Menulog NZ, an online food delivery service has revealed New Zealand’s most popular restaurants in its biannual Restaurant Awards. More than 900 restaurants connected to the Menulog platform were judged based on popularity, performance and order numbers. The India Restaurant & Bar in Tuakau, a small town in northern Waikato, took out the top spot, winning the overall National Award. The restaurant had developed a credible reputation with tourists and locals alike, garnering brilliant feedback based on their food and service.
Small towns took out a number of top prizes including Castle 91 in Otorohanga which won the Waikato region award, Gisborne’s Bollywood Stars Tandoori Restaurant, who won the East Coast award, and Lake Pizza, in Pegasus, who finished as one of the top Canterbury restaurants. Rory Murphy, Menulog’s commercial director, said, “The Menulog Restaurant Awards are designed to recognise and reward the hard work of our restaurant partners, particularly those that deliver exceptional customer experience.”
Mukesh Sharma, the owner of The India Restaurant & Bar, said, “It’s an honour to share our passion for authentic Indian food with the people of the greater Tuakau area. We love the food we cook, and we like to think that comes through in every dish we make. Menulog has completely changed our business with 40 percent of our orders coming from online orders. This has helped us build a better relationship with our customers with reviews about what they enjoy from our restaurant.”
Murphy said that restaurants in smaller areas could rival ones in bigger cities due to online platforms like Menulog which help increase order numbers, service and discoverability.
For a full list of the winners, including local wins, visit restaurantawards.menulog.co.nz.
