Taste Your Way from Auckland to Queenstown
This New Zealand foodie itinerary takes you from Auckland to Queenstown in 14 days of fresh flavours, wine and local produce. New Zealand is often called the “land of milk and honey”, and the food is never far from the source. Think fish caught off the coast, premium beef and lamb grazed in the Waikato, and exquisite fruit plucked from the Bay of Plenty. Whether you choose fine dining, a food truck or an artisan producer, the outlook is as good as the food. Prefer a shorter trip? See our 7 Day New Zealand Premium Food and Wine Discovery.
New Zealand Foodie Itinerary at a Glance
- Length: 14 days
- Route: Auckland and Waiheke Island, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Wellington, Marlborough, Queenstown and Arrowtown
- Style: food and wine, cellar doors, cycling and cruising
Highlights you can look forward to:
- Wine, olive oil and botanical gin on Waiheke Island
- Hawke’s Bay cellar doors by bike or with a chauffeur
- Pinot noir at one of Wairarapa’s 30 wineries
- A foodie tour of Wellington, from coffee to contemporary Māori cuisine
- A Marlborough seafood cruise with Greenshell mussels and Sauvignon Blanc
- Five-star dining and Central Otago pinot noir around Queenstown
Your New Zealand Foodie Itinerary, Day by Day
Here is how the 14 days unfold, from Auckland’s melting pot to the vineyards of Central Otago.
Days 1 and 2: Start Your New Zealand Foodie Itinerary in Auckland
Cosmopolitan Auckland serves fantastic food from top-flight chefs, who use ingredients fresh from the source. Hip restaurants deliver fusion dishes from the Pacific Rim and beyond. Together they showcase the tastes of the more than 200 ethnic groups who call the city home. See our Auckland guide and food and wine experiences.
Day 3: Cruise to Waiheke Island’s Wineries
Take a scenic trip across the harbour to foodie paradise Waiheke Island. Taste its excellent wines, fresh olive oil and even botanical gin. Then settle in at one of its beautiful vineyards, the perfect setting for a long, leisurely lunch.
Days 4 to 6: Hawke’s Bay Highlights
Head to sunny Hawke’s Bay, where the vines stretch towards the sea. Grab a wine map and visit the cellar doors of the stellar local vineyards by bike. Alternatively, enjoy a chauffeured tour. Sip a syrah or a chardonnay along the way. Read the Hawke’s Bay wine region guide, then see our Hawke’s Bay guide and cycling and mountain biking experiences.
Days 7 to 9: Capital Cuisine in Wellington
Detour on the way to Wellington along the spectacular Wairarapa coastline. Taste some of New Zealand’s best pinot noir at one of the region’s 30 wineries. Then drive about an hour south and join a foodie-friendly tour of New Zealand’s literal and culinary capital. Taste great coffee, craft beer, artisan chocolate, peanut butter and cheese. Finally, dine in style at an award-winning restaurant, from fine dining to contemporary Māori cuisine. See our Wellington and Wairarapa guide and Māori culture experiences.
Days 10 and 11: Taste a Top Trio in Marlborough
A specialist seafood cruise covers Marlborough’s three big claims to fame. First, enjoy incredible vistas of the picturesque Marlborough Sounds. Next, try succulent Greenshell mussels. Finally, sip a chilled glass of world-famous Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. See our Marlborough guide and wine tours.
Days 12 to 14: Finish Your New Zealand Foodie Itinerary in Queenstown
Strike gourmet gold in Queenstown. Dine on five-star cuisine overlooking Lake Wakatipu, or head to the character-filled gold rush village of Arrowtown. Several vineyards and estates serve meals as world-class as their wines. Hire a bike to explore the pioneering history, dramatic scenery and boutique vineyards of Central Otago. Then visit the country’s largest wine cave, and be sure to try the region’s renowned pinot noir.
Learn more in the Central Otago wine region guide. Then see our Queenstown guide and the 8 Day Central Otago Luxury Tour.
Who This New Zealand Foodie Itinerary Suits
This New Zealand foodie itinerary suits travellers who plan their days around meals. It works for casual eaters and serious wine lovers alike, because the route mixes fine dining with food trucks and artisan producers. If you like to balance the feasting with exercise, cycle between cellar doors. If you prefer to relax, let a chauffeur do the driving.
Tips for Your New Zealand Foodie Itinerary
- Cycle between cellar doors or book a chauffeured tour, so everyone can taste freely.
- Book restaurants and tastings early, especially for popular vineyard lunches.
- Plan your Cook Strait crossing between Wellington and Marlborough, by ferry or by air.
- Driving yourself? Read our guide to driving in New Zealand and check the best time to visit New Zealand.
This New Zealand foodie itinerary turns every stop into a tasting, from Auckland’s fusion kitchens to Queenstown’s vineyards. For more ready-made trips, browse our themed tours.
Want to balance the meals with some adventure? Pair this route with our New Zealand outdoor itinerary, or ask us to plan a custom tour around your dates.
