Our Cuisine New Zealand Good Food Guide recognises excellence wherever we find it and helps you discover the people and places making eating and drinking in this country so exciting right now.” Other Otago restaurants awarded hats were: Two hats Aosta, Arrowtown; Kika, Wānaka; Sherwood, Queenstown; Toast & Oak, Queenstown. One hat Arc, Wānaka; Cucina, Oamaru; No 7 Balmac, Dunedin; Botswana Butchery, Queenstown; Cardrona Distillery, Cardrona; Fino Wine Bar, Queenstown; Jervois Steak House, Queenstown; Pavillion Bar and Kitchens, Queenstown. The judges also noted that some notable restaurants that may have appeared to be missed out were not overlooked, rather were going through changes that made them ineligible to be assessed. These included Moiety in Dunedin, which had signalled closing; and Rātā and Amisfield in Queenstown which went through chef changes during the assessment period, making them ineligible. — Allied Media
