Eight Bay of Plenty restaurants have received the longest running culinary award in New Zealand, the Beef and Lamb Excellence Award for 2019 after a tough and rigorous assessment process.
Now in their 23rd year, the Excellence Awards recognise the skill, expertise and talent of our greatest chefs and together with the iconic gold plate, signpost to consumers where they can try the pinnacle of beef and lamb.
Chef Peter Gordon has been wowing the folk of London and New Zealand with his remarkable dishes and has travelled the world plying his trade – but rates Kiwi chefs amongst the best in terms of cooking with beef and lamb.
'I have eaten at restaurants around the world and I'm hugely proud of the world-class beef and lamb we have here in New Zealand.
'I put this down to two factors; we have access to these wonderful meats, which are grass-fed and reared outdoors, giving them a delicious texture and flavour.
'But it also comes down to our chefs. They are talented, creative, dedicated, and adventurous – I could go on throwing adjectives at them – but the proof is there for anyone to experience at restaurants up and down the country.”
After an application process that saw over 230 restaurants apply, an army of more than 100 independent, culinary-trained assessors were sent out to ‘mystery shop' the restaurants and return their verdicts on whether the dishes had met the standard to be labelled as a leader of beef and lamb cuisine.
New Zealand is renowned for its world-class beef and lamb by locals and visitors alike. Shaun Clouston, Executive Chef at the Wellington institution Logan Brown, has experienced first hand the pull New Zealand beef and lamb can have on international visitors.
'I once had a customer who saw a lamb dish from Logan Brown featured in a magazine. He then got on a plane from Japan, landed in Auckland and flew straight to Wellington just to have New Zealand lamb.”
'The beef and lamb dishes I have tried by other Kiwi chefs are phenomenal – verses what I've had elsewhere, they are unbelievably good. Just the other day I had probably the best lamb I've ever eaten in my life at a restaurant right here in New Zealand.
'I think what really helps us as chefs is access to fantastic product, this is where it all begins. It's difficult to group all chefs into the same basket but we are all able to draw from the world's best product.”
But for any self-confessed foodie, the proof is in the eating. Anyone keen to experience how good we Kiwis are at cooking with beef and lamb should head to the restaurant directory on nzexcellenceawards.co.nz and try for themselves.
Full Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards 2019 Restaurant List
|
Bay of Plenty |
|
|
Central Park Bar & Kitchen |
Katikati |
|
Latitude 37 |
Mt. Maunganui |
|
Mount Bistro |
Mt. Maunganui |
|
Tay Street Beach Café |
Mt. Maunganui |
|
The Crown & Badger |
Tauranga |
|
Halo Lounge & Dining, Trinity Wharf Tauranga |
Tauranga |
|
Bistro at Falls Retreat |
Waihi |
|
Waihi Beach Hotel |
Waihi Beach |
|
Northland |
|
|
Marsden Estate Winery |
Kerikeri |
|
The Duke of Marlborough Hotel |
Russell |
|
Te Koha Lodge |
Te Ngaere |
|
The Quay Kitchen |
Whangarei |
|
Number 8 Restaurant & Bar |
Whangarei |
|
Auckland |
|
|
Cibo Parnell |
Parnell |
|
Soljans Estate Winery |
Kumeu |
|
Knights on Albert, Stamford Plaza Hotel |
Central Auckland |
|
MASU |
Central Auckland |
|
21 Days Bar & Brasserie |
Browns Bay |
|
Annabelles |
Mission Bay |
