IN BRIEF

A not-to-be-missed dining experience in the heart of Wānaka.

WHY CHOOSE THIS RESTAURANT?

A warm and inviting space that delivers some of the best food in Wānaka, casual with a focus on generous sharing plates, Kika is a great option for the whole family.

ABOUT THE MENU

We often hear the words ‘contemporary Kiwi cuisine’ and yet rarely is this description nailed as well as it is at Kika, with no better dish to demonstrate this than the Otago cherry and chocolate pavlova. It’s a masterful refresh of a culinary icon with its sharp Otago cherries and whipped yoghurt cream that’s a perfect balance to the smack-in-the-face sweetness of a classic pav. Chocolate crémeux and cherry purée add the wow factor and freeze-dried cherries bring that little extra magic. The crudo on our menu was fish and the deep and vibrant ginger-herb verde, avocado mousse, burst of fresh lime and candied chillies made this a plate we would order again and again, while the beef tartare is so handsome with its shimmering confit egg yolk and a delicious layering of miso mayo and soy jelly that it is perhaps the Sam Neill of beef tartare in 2024. Think big, bold and clever flavours in larger plates that showcase local heroes in a Lumina lamb shoulder spiked with lemon, rosemary and chilli, or whole market fish on a bed of Japanese turnips with citrus ponzu and ginger. Lucky Wānaka.

ABOUT THE CHEF

Chef-owner James Stapley has been seriously on the pans since the age of 16, starting with an apprenticeship at the Park Lane Hilton and crafting his skills at some of London’s top restaurants. In 2001 he landed in New Zealand and caught our eye as head chef at Pegasus Bay Winery driving the team towards a Cuisine Good Food Award (Best Casual Restaurant) in 2002. Now a hugely respected chef and restaurateur James is the mastermind behind some of Wānaka’s most popular dining spots. He opened Kika with a desire to create a menu that reflected the sort of food he is passionate about, gained Cuisine 1 hat recognition two years in a row and was recently recognised globally on The World’s 50 Best Discovery list. James also co-owns Arc restaurant with former Kika head chef Sam Cooper and the Paloma Taqueria with his wife Sarah Scott, plus Kamino Coffee Shop & Eatery.

ABOUT THE TEAM

Talented Irish-born head chef Ruairi Bachofner oversees the kitchen and the Kika team and works closely with James on their super-seasonal menu. Argentinian-born Victoria Maria Shaw runs a front-of-house team who are all on the same page with her: smiling, knowledgeable and confident.

ADDRESS: 2 Dunmore St, Wānaka
Check website for opening hours
MAINS: $54 – $80
CONTACT: 03 443 6536
WEBSITE:  kika.nz