Three long-established Taupō restaurants — Brantry Eatery, Plateau Bar & Eatery and The Bistro — and two newer foodie hotspots, Embra (Taupō) and Hare & Copper (Turangi), have listed in the 2025 Cuisine Good Food Guide. Each restaurant is now in line for the prized Cuisine hats and Category awards due to be announced next week.
It’s the second consecutive year that Taupō has scored five nominations in the Guide, and Love Taupō General Manager Patrick Dault says “this is clear confirmation that Taupō has what it takes to attract serious foodies.”
“Our thriving Taupō hospitality scene is on a roll, there’s so much great food happening in town and around the region. Inclusion in the Cuisine Good Food Guide is not only a confirmation of excellence for these individual owners but also good news for our whole hospitality scene as it speaks to the high standards of the cuisine that our kitchens are serving up,” Dault says.
“Locals are definitely in the know but it’s exciting to see out-of-towners and international visitors increasingly discovering the top notch quality of our fine dining destinations. The busy year-round schedule of weekend events in Taupō is a significant driver for local hospitality businesses. The secret is getting out.”
Guide to Taupō restaurants featured in the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2025:
Brantry Eatery is an iconic Taupō dining experience offering an inventive and beautifully plated seasonal menu. This family affair, operated by super talented sisters Prue and Felicity Campbell, has regularly featured in the Cuisine Guide over the last few years.
Embra, in the talented Michelin-trained hands of owner-operators Phill and Nora Blackburne, serves up delicately-styled, contemporary fine dining. Opened in 2023, Embra has earned a two-hat rating and made three appearances in the Guide.
Turangi local Hare & Copper is the creation of Andrew Wood and Liliana Calva who moved to Turangi in 2019 with a dream of owning their own restaurant. Opened in 2020, this welcoming eatery does thoughtful seasonal shared plates, and listed in the Cuisine Guide for the first time in 2024.
Plateau Bar & Eatery — now in its 21st year — specialises in small plates inspired by the Pacific Ring of Fire, a fusion of fresh vibrant flavours from Polynesia and beyond. Owners Frankie and Kate Walker are thrilled to be included in the Guide for the second year running.
The Bistro, behind its unassuming exterior and catch-cry ‘simple but nice’, has been featuring in the Cuisine Guide since first opening in December 2012. Owner chef Jude Messenger, whose CV includes stints at Huka Lodge and time abroad, has earned a one-hat rating for fine European-style dining executed with considerable flair.
Cuisine Good Food Guide 2025
More than 300 establishments have been named to feature in the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2025 which is New Zealand's only national and independent restaurant guide. The restaurants span the length of the country and showcase the top hospitality establishments, from fine dining and regional destinations to metropolitan and neighbourhood favourites.
Kelli Brett, editor and owner of Cuisine Magazine, says: "At Cuisine, we fully embrace the responsibility that comes with being a national media platform that speaks to a global audience, and it's always exciting to present these inspiring awards and the accompanying restaurant guide each year. We are passionate about recognizing excellence and also creating a supportive network within our hospitality industry. It has never been so important to effectively showcase New Zealand as a premium dining destination and entice the rest of the world to visit."
The 20 category winners and more than 95 hatted restaurants – including the American Express Restaurant of the Year and Cuisine Chef of the Year – will be announced at the highly anticipated Cuisine Good Food Awards event, presented on 18 August.
Curated by a national panel of 30 judges, comprising food-and-drink writers, critics, chefs and hospitality professionals and led by food and drink expert Kerry Tyack, the Cuisine Good Food Awards and Guide for 2025 is designed to showcase the country’s outstanding talent and hottest venues, with the aim of encouraging patronage and showcasing New Zealand cuisine to local and international audiences.
