Eating out has taken on a whole new meaning over the past few years. As New Zealand’s ethnic and cultural population continues to diversify, so your family can enjoy an increasing range of dining experiences.
Gone are the days of being limited to fish and chips (though this staple of the New Zealand diet continues to be as popular as ever with Kiwi families). You can now experience a wide selection of takeaway, cafe and restaurant cuisine, particularly Asian, including Thai, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian, as well as French, Italian and Greek.
Another growing global trend which is influencing New Zealanders’ dining habits, is the increasing awareness of healthy eating. Diners are not only counting the calories, but also taking note of such health conscious considerations as fat content, salt content, sugar volumes, and types and levels of additives.
This emphasis on freshness and healthy food has even made its way into the fast food industry, with salads, fresh breads and healthy snacks lining up next to the more traditional burger and fries.
Another trend which is now firmly part of the New Zealand social scene is “coffee culture”. Is there anywhere in New Zealand that doesn’t sport a coffee shop or café in its CBD? One would doubt it. Indeed many an office worker, salesperson or businessperson would find it most difficult to kick start their day without a long black or flat white!
In our Eating Out section we explore the range of cafes and restaurants available around NZ. This is not a restaurant review section; rather, we bring to you the range of eating outlets available to tempt your taste buds.
We will look at the range of ethnic cuisine now available in New Zealand. What exactly is the difference between those different cooking styles? In simple terms we will provide an overview of some wonderful new dining experiences.
We also investigate the healthy side of eating out and identify the healthy options available for family dining.
And of course, as this is a family website, this section wouldn’t be complete without some advice on stress-free dining and activities to keep the kids occupied, whilst the family makes the most of some time out together.
