Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland has certainly received quite a few awards & accolades over the years, and for good reason! This beautiful city is truly a gem and has been recognised on numerous occasions for its outstanding qualities.
Let's start with the most recent one – Tāmaki Makaurau has been recognised globally with renowned publication The New York Times naming Auckland on one of its top travel lists. Auckland is named at number five on the Times’ list of 52 PLACES TO GO in 2023, with the article pointing out Auckland’s status as the culinary capital of Aotearoa (sorry Wellington!).
But that's not all! Auckland is the first destination listed on Condé Nast Traveller’s 23 BEST PLACES TO GO in 2023. Airbnb included Tāmaki Makaurau in their 2023 TOP 10 PLACES TO TRAVEL, promoting the jewels of the Hauraki Gulf and visits to Great Barrier Island’s Dark Sky Sanctuary, spending time on Waiheke Island or enjoying a whale safari.
In late 2022, Auckland was also named ONE OF WORLD’S BEST LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY CITIES by travel company Big 7. The region was described as an urban hub and home to the largest Pride Event in the South Pacific. Auckland was also praised as "one of the world's most liberal countries," and the first country in Oceania to legalise same-sex marriage in 2013.
The UK’s popular Time Out also had some good things to say about Auckland naming Kingsland as one of the WORLD’S COOLEST SUBURBS and Karangahape Road making the list as one of the WORLD’S COOLEST STREETS.
SRI PINANG on Karangahape Road was lauded as one of the world’s best eateries. To get a taste of Auckland’s food offerings, check out our ICONIC EATS that lists the top 100 eats as nominated by Aucklanders.
In 2022, National Geographic UK readers voted New Zealand as their TOP LONG-HAUL DESTINATION FOR 2022, calling out Auckland as one of the drawcards for making the long flight worthwhile.
Auckland has a lot to be proud of and its many accolades are a testament to its many charms. These accolades are all thanks to Auckland's diversity and friendly people, who help make this city one of the best places in the world to visit!
There’s such a broad span of cuisine, and even though I have just dipped my toe in, I can see there’s a casual confidence that’s not evident across the world.
Leading British food critic and writer William Sitwell has declared Auckland’s dining scene to be “as good as New York, and twice as good as it is in London.” On his first-ever visit to Tāmaki Makaurau in March, the food critic and judge on MasterChef UK was taken around some of the best establishments Auckland has to offer, and revealed to the Sunday Star Times that he was blown away.
The highly anticipated annual Cuisine Good Food Awards have been announced for 2023/2024, identifying the pick of the best dining spots around New Zealand. It’s amazing to see so many of the incredible eateries from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland recognised in this list as well as the ever-increasing number of restaurants being awarded a prestigious Cuisine Good Food Guide hat.
Take a look at the impressive list of the award’s hatted restaurants and category winners today.
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