dining

No pavlova please

The pavlova - that frothy, baked confection of egg whites and sugar - has long been seen as an icon of New Zealand cuisine; its place of origin has been debated with Australians for just as long in one of the many instances of trans-Tasman rivalry.

But New Zealand cuisine is more than pavlova or hearty servings of the Sunday roast. New Zealanders have always loved eating meat, although we now eat less of it than in the past. Sharing a drink - tea or coffee, a beer or wine over a meal - has been an important ritual. Cakes, biscuits and home-made preserves filled the cupboards of New Zealand households for many years. And in the last 30 years, fast food and dining out have featured more prominently in New Zealand's culinary scene.

Eat, drink and be merry: dining out in 20th Century New Zealand

Before the 1960s, New Zealanders had a limited choice both of venue and of food if they wanted to dine out. Restaurants, cafes, dining rooms of hotels, tearooms, coffee shops and oyster bars served up a narrow menu of grilled meats and hearty desserts.

Food and drink

New Zealanders are good eaters. Until the years after the Second World War, Kiwi food largely followed British origins, although Maori traditions were strong in rural Maori communities. Culinary multiculturalism changed the food scene in the last quarter of the century.  But good skills were needed in making the traditional roast meal or cake: 'plain fare' rarely meant 'easy peasy'.

New Zealand cuisine