|
Giraffe |
Central Auckland |
|
Manly Bar & Grill |
Whangaparaoa |
|
The Square, Novotel Auckland Airport |
Auckland |
|
Mr Toms |
Ponsonby |
|
Queen's Head Bar & Eatery, Four Points by Sheraton |
Central Auckland |
|
Oyster and Chop |
Central Auckland |
|
Vineyard Café, Villa Maria Estate |
South Auckland |
|
Regatta Bar & Eatery |
Takapuna |
|
Jervois Steakhouse |
Herne Bay |
|
Pilkingtons |
Central Auckland |
|
Ampersand Eatery |
Central Auckland |
|
Bracu |
Bombay |
|
Black Cottage Café |
Coatesville |
|
Rothko |
Matakana |
|
Plume Restaurant |
Matakana |
|
Casita Miro |
Waiheke Island |
|
Cable Bay Vineyards |
Waiheke Island |
|
The Archive Bar & Bistro |
Waiheke Island |
|
Tantalus Estate |
Waiheke Island |
|
Coromandel |
|
|
Pepper Tree Restaurant & Bar |
Coromandel Town |
|
Koru at Rapaura |
Thames |
|
Waikato |
|
|
Alpha Street Kitchen & Bar |
Cambridge |
|
Zealong Tea Estate |
Gordonton |
|
Palate Restaurant |
Hamilton |
|
Bluestone Steak House |
Hamilton |
|
Furnace Restaurant & Bar |
Hamilton |
|
Smith & McKenzie Steakhouse |
Hamilton |
|
The Redoubt Bar & Eatery |
Matamata |
|
The Wooden Farmer Restaurant |
Putaruru |
|
Fahrenheit Restaurant & Bar |
Te Awamutu |
|
Huhu Café |
Waitomo |
|
Rotorua |
|
|
Dukes Restaurant, Princes Gate Hotel |
Rotorua |
|
Stolen Bike Café |
Rotorua |
|
Mokoia Restaurant, Waiora Lakeside Spa Resort |
Rotorua |
|
Regent of Rotorua Restaurant & Wine Bar |
Rotorua |
|
Taupo/National Park |
|
|
Ruapehu Room, The Chateau |
National Park |
|
Victoria's Café Kitchen Bar |
Taupo |
|
Edgewater Restaurant, Millennium Hotel & Resort Manuels |
Taupo |
|
The Brantry |
Taupo |
|
Plateau Bar & Eatery |
Taupo |
|
The Bistro |
Taupo |
|
Bistro Lago, Hilton Lake Taupo |
Taupo |
|
Tongariro Lodge |
Turangi |
|
Taranaki |
|
|
Gusto Restaurant Café & Bar |
New Plymouth |
|
The Orangery Restaurant, Quality Hotel |
New Plymouth |
|
Bella Vita Restaurant |
New Plymouth |
|
Gover St Bistro |
New Plymouth |
|
Meat and Liquor |
New Plymouth |
|
Fork n Knife |
New Plymouth |
|
Table Restaurant, Nice Hotel |
New Plymouth |
|
The Good Home |
New Plymouth |
|
Stony River Boutique Hotel |
Okato |
|
Manawatu |
|
|
The Barrelhouse |
Dannevirke |
|
Amayjen The Restaurant |
Feilding |
|
Nero Restaurant |
Palmerston North |
|
Table 188 |
Palmerston North |
|
The Fat Farmer |
Palmerston North |
|
Aberdeen on Broadway |
Palmerston North |
|
Hawkes Bay |
|
|
Mangapapa Hotel |
Havelock North |
|
Namaskar Indian Restaurant |
Havelock North |
|
Emporium Eatery & Bar, Art Deco Masonic Hotel |
Napier |
|
Philippine Asian Kitchen, Westshore Beach Inn Hotel |
Napier |
|
Wairarapa |
|
|
Wharekauhau Country Estate |
Featherston |
|
Union Square, Martinborough Hotel |
Martinborough |
|
Pinocchio |
Martinborough |
|
Tirohana Estate |
Martinborough |
|
Eatery 10 Restaurant |
Martinborough |
|
Wellington |
|
|
Sea Salt Café & Eatery |
Wellington |
|
Artisan Dining House, Bolton Hotel |
Wellington |
|
Cashmere Lounge |
Wellington |
|
Grill Meats Beer |
Wellington |
|
Logan Brown |
Wellington |
|
Noble Rot Wine Bar |
Wellington |
|
Olive Restaurant |
Wellington |
|
One 80 Restaurant, Copthorne Hotel Oriental Bay |
Wellington |
|
Vivant! Restaurant & Bar, Ibis Hotel |
Wellington |
|
Hummingbird Eatery & Bar |
Wellington |
|
Southern Cross Garden Bar Restaurant |
Wellington |
|
Chameleon Restaurant, InterContinental Hotel |
Wellington |
|
Bellamy's by Logan Brown |
Wellington |
|
Boulcott Street Bistro |
Wellington |
|
