TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in New Zealand - Updated October 2024

"During a time of uncertainty it's nice knowing that your local BYO still delivers. With a restriction of 10 people, we venture out on a Friday night..."

Amindha Fernando

"Look, you dont come here for the amazing service or high quality decor. But you always have a good time. Dishes served in large shared portions with..."

Sharon

"It was my brother’s birthday and we came to Canton Cafe to celebrate. I feel as though we forgot about this restaurant because there are new..."

Sharon Louie

"By far the most delicious Chinese food in Auckland! Love it. The quantity is great and it’s a great place to come with a large group of friends as..."

Nidhi Wadhwani

"The staff should be commended alone for having to deal with BYO groups every week! Always loud busy and chaotic at canton. We had a group..."

Riddhi

"Canton. wow. I write this to you as a thank you. thank you. Persuaded by my friends to go here. I was heading in with an open mind. Now a quick side..."

Tess Rankin

"This place is an absolute banger. I went here with my friends and we had such an amazing time. It was really busy which is always a good sign so we..."

Rebekah Cook

"Canton Cafe is a great place for large groups of friends to order and share via the lazy susan tables upstairs. While it is a little pricey and can..."

Ethan

"came here a while back, beef was so good and soft, the peking duck was a bit dry but still ok, a little bit pricey for the portion size...."

MCP

"Crazy busy and service can sometimes be crappy. But stick to your guns. Order more tea. And enjoy yourself! Foods pretty good. Flavoursome...."

Glyn Flutey

"Such good food. We love the green beans, sweet and sour pork, fried noodles, chilli eggplant and sizzling beef (basically everything on the menu)...."

Hungusmcfatty

"Yum! Family favourite. Have been coming here since it first opened 15+ years ago. Everything is delicious at this place, you can’t go wrong!..."

Clem

"We went here a little while ago with some work mates. We ordered lots of different dishes to try. The whole fried snapper was amazing. The black..."

Sassy Gal

"Oldie but goodie. Family and friends favorite. This place never rests, always packed, tight, busy and the interior hasn’t changed for like forever...."

“Dailee” 25% Off Zomato Gold

"Delightful food! A very well located restaurant and has a great vibe. The spicy black prawns are a must every time we visit. Prompt and friendly..."

Prashant Gavri

"Friendly staff, amazing delicious food even though is a bit pricey. Love coming here and have been for many years, flavours have not changed at all...."

Aika

"Dined here on a girls night out and was not let down. Our most favourite is the black pepper chicken, lovely flavour and perfectly saucy. However,..."

Zahabia

"I have heard a lot about this place so i finally decided to visit this place. We order Deep fried spring roll which was amzing, perfectly cooked. I..."

FOODLAB.IN

"Did a takeaway last night from here. The Diachin Chicken, Hapuka in chilli sauce and Chinese greens were excellent. Keep visiting and doing takeaways..."

Hemant Wagh

"The service was okay. It is a BYO venue so if you want to take your own alcohol you can and they don’t have any limits as to how much you are..."

Tasmanian

"Great for large groups who want to do a byo dinner, gets really loud in here, they do give you a time limit of about 2 hours before they bring out..."

Sigourney Berry

"Love the food, full of flavours. In my top 5 places that I like to go, would recommend as a great place to eat with a group in order to chose a..."

Amy Marie

"Fantastic food, easily the best Chinese I’ve ever had. Not only is it on the forefront of litty BYO’s in Auckland, I dare say,even the universe,..."

Christopher Key

"Always like this place, service is always fast! Food is always yummy! But sometimes the wait .... but worth it! Spicy stir fry Gang gong veggies,..."

Charlette Taylor

"The food and flavour is good here. No MSG which is nice. All the ingredients seem to be fresh, etc. The only downside is their prices are quite high,..."

Robert Ramos

"Delicious food! Pecking duck first course and second course are really yummy and good portion. Chilli squid is definitely a winner for me...."

Leilani Fuemana

"Canton Cafe is an amazing place to have Chinese food. I have been here 4-5 times and yet to be dissapointed.Have had Special Black Chilli..."

Vatsal.M

"If you want great authentic and tasty Chinese food, Canton Cafe is the place! Any of the King Prawn dishes are to die for and the Hupuka dishes are..."

Cindy

"Love this place and in fact i have just driven from te atatu to get some take away. Decent Chinese places are hard to come by these days. Must have..."

Rory Duncan Buchanan

"The food is so damn good! Black chilli squid is my favourite. Good place to take close friends or family. Can take your own booze, so that's a..."

