Auckland eateries included in La Liste

Eight New Zealand restaurants have been named in a prestigious list of the world’s 1000 best eateries.

La Liste i s a restaurant guide compiled from hundreds of guidebooks and online review sites to list the world’s 1000 top restaurants.

Seven of the Kiwi restaurants to crack the list are in Auckland — The French Cafe, The Grove, Sidart, Kazuya, Cocoro, Merediths and Baduzzi — with Christchurch’s Roots also making it.

Sidart owner and chef Sid Sahrawat is stoked that his restaurant has made the list for the second year in a row.

“It’s a very important list to be a part of. For all the restaurants included it’s an amazing achievement,” he said.

He noticed the benefits of being included in the list almost immediately.

“Last year there was a dramatic increase in terms of the reservations straight away, the emails were a lot busier and there were a lot more overseas reservations.”

Last year there were four Kiwi restaurants on the list, and Sahrawat said doubling that number showed the high quality of the fine dining scene in New Zealand.

Sahrawat has just returned from a trip to Melbourne, and said Kiwi cuisine now compares with the best from across the Tasman.

My Kitchen Rules NZ judge Ben Bayly, executive chef at The Grove and Baduzzi, said he was “so proud” to be associated with t wo establishments which were included.

“It’s a tough gig running a restaurant, everyone’s a food critic, there’s not too many other jobs in this world where you get judged so much.”

Baduzzi is a newcomer to La Liste while The Grove makes a repeat appearance. Bayly echoed Sahrawat’s call that New Zealand restaurants were of a similar standard to the very best internationally.

“. . . I think the dining scene has exploded so fast that the world hasn’t caught up with how good we are.”

He said Auckland was a “little city becoming a big city real quick”.

“People appreciate what good food is, and restaurateurs can see an opportunity.

“If you’re going to open a restaurant now you better be bloody good or you’re going to be shut.

“People are really motivated to do a good job. There’s some good operators here.”