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Call for diners to share which Tāmaki Makaurau dishes they love – and why.
Nominations for Iconic Auckland Eats open at 9am Wednesday, February 5. This special celebration of kai is back for its fifth year, showcasing the top 100 dishes across Tāmaki Makaurau, as voted by the public. The public nominated more than 1800 Iconic Auckland Eats dishes in 2024.
This year, food-loving diners have until March 5,to nominate their favourite eatery meal or snack at Iconic Auckland Eats, sharing what they love about their favourite dish and what it means to them.
To celebrate good food and good memories, five lucky nominators will each win vouchers worth $500 to be redeemed at their favourite Iconic Auckland Eats top 100 food businesses.
Iconic Auckland Eats is a much-anticipated annual initiative by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, on behalf of Auckland Council, in partnership with Restaurant Hub, New Zealand’s largest online restaurant booking network.
Iconic Auckland Eats aims to support the hospitality sector and showcase Auckland’s world-class food and diverse culinary story, whether it’s a tasty food-truck meal, bakery snack or a degustation course at a fine-dining restaurant.
The final list of the top 100 dishes and personal stories celebrate not only the exceptional food of Tāmaki Makaurau but also in-store experiences, people, history, heritage and culture unique to the region. Two Iconic dishes – Depot’s Fish Sliders, and the Strawberry Lamington from Sugar at Chelsea Bay – have been top 100 dishes since Iconic Auckland Eats launched in 2020.
Judges include Annie Dundas, destination director Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Mark Gregory, co-owner of Restaurant Hub, with a guest judge still to be announced.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited head of tourism Karen Thompson-Smith says Iconic Auckland Eats has become a much-loved annual celebration of the diverse and delicious food choices on offer in Tāmaki Makaurau and a way to honour the businesses that bring them to us.
“Nothing brings people together like food – whether it’s an old favourite or a new and exciting dish – and Auckland has some of the best food in the world. Iconic Auckland Eats is the perfect way for locals and visitors alike to spread the word by nominating the dishes they love the most in Tāmaki Makaurau,” Karen says.
Nationwide, the restaurant and cafe sector contributed $7.8 billion to the economy to the year ending March 2024.
To nominate a favourite dish and be in to win one of five dining-voucher prizes each worth $500 to spend on Iconic Auckland Eats, visit aucklandnz.com/iconic-eats. Nominations close 4pm on March 5, 2025.
