Queenstown’s Amisfield Named Number Three Restaurant In The World, According To Experts

A New Zealand restaurant has been named the number three restaurant in the world, according to global food and wine experts.

A Queenstown fine dining restaurant has placed third in Food & Wine’s third-annual Global Tastemakers Awards.

The US-based awards canvas more than 400 chefs, travel experts, food and travel writers and wine specialists from around the world for their top restaurant and culinary experiences. A Global Advisory Board then selects the nominees in a range of categories, including Top 10 International Bars and the Top 10 International Markets for Food and Drink.

Amisfield was recognised in the Top 15 International Restaurants category, which features some heavy hitters in the food world.

Located just outside Queenstown in Central Otago, Amisfield is an experiential fine dining restaurant and winery from executive chef and Masterchef NZ judge Vaughan Mabee. The restaurant offers a refined dining experience that highlights the region’s seasonal produce through innovative multi-course menus.

The judges praised Amisfield for being “a beacon for wine enthusiasts worldwide who seek an unparalleled dining experience. What sets Amisfield apart is not just its stunning location or award-winning sips but also its otherworldly, refined tasting menu that showcases the region’s seasonal, hyperlocal ingredients”.

The awards also recognised the restaurant’s ever-changing menu and passionate kitchen. “The restaurant’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that exceptional dining experiences are borne from a deep respect for the land and its bounty. This ethos is reflected in the ever-changing menu, which features vegetables grown in the winery’s kitchen garden and wild game sourced from the surrounding countryside.”

Only “the most extraordinary” restaurants feature in the international category - those that have earned “international interest” and remain innovative and unparalleled when it comes to flavours, ingredients and service. The winner is Asador Etxebarri in Axpe, Spain, with Food & Wine stating: “Despite its global acclaim, including a Michelin star and consistently high rankings on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Asador Etxebarri remains true to its humble roots. Arguinzoniz, who was born just around the corner from the restaurant, continues to innovate and inspire, solidifying Etxebarri’s position as the best restaurant in the world this year.”

Other restaurants on the winning list include Charmgang in Bangkok’s vibrant Yaowarat neighbourhood, serving Thai flavours with a modern bent, and Mangal II, London’s Turkish grill house, praised for its “focus on traditional cooking methods”, which have evolved in recent years.

Amisfield is no stranger to global awards. In December 2023, chef Vaughan Mabee came in at number 44 in the World’s Best Chef Awards Top 100 list, the same year his restaurant earned three hats in New Zealand’s Cuisine Good Food Awards and was named Restaurant of the Year. Forbes magazine called Amisfield “one of the coolest places to eat in 2024″.

Vaughan told Viva in 2023: “I didn’t think I was going to make the list again because big names like Gaggan Anand appeared at number 66 and then Heston Blumenthal at 49 and Alain Passard at 47 and I thought ‘Oh well’, then my big head appeared on the screen at 44 and I cried like a child. Then I went outside and vomited.”

Amisfield attracts diners from all over the world and has become destination dining for not only New Zealanders but food-lovers further afield. Of the attention, Vaughan told Viva: “They are travelling here to dine at Amisfield to see if it tastes as good as all the photos. We are excited by that, and I have said to my team that now is the time to improve and elevate Amisfield. We have to make everything perfect; everyone must have the same great experience.”