Kika

Kika in Wanaka presents a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere, marked by its warm, modern interior and the palpable energy of a well-loved local eatery. The staff’s genuine and attentive service immediately sets a positive tone for the dining experience. The menu is a compelling exploration of robust, flavour-forward dishes. The meal commenced with two contrasting starters: fresh, briny oysters that cleansed the palate, and a Beef Tartare that can only be described as a masterclass in balance and texture. The tartare was exceptionally finely chopped and seasoned, with a rich, unctuous quality that was cut through by sharp, acidic notes. It stands out as one of the finest iterations of the dish I've encountered and is an absolute must-order. The main courses continued this high standard. The fried chicken was notably succulent with a shatteringly crisp, well-seasoned crust, while the spinach and ricotta Gnudi offered a study in delicate contrast—the pillowy-soft dumplings melting away against a savoury sauce. A well-curated dessert and digestif list provided a strong finish. The limoncello was a bright, zesty palate-cleanser, a fitting end to the rich meal. Kika’s beverage program is another significant strength, boasting an extensive and thoughtfully assembled wine list alongside a notably large and diverse draft beer selection, sure to satisfy any preference. Verdict: Kika successfully delivers a complete package of superb food, a dynamic atmosphere, and excellent service. It is a standout destination in Wanaka that confidently earns a strong recommendation.

We went here for my partner’s birthday dinner. I made the reservation online and asked if we could get the best seat of the house as we are celebrating his birthday. When we entered the restaurant we were warmly greeted by the lovely girl FOH. Then the most amazing server Chase, served us with some beautiful sparkling wine and he explained the menu items. We ordered fried chicken, lamb roast and salads. We also ordered some cocktails like Aperol, whisky sour and they were well made. Fried chicken starter was crispy and loved the lime mayo and gochunjang sauce. Lamb roast was pulled apart soft and could taste layers of seasoning which was top notch. Chef deserves a raise. We would like to thank our server person Chase for his exceptional service, bartender for making us beautiful cocktails and the kitchen staff for amazing food. Will definitely visit again soon. Thanks team

We chose the feed me menu. Each dish was a work of art and absolutely delicious. It is one of the best dining experiences I have had and the service was exceptional. Highly recommend

Highly recommend Kika at Wanaka (2 hats). The food was delicious with some surprises. The restaurant was full on a Tuesday night so it did get quite noisy. We didn't have a booking and the staff were able to accommodate a walk in. The short ribs and potatoes had quite large serving sizes so I would avoid if you aren't too hungry.

Had a delicious feed me dinner here; which I highly recommend. We did the wine and beer pairing and it was delicious and paired very very well on all the flavour notes. For what you receive the price is reasonable and trust me the food will blow you away. Eloise was our waiter and she was lovely.

Innovative delicious food, and good service. We had the Tuna tataki, cloudy Bay clams with spring onion rolls, NZ wagyu short rib and crispy potatoes with balsamic Mayo. Atmosphere is fine except that it was a bit noisy. Overall, it was good experience.

Fantastic taster menu. We went for the "Just Feed Me" option and it was awesome. Every dish was delicious and full of character. You could really see the thought that had gone into the different combinations of flavours. The salmon and beef short rib were the best but everything was great! Service, drinks and atmosphere where also fantastic. Would definitely recommend!

I had dinner at Kika Wakana tonight, with a booking at 8:15 PM, and have just left the restaurant. Our group of six chose the “Just Feed Me” menu ($95 per person), which meant we had no prior knowledge of the dishes we would be served, as everything was left entirely to the chef’s selection and creativity. We were genuinely looking forward to a delightful dining experience, but unfortunately, we were left completely disappointed. The sequence of dishes lacked coherence in terms of flavor, and there seemed to be no thoughtful flow or connection between them. Most notably, the lamb dish, which was intended to be the highlight of the meal, was also the worst. Although it was supposed to be slow-cooked, it was then over-roasted, resulting in meat that was both dry and tough. The accompanying roasted potatoes were also overcooked, making them dry and hard—almost inedible. It felt as though, because we were one of the last bookings of the evening and had chosen the “Just Feed Me” menu, the kitchen simply served us whatever was left. Please respect the palate of your guests. We chose the “Just Feed Me” option because we trusted the chef’s taste and creativity—not because we wanted to be randomly stuffed with whatever was available. I strongly recommend others think carefully before choosing the “Just Feed Me” menu. I am giving this feedback 1 star, as there’s no option for half a star.

Nothing wrong with the dining experience - it was the typical higher-casual dining experience, with some innovation in the dishes. However, having just dined at Muttonbird the night before, this was not as good as that... and the Feed Me option is more expensive, at $95 vs $80! We decided to go a la carte. Market fish of the day was sole fish, which was cooked nicely and very tasty and fresh. We also had the venison carpaccio - tasty too, definitely can recommend to order. Overall, you get a good meal here. But they do charge a premium here too, so overall, you get what you pay.

Loved this place. Service started slow but picked up. Staff were amazing. Food tasted great and all but one of the wine pairings were on point.