La Bella Italia |
Wellington |
|
Portlander Bar & Grill, Rydges Hotel |
Wellington |
|
Jackson Café Bistro |
Lower Hutt |
|
Shed 5 Restaurant & Bar |
Wellington |
|
Tinakori Bistro |
Wellington |
|
Nelson/Marlborough |
|
|
Harakeke Restaurant, Awaroa Lodge |
Abel Tasman NP |
|
Quench Restaurant & Bar, Chateau Marlborough |
Blenheim |
|
Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen |
Blenheim |
|
Kai Restaurant |
Kaiteriteri |
|
Precinct Dining Co. |
Nelson |
|
Comida Café & Restaurant |
Nelson |
|
Cod & Lobster Brasserie |
Nelson |
|
Foredeck Restaurant, Bay of Many Coves |
Queen Charlotte Sound |
|
Canterbury |
|
|
Braided Rivers Restaurant & Bar |
Ashburton |
|
The Lake House |
Ashburton |
|
The Polo Bar & Restaurant |
Christchurch |
|
Costas Taverna |
Christchurch |
|
Pescatore, The George |
Christchurch |
|
50 Bistro, The George |
Christchurch |
|
Strawberry Fare |
Christchurch |
|
Chillingworth Road |
Christchurch |
|
Merrin Street Brewery Bar |
Christchurch |
|
Terra Viva Café |
Christchurch |
|
The Old Vicarage |
Christchurch
|
|
The Craft Embassy |
Christchurch |
|
5th Street |
Christchurch |
|
Cook 'n' with Gas |
Christchurch |
|
Pattersons Restaurant & Bar, Commodore Hotel |
Christchurch |
|
The Flamming Rabbit |
Christchurch |
|
Christchurch Tramway Restaurant |
Christchurch |
|
The Happening Bar & Kitchen |
Christchurch |
|
Café Valentino |
Christchurch |
|
Coasters Tavern |
Christchurch |
|
The Square, Novotel Christchurch |
Christchurch |
|
The Good Home Ferrymead |
Christchurch |
|
No. 31 Restaurant |
Hanmer Springs |
|
Governors Bay Hotel |
Lyttleton |
|
Dunedin/North Otago |
|
|
McGavins Restaurant & Bar, Mercure Dunedin Leisure Lodge |
Dunedin |
|
Bacchus Wine Bar & Restaurant |
Dunedin |
|
Ombrellos Kitchen & Bar |
Dunedin |
|
Vault 21 |
Dunedin |
|
Prohibition Smokehouse |
Dunedin |
|
Cucina |
Oamaru |
|
T Bar Restaurant, Brydone Hotel |
Oamaru |
|
Central Otago |
|
|
Millhouse Restaurant, Millbrook Resort |
Arrowtown |
|
Kobe Cuisine, Millbrook Resort |
Arrowtown |
|
Carrick Winery Restaurant |
Bannockburn |
|
Olivers Restaurant |
Clyde |
|
Pitches Store |
Ophir |
|
Captains Restaurant |
Queenstown |
|
Prime Lakefront Restaurant & Bar |
Queenstown |
|
MacKenzies Restaurant, the Heritage Hotel |
Queenstown |
|
True South Dining Room, The Rees Hotel |
Queenstown |
|
Wakatipu Grill, Hilton Hotel |
Queenstown |
|
Muskets and Moonshine |
Queenstown |
|
Roaring Megs |
Queenstown |
|
Observatory Restaurant, Millennium Hotel |
Queenstown |
|
Bistro Gentil |
Wanaka |
|
Wanaka Gourmet Kitchen |
Wanaka |
|
Cardrona Hotel |
Cardrona |
|
South Canterbury/Mackenzie District |
|
|
The Dubliner |
Methven |
|
Carnegies |
Fairlie |
|
The Panorama Room, The Hermitage Hotel |
Mt. Cook |
|
Stronechrubie |
Mt. Somers |
|
Poppies Café |
Twizel |
|
West Coast |
|
|
Matheson Café |
Fox Glacier |
|
Waterwheel Restaurant, Stations Inn |
Hokitika |
|
Southland |
|
|
The Whistling Frog |
Catlins |
|
Paddington Arms |
Invercargill |
|
Redcliff Restaurant & Bar |
Te Anau |
|
The Fat Duck |
Te Anau |
|
Two Fat Stags |
Waikawa |
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1 comment
Awesome for those who acheived, but....
Posted on 05-12-2018 12:10 | By jed
I was looking at the list, but, it looks to me like Tauranga may be slightly below average compared to other regions. Taupo for example, which is much smaller but has almost the same number of awards.
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