Harley Broughton

"Excellent service always an awesum place to grab some quick lumch. Friendly staff and superb service. Never been disaapointed. We ordered the special..."

Mulik.aditya99

"What sold me into coming in here was the fact that they do not use MSG in their cooking. Arrived here on a Saturday evening (6.30-7pm) and..."

Jen Lin

"I have never thought to sit down and write a review for Canton Cafe. I have eaten here over 200 times at least over the last 20 years. Frankly it's..."

Campbell Spencer

"The food here is amazing! Everything's great I've had so far. Also offer BYO and corkage is only $2 which is good because food is not cheap here...."

Shoulyn Singh

"Canton is a great restaurant for groups of friends and It is often my ‘go to’ to start off a night out! Food is really tasty and great plates for..."

Jess Wilson

"If you're ok with a dirty restaurant and average customer service then this place is for you. The food itself is really tasty and fresh however it's..."

Aimee.

"I love this place, they serve Cantonese Chinese cuisine n is very popular with the westerners. They did well to suit western palate, you may not find..."

Naziminator

"This place is a go to for my siblings and I. We absolutely adore this place. The staff is hilarious and the food impeccable. We always get..."

Tinos.adventure

"Yum! What a great range. Came out nice and quickly and everyone lived it. Good size too. 8 big firemen filled up by 8 dishes. Might be a bit on..."

Cookingkenny

"Black chillie king prawns and lemon chicken are my favourites. Always serve the prawns as appetisers for parties as they go well with drinks. Very..."

Gina Partridge

"Food was decent, I've had better. Other than that there's nothing to complain about, it has the casual simplicity of kingsland in the restaurant and..."

Simone Mulitalo

"Great service, great food. Both mains and dessert was amazing. Definitely going here again . It's a must to try out this amazing place. Such an..."

Sheenal

"Canton is an Auckland institution. It seems to have been around forever. The food is always freshly cooked and portion sizes are HUGE. The prices do..."

Annie Jenning

"Personally, I like this place for a "before you go out drinking" kind of place. The food is cheap for what you get, bug portions that I totally..."

ILoveToEat

"Wow! This restaurant serves amazingly tasty food. It satisfies my soul every time I dine here. Well, it's not a fine dining restaurant hence, don't..."

Love B

"I always come with a big group!I love their king prawns with garlic sauce which is to die for !This place is always crowded so making..."

Y YOU

"Bring a box of alcohol with ya when you come. Nah seriously though - bring a box. I came here for a birthday and it was b.y.o. The guys literally..."

T.B.F

"The food is lovely and delicious, Great service overall. Quick and efficient. Will definitely visit again. Also tried the duck which is average. The..."

Food Reviewer

"5 stars... Amazing staff and excellent food. worth the money great family spot. yummiest asian food would highly recommend..."

Rose

"Been here before on a company meal. Place is always packed. Good Chinese food can't complain. It's just place isNot that big enough...."

Iris Joy Ebasco Edic

"Don't judge this place on looks. It's abit old but the food is delicious, the plates are large, the food is fast! Go as a group and order a majority..."

Annie Wilson

"Loved the special black chilli king prawns and peking duck. The fried rice was good as well & portions are huge here. It's difficult to get a table,..."

Neha Shetty Suri

"Great place to eat with friends or family. Try the chilli pepper salt squid you won't be disappointed! Staff are pretty friendly. Only downside was..."

Seeeaaann

"The Food here is really good and the service is fast. It's always packed and is byo which is good I guess. The only thing I thought was its kinda..."

Munterboy

"Good food. Good taste. Good service. We went here on a late sunday night. We were glad because they served the food quickly, just like what..."

Duchess_Arg

"Absolutely love this place. Spicy king prawns and special black chilly chicken are my favorite and regular picks. The place is quite noisy but worth..."

Namratag

"I can not think of anywhere better than Canton. The Black Chilli Chicken is gods gift, the beans with pork are also superb. Great for takeaway and..."

Ryan Gibb

"If you ain't eating Black Chilli Chicken you ain't living. S/O to Black Chilli Chicken...."

Reuben Morris

"Been here last week. The place is okay. We went there for a team outing. We ordered quite a lot. Chicken Lamb Duck Beef and Prawns. Chicken sweet and..."

Kunal Khatwal

"Popped in here after work to grab dinner. Had been looking for an excuse to go back since my first time here back in 2014. I ordered the spicy dijin..."

Payal

"From what I have heard, this place has been around for a very long time and the only thing that has changed over time are the prices. But the quality..."

