Just because they can be found in the Southernmost major city in New Zealand doesn’t mean Dunedin restaurants are content to sit in the culinary shadows.

From Japanese to Italian, and everything in between, Dunedin restaurants don’t hold back when it comes to offering visitors a taste of cuisine from all over the world. A mixture of cultures calling this Southern city home means there’s plenty of choice when it comes to that evening time question ‘where should we eat?’. Similar to the humble people who live here, Dunedin restaurants are not ones to blow their own trumpets, so lucky we’re here to do it for them. Whether you’re feeling like fish and chips down at the beach, a cheap and cheerful Asian meal in town, or it’s time to celebrate and go all out with a fine-dining option, restaurants in Dunedin meet all your eating and drinking requirements. 

A harbourside city means there’s constant access to fresh kaimoana, and if seafood hasn’t made it onto your plate before, Dunedin is very much the place to try it. Get greasy with a piece of battered cod, or sip on an oyster straight from the shell - Dunedin restaurants aren’t ones to judge how you like your food, they’re just here to offer it up in the best way possible.

Come Hungry, Here's Exactly What You Need to Devour in and Around Dunedin

Close up of a burger.
Otago is spoiled for choice when it comes to food.

Prohibition Smokehouse

Bar and kitchen area at Prohibition Smokehouse, Dunedin.
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Prohibition Smokehouse in Dunedin has earned a reputation as the pièce de résistance for some of the best steak in the city.

PLATO

A plate of food.
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Hidden under the Otago Peninsula Road overpass you will find PLATO, an eatery that is retro both inside and out.

Jizo Japanese Restaurant

Sushi on plates.
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The food covers all bases when it comes to Japanese cuisine at Jizo.

Good Good

Close up of artwork on the wall.
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A mean spot for burgers, beers and vibey energy.

No.7 Balmac

Customers dining inside No.7 Balmac.
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The kind of restaurant that every neighbourhood ought to be lucky enough to have.

Moiety

A chef working in the kitchen.
Place Dunedin Editor's Pick
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Moiety wows with a tasting menu that is refined and approachable all at once.

Esplanade

The building's exterior.
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Beachfront and Italian may not be the most common marriage on New Zealand shores, but it’s a marriage that works well at St Clair’s Esplanade.

Carey's Bay Historic Hotel

Stone exterior of the hotel.
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Dating back to 1874, Carey’s Bay Historic Hotel is one of the most popular pubs in Dunedin.

Best Café

Orange neon sign on the exterior of the cafe.
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This Dunedin institution is well worth a visit and perhaps a return to your student days.

Mamma Mia Pizza

Hands reaching for slices of a pizza in the middle of the table at Mamma Mia.
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Serving up authentic Italian pizza from a traditional wood-fired oven, here you can expect fresh, hot pizza, ‘just like mamma used to make.’