DAY 1
Hotel: Avani Auckland Metropolis Residences
“I stayed here in Auckland, and the location was super convenient. It is also so nice to have a full kitchen in the room!”
Breakfast: The Coffee Club
“Cute coffee shop chain with breakfast and lunch food! They have non-dairy milk available and labeled vegan options. On the website, an allergy notice is the first thing that pops up. I ordered the breakfast bruschetta without pesto, and they assured me it would be nut-free!”
Dinner: East Restaurant
“Really yummy Asian fusion food! They were completely booked, so we took our food to go. The staff were knowledgeable about food allergies.”
Sightseeing: Albert Park and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Sightseeing: Auckland Harbour
Sightseeing: Sky Tower
DAY 2
Breakfast: Tart Bakery
“This is a really popular vegan bakery in New Zealand! They had allergen information for some items, but not all, so I stuck to those.”
Lunch: Little Bird Kitchen
“I love this spot! Super cute restaurant in Ponsonby that is 100% peanut-free. There are a fair amount of nuts in other products, but the staff are knowledgeable and conscientious. The website also says the menu is ‘100% plant-based, vegan, refined grain-free, sugar-free, wheat-free, dairy-free and mostly soy-free.’ I had the kimchi pancakes made with chickpea flour and loved them!”
Sightseeing: Mount Eden
Sightseeing: Ponsonby
Sightseeing: Kitekite Falls
DAY 3
Hotel: Waitomo Caves Guest Lodge
“We stayed here for a night while visiting Waitomo Caves. It’s a Bed & Breakfast, and the owners asked us about dietary restrictions before we arrived. They even made sure to have non-dairy milk available for me!”
Breakfast: Waitomo Caves Cafe
“Our Bed & Breakfast provided dairy-free milk and had all ingredient labels available upon request! I had muesli and weetabix with dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and peaches.”
Lunch: Madam Woo
“Super delicious Malaysian and Chinese food. I had the chickpea curry hawker roll. The staff presented an allergen menu when I asked about nuts and dairy (the roti are made with margarine, not butter).”
Sightseeing: Hobbiton
Sightseeing: Waitomo Caves
Sightseeing: Hamilton Gardens
DAY 4
Breakfast: Bespoke Kitchen
“One of my favorite meals in New Zealand was their seasonal pancakes! Absolutely amazing. Super knowledgeable about allergies, and they have a huge display of baked goods that were just gorgeous (edible flowers and all).”
Lunch: Fergburger
“Super popular burger spot in Queenstown with vegan and vegetarian options, but it got a little tricky when I asked for it to also be nut-free. It might not be the best spot for cross-contamination because it’s a small and busy kitchen, but they were incredibly accommodating! The line was long, but when I told them about my dietary restrictions, they basically helped me design my own burger with falafel patties, sauces, avocado, cucumber, tomato, onion, and lettuce. There is an allergy menu book, and my burger came out with an ‘allergy alert’ sticker too. The food was amazing!”
Sightseeing: Biking/Walking around Lake Wakatipu
Sightseeing: Queenstown Hill Hike
DAY 5
Dinner: Jasmine Thai Cuisine
“This restaurant is in a small town between Queenstown and Mt. Cook, and I was super impressed that they offered to make a special yellow curry without fish sauce! The menu said they had vegetarian options, so I asked about it, and they said to just make sure to let them know if I wanted it to be vegan too so they could use the different curry paste. The food was delicious!!”
Sightseeing: Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