Nakul Patel

"Very nice - big portions, big tables and B Y O - great for 21st birthday (gals with the latest wildpair and guys with clubbing shirts). An..."

James

"The chilli king prawns were simply aaaamaaazing. Seriously couldn't get enough of it. I had gone there for a team dinner thing, so we ordered pretty..."

Nidhi

"Went there yesterday for lunch after multiple recommendations from friends and work mates. Ideally it's best to go there in a group and share the..."

Disha

"Dont look too much into the decor of this place....the food is amazing...we ordered 4 dufferent dishes and everything was yum yum..."

Cdeep

"Canton Cafe is an incredibly authentic Chinese restaurant. More than just food, the bustling and at times hectic atmosphere really lends to it's..."

Stefan Sanford

"The food here is awesome but the service is close to non-existent. If you want great tasting Chinese food in Auckland and don't mind bad service than..."

Topi

"Started off with a very large prawn dish. I liked the texture of the flesh and flavours. I would have enjoyed them more with some lemon to cut..."

Jonathan Booth

"Serving size is excellent - if you have a huge appetite like hubby's and mine, 1 dish between the two is more than sufficient. Being a seafood lover,..."

Bhavya

"Great place to come for large group. Prices seem expensive but the portions are BIG and perfect for sharing. They do BYO (beer and wine) so, it's..."

Mezza

"Been here quite a lot of time but you should know what you want to eat here .My all time fav is Black chilly prawns I just go here for this dish and..."

Chirag Tailor

"This place has plenty of seating up and downstairs which is perfect for groups. It feels a little bit like a house with far too many dining tables,..."

HJ

"Saw Lorde here once. Been going here since 05. Best Chinese in the moderate price range in Auckland. If you are new to Canton and..."

Pakalu Papito

"Over the years we have visited Canton so many times, few things stand out consistently, viz. the crowd, the noise, the food, their excellent..."

Lvgdfd

"One of the Best Cantonese Restaurant in the city!!! Those black pepper prawn shelled are AMAZING! Veges always good and right in season, specially..."

Wendy Zhou

"Best Chinese in Auckland! Best for a group because then you can order a couple of dishes to share and try a bit of everything. Can be exxy but not..."

Ryan

"Good Chinese joint, Last Saturday we were there with a group of 14, food and service and the pricing perfectly matched. Also this help when they..."

Nalin Ariyawansa

"This place so recommended for all Chinese food lovers! The prawn was amazing and we ordered black bean beef which is very yummy!!! A bit more..."

Stifanyanwar

"I've been going here for a few years now. The food here doesn't compare to your typical Asian takeaway.The food here is totally different. I've..."

EssJay

"I remember coming here as a kid and it used to be so good, not much has changed. Came with a large group of workmates for our dinner and had a good..."

Sophia O-W

"Not the prettiest place, but never mind that! The food is divine. I ordered the Hot &Spicy King Prawns, no shell. And Black King Prawns - deshelled-..."

Robyn De Vega

"I would like to start by saying that its my most favourite place to go whenever I wish to eat Chinese. Its not really a fancy place. Is generally..."

Sana Siddiqui

"Went here with a large group of friends and we ordered a number of different dishes to share. They serve really big meals for a very reasonable price..."

Ariah-Bella Peters

"Eaten here multiple times, haven't yet found a chinese place that out does these guys (and we've been trying!). You can be guaranteed anything you..."

Victoria

"Cheat day numero uno!!So its was a call for celebration while snuggling indoors on a cold night. Whats better than takeaway from..."

Pankaj Kini

"I remember walking past this restaurant several times in the past and seeing crowds of people waiting outside to be seated and always thought to dine..."

Jasmine

"We went last night didn't book but were lucky to get a table for 2. Atmosphere buzzing, service prompt and friendly the food was outstanding. We..."

Gaylene Harker

"OMG!!! The best #squid i've ever tried!!! Really good and tasty and also the roast pork!!! Damn good!!! Highly recommended we're coming again soon..."

Gon Guerra

"A good place for a group of people. To get the best value out of this place, come a in a group to share a variety of dishes. The price per dish..."

Tania

"This place deserves all the awards it has on its walls. Authentic chinese but a bit higher priced. We went in a big group and had a feast. Luck to..."

I'm Hungry

"If you like Chinese food, live anywhere near by and haven't been here... You're lying about one of the above.Blackened Chilli Prawn. It's..."

Food Food Foodie Food

"My family and I usually come here for dinner on special occasions or during the weekend. We have dined in this restaurants over 5 times. Every time I..."

