By the Numbers
- 1 Two Michelin Stars
- 14 One Michelin Star
- 35 Bib Gourmand
- 60 Michelin Selected
The Michelin Guide has released its first-ever New Zealand edition, marking the guide’s debut in Oceania and recognizing 110 restaurants across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.
The inspectors awarded one restaurant two Michelin Stars, 14 earned one star, 35 received Bib Gourmand honors for good-value dining, and another 60 made the guide’s recommended list.
The biggest winner is Essence in Queenstown, which became the country’s only two-star restaurant. Michelin praised Executive Chef Paul Froggatt’s tasting menus for pairing refined technique with seasonal New Zealand ingredients in a setting overlooking Lake Wakatipu.
The rest of the stars were spread across the country’s four largest dining destinations, with Auckland taking the biggest share. Wellington picked up three, Christchurch landed two, and Queenstown added four more.
The guide also recognized restaurants that deliver strong meals without demanding luxury prices. Thirty-five restaurants earned Bib Gourmand honors, while another 60 were listed as Michelin Selected, signaling they impressed inspectors even if they didn’t receive stars.
Michelin also handed out three individual awards. Robert Fairs of Christchurch’s Londo received the Young Chef Award, Wellington’s Stina Persen of Graze earned the Service Award, and Matthew Aitchison of Auckland’s The French Café took home the Sommelier Award.
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