The most iconic New Zealand foods
The top 3 according to 13 votes from people: Green-lipped mussels · Pavlova · Meat pie. (Updated Sep 24, 2026.)
Kiwi classics from Māori hāngī to hokey pokey ice cream, according to HolidayTribe, New Zealand Shores and New Zealand food guides.
Top 12
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1
Green-lipped mussels
Native mussels steamed or in chowder.
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2
Pavlova
Meringue with cream and kiwifruit, claimed by both New Zealand and Australia.
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3
Meat pie
Mince and cheese or steak pies, Kiwis' favourite bakery snack.
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4
Whitebait fritters
Tiny whitebait bound in egg and fried, the ultimate NZ street food.
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5
Roast lamb
Sunday roast of New Zealand lamb with mint sauce.
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6
Fish and chips
Gurnard or snapper with chips on the beach.
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7
Kina
Sea urchin roe, a Māori delicacy.
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8
Cheese rolls (Southland sushi)
Toasted rolled bread with a cheese filling, a Southland and Otago speciality.
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9
Hāngī
Māori feast of meat and vegetables cooked on hot stones in an earth oven.
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10
Hokey pokey ice cream
Vanilla ice cream with lumps of honeycomb toffee.
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11
Kūmara
Māori sweet potato, roasted or as chips.
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12
Afghan biscuits
Chocolate cornflake biscuits with chocolate icing and a walnut.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 12… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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13
Lamingtons
Sponge squares in chocolate and coconut, also loved across the Tasman.
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14
Bluff oysters
Wild oysters from Foveaux Strait with their own festival.
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15
Kiwi burger
Burger with beetroot and fried egg.
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16
Pineapple Lumps
Chewy pineapple-flavoured sweets coated in chocolate, a Kiwi favourite since the 1950s.
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17
L&P (Lemon & Paeroa)
Lemon soft drink originally made with mineral water from Paeroa, «world famous in New Zealand».
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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