Ameri Lim

"Very loud, confined space, I could hardly hear my neighbours LOL, great foods and super cheap !!!!Unlike other chinese restaurants that are very..."

Tritip Kittitanarux

"Food is great... Still the same quality after all these years... Service not as good as it once was but you go here for the food... Takeaways can be..."

Donna&Shane

"First time I had Peking Duck Pancakes and they were so Yum! Also had a dish which mainly consisted in beans which was also very tasty. Would..."

Juanine

"If you dine here expecting nothing from the slightly rude, non English speaking staff, you'll be happily surprised at how good the food is...."

SS

"Is pretty pricey but the food sizing is more than one meals worth so it is great, very yummy, customer service wasn't as bad as I thought it would be..."

Brunette1

"Great Price, great serving sizes and nice staff! Food is wonderful, will def be returning. Interior isnt the best buuuuttt you can easily..."

Shannon Thurgood

"Whenever I've passed Canton Cafe it's always been full of people - so my family and I decided to try it out, and we are so glad we did. The food is..."

Lauren

"the prawns were the best I've ever had, heard about this from a mate and now we can't stop talking about when will be the next time we will go..."

Chanel Stevens

"Walked past this place for 9 years, lots of Chinese in it, a good sign for a Chinese restaurant. Finally went in with mate, ordered beef in black..."

Nick Keesing

"The Salt and Pepper squid is delicious! Canton is the type of casual eating establishment for people who are looking for large portions of food at..."

Rebben

"Try the burnt chilli prawns! Delicious! Super place, quick service, staff don't always smile but the food makes up for it. Vey busy place, need to..."

Scha

"As a Chinese person living in Auckland, this is one of my favourite places to go for Chinese food. Service is brisk, bordering on rude but the food..."

Garrick Chong

"We always love coming here.the food is fantastic and a great price/selection. The only real problem is the Kingsland parking, but hey you can't be to..."

Miss Poppy

"My friend recommended this place to me and it is really really good. I went their with a group of work of work friends on a Friday night and we..."

Ania

"Good food and atmosphere/environment. Not the best place if looking for a quiet restaurant but is well suited for eating out with friends. Food came..."

Eugene Z

"Delicious Chinese food , good cozy environment and tasty food i think only good for a party of 4 at least . its BYO so helps a little . also was..."

Shharukh Issani (Sharkx)

"I was here on a Friday night. Dinnet for four. The atmosphere was a tad rowdy but that's to be expected for a Friday night. We orderes the Pekin..."

Azah Forlife

"Canton Café is an Auckland institution for quick, delicious and satisfying Chinese cuisine. A great place for group catch-ups, as the dishes are..."

EatsByZee

"I come here 3 - 4 times a year and each time I enjoy the food.Yes it's loudYes the customer service is somewhat lackingYes it's..."

Fleur Peps

"I've been meaning to go here for ages - so why not for my birthday treat? Wow - packed on a Tuesday at 8pm? We had to wait for a bit for our..."

Vikz

"A destination restaurant! It's fast, loud, busy and fun! Works out reasonable with a group, especially with byo. The staff are busy and efficient,..."

Lou

"Great place if you are after authentic Cantonese food ( it's like being transported to Hong Kong as you step into the restaurant!), good serve size..."

Blossoms Lapitan Cruz

"I always enjoy coming back to this restaurant. Hot and Spicy Squid... one of the best in NZ! I suggest you book a table upstairs if you're..."

Mike Cruz

"This is an amazing restaurant. The food, the service, the price and the atmosphere is all brilliant. Over the past year, I have been to this..."

Don Graham

"Just reading other comments about the service and want to say I find the people who work there to be the salt of the earth. I've been frequenting the..."

Jack

"The best Chinese restaurant in all of Auckland. You have to try their bean dishes and the sweet and sour pork dish. It is superb. We get takeaways..."

Jarrod Hageman

"We love this place! Have been here many times, great for a large group. Love the round tables with the lazy Suzy set up. Very handy for a big group..."

Debs

"Nothing bad can be said. Simply amazing. Food is served up hot, sizzling and oh soooo yummilicious. A funny incident... We ordered venison..."

G R

"must have the Peking Duck, we found it to be very good value ($55) and there is actually meat, not just skin and fat :) also recommend the hapuka..."

Megan

"Best Chinese food ever! Ok, you probably don't want to come here for a quiet romantic evening, or if you're dining with the Queen; but if you want..."

Bowiesgirl

"True to the old chinese proverb about all the effort going into the food. Amazing tasty fresh food, rapid service, tons of atmosphere, staff rushing..."

Dayal P

"Recommended to come here by some local friends. This place serves very tasty food at cheap prices. Apparently it has changed a lot since all the..."

Jacob Thompson

"Besides coming out smelling like your dinner the food is full of flavour and the service is fast and efficient. The dishes are generous in portions..."

David

"The cramped tables and hustle and bustle only add to the fun of Canton. Great large fresh portions of Chinese food, BYO - well priced. There's a..."

Lou

"Mmmm....this place has deliciously tasty treats, I have eaten here on more than one occasion and enjoyed the food thoroughly every time!! The Black..."

Alix Whittaker

"Canton Cafe is all about intensely flavoured Chinese cuisine. The focus is definitely NOT restraint. Meals always arrive speedily,consistently loaded..."

Brandon Lelaulu

"Basic diningroom but great food. The kids loved it too. The crispy duck, salt & pepper squid and sweet & sour pork were all scoffed down! The..."

Sandy

"Canton Cafe is terrific, yes it's bustling but that just reflects how popular and good their food is. I agree that it's not the place for an intimate..."

Lauren Simpson

"Always a favorite for small groups and visitors. We always look forward to someone arranging dinner there. The Black Chilli Prawns and Hot and Spicy..."

Andrew

"This has to be my fav restaurant! the food is beautiful always hot and quick service to. It lacks in the decoration department BUT its all about the..."

Amanda

"great food, the place is not flash but the best Chinese food ever. Highly recommended, we always book a week in..."

Raquel

"We were seven and all enjoyed the food very much. Quality and Quantity both are good. Sumptous food and great service...We find it very..."

Milan Mohan

"We came here with a group of 20 for Bfs birthday. We booked in advance but arrived about ten minutes late as parking was almost impossible. The..."

Yello

"Best no:-1 chinese food in..."

Jody

"Great Food! One of the best chinese I've had in a while in a typical chinese type enviroment which adds to the spirit of such fine chinese food. Book..."

Sharad

"THE BEST CHINESE I HAVE EVER TASTED! The restaurant is a bit grubby, but the food is amazing! Prices range from about $20 per dish - but worth it,..."

Jo Fortune

"food was great.. better to go in groups so u can order different dishes. reasonable price. Hot & spicy squid a must..."

Veena

"It's not flash, but the food is so tasty! They are always busy with people dining in and takeaway orders as well. Reasonably priced, although I..."

Andrea

"Been here numerous times and this is the same recommendation each time. The food is very good. Priced very well and the BYO anything is a great..."

Shamal Kumar

"My family and I went to Canton Cafe for a catch up dinner last night. A firm family favourite in the past, it’s been a while since we last dined..."

Genie @ BunnyEatsDesign

"If you want great tasting food, this is the place! I have been to Canton Cafe five to six times this year, and the food never disappoints!..."

Zetin Moza

"Delicious, great for a large group of big boys that eat their fill! Plenty of rice for each dish, and when feeding a big group, great price -- but..."

Gabby

"Look, I really want to tell you not to go here so I don't have any issues booking it all for myself. But that's unfair. Canton is incredible. Their..."

Jen Natoli

"I came by for a farewell party andthey had booked two tables. The place was packed as always. We grabbed a few things to share and the items werw all..."

Benedict Uy

"I recently have lunch there, and it was fantastic. The dishes were incredibly flavorful, the staff was friendly, and the service was fast. They also..."

MM

"Delicious food and very attentive staff. No complaints. We had a big group and they had no problem fitting us upstairs and serving us with no long..."

Gerard Sullivan

"I have been coming to this place for over 20yrs now! Restaurant was introduced to me by my in-laws. Never have liked Chinese food but this place..."

Ruby M

"Food:(3.5/5) We had the crab, peiking duck and the pork with tofu. The crab was very delicious but the portion of peiking duck was so small and the..."

Lilian Monaghan

"My relatives have raved about this tasty establishment for years, so I was rapt to finally dine here. My cousin and I booked for 6:30 pm whilst en..."

Kathleen Koronui

"Awesome food, awesome service, and reasonable prices. I’ve been a Canton Cafe customer for many years - both dine in and take away. I’ve never..."

B B

"The pulse of Cantonese food in Auckland starts here. You can’t beat Canton Cafe. I have been eating here since 1998 and I will never stop eating..."

Andrew Curtis

"I ordered our lunch yesterday. Went to pick up food, we calculated $185 (from website menu), different total at pick up... $197!!! My daughter was..."