One of the best meals I had in New Zealand. I loved that they had a "Just Feed Me" option, which was just chef's choice/pre-fix. Absolutely delicious, great flavors, colors, and portions. I would say it's more of a contemporary cuisine with Asian influences combined with Western techniques - like the age dashi tofu with shittake, the duck entree and lamb (that takes 45 min to prep), and dessert that had 2 types of crème friache. It was dishes I knew but done in a new and tasteful way - all with beautiful presentation and plating. I enjoyed the meal very much with my wine pairing, and we left happy. Highly recommended, and I also advise to book reservations if you can since it does get busier during the peak hours.

We've been in New Zealand for 8 days and this was our best meal, hands down. We wanted the Just Feed Me option, and even though I'm pescatarian and husband eats meat but no fish, the chef made it work. The main dish (gnocchi) and all the sides (salmon, fried chicken, broccolini, tofu, Brussels sprouts, lettuce wedge) - each one was a star in its own right, flavored perfectly and presented beautifully. It was 2 hours of pampering after a long day of hiking. Would definitely eat here again!

This has been by far the best restaurant we've encountered on our New Zealand trip so far. We were blown away by our dinner here that we had to come back the next night. We arrived at 5:30 on the dot to secure a table in the first seating during our first time here, and the second night we arrived at around 7 and were seated by 7:45. The servers are all extremely friendly and helpful with the menu choices. We got the beef tartare both times since it was so memorable. The salmon of our first night was the best salmon I've ever had, tender and juicy and so flavorful. Some of our other favorites were the lamb shoulder, the kumara, the Kika Fried Chicken, and the salted cod croquette. This restaurant is definitely a must try if you're stopping by Lake Wanaka!

My husband and I went to Kika for our post elopement ceremony and couldn't have been happier. We opted for the "just feed me" menu as we were feeling quite adventurous; and the quality of food we received for the price was more than fair. The courses were all delightful and well thought out with great texture; I had no idea vegetables could taste so dang delicious! To our surprise the staff gave us a couple glasses of champagne to celebrate our nuptials, which was a very unexpected and appreciated gesture. The staff were appropriately attentive and we were happy we were able to celebrate with them.

First of all, I would not describe this as an Italian place. I would describe it as outstanding, fresh, creative tapas cuisine!! So, the titles on the menu are italian...but...don't go here looking for standard Italian comfort food fare. We began with 2 apps or "Piccolos" to share: First was the beets. There were "smoked oranges" in the beets. Yes, they were smoked. Yes, they were oranges. It was a total mind-f$&@ and should've been included as an exhibition in the nearby puzzleworld. But they were good. Also, there were yummy pistachios in this dish. Can't go wrong there. Although some moron at the next table tried to argue they weren't actually pistachios. Next up: fried chicken app called "kika fried chicken". It was solid, good texture, tomato sauce was tasty. Compared to the other dishes, this was probably our least fave, the most "meh," but still good. The main: the market fish for two. Interesting mixture of flavors as the fish was swimming in a bed of olives, lemon, peppers, onion, and some other mysterious tasty items. Pun intended. The bones were picked clean, as pictured. Reports indicate the eyeballs were especially tasty, but I can't speak from personal experience. The side: charred carrots. You can't go wrong! Interesting medley of textures with the yogurt and nuts... Wine pairings: ask your knowledgeable waitress for help! They also have wine tastings here, you don't have to commit to whole glasses, which is awesome. The dessert: carrot cake gelato - apparently this is the chef's deconstructed version of a carrot cake. It was an amazing brain child of the chef! However, were I to come back, I would probably try a different desert next time. Everyone should try this at least once, though!

This restaurant exceeded my expectations, even if they were high. The harmony of the flavors and the originality of the meals made it the best restaurant I've been to in New Zealand. The lamb was a generous portion and simply delicious. The small plates to share were all good, fresh, different. The only thing I liked a little less was the speed of service, as if they wanted us out as quickly as possible to clear out the table. We didn't even get the time to drink a glass a wine after our cocktails. For this type of restaurant I consider this too fast. Otherwise, if you enjoy good food and generous portions you should make a stop at Kika.

Wow. I was impressed. Everything here screams hipster. So i was scared to try. I was dead wrong. This place really takes it over the top. Great food and wonderful menu. Lots to choose from.

A new restaurant set up by the owner of Francesca's Italian Kitchen. Delicious food with an emphasis on shared dishes. Food styles were eclectic. The lamb was superb and big enough for 3 to 4 people. We were there in winter but strongly recommend for a nice day in the outdoor area next to the creek.

My husband and I had a fantastic dinner here. All the shared plates that we ordered were nothing short of excellent. They don't take reservations, but we had no problem getting seated right away.

Wow... truly an experience. First off this did not come off as Italian cuisine, well at least not in the traditional sense. For me it was a fusion of the chefs favorite dishes. I encountered a number of different culinary regions. I'll say this.. you can tell the amount of thought that has gone into each dish. If you are a big foodie like me then I know you'll appreciate the balance of artistic craft and taste they bring to the table. As an added bonus the dishes were very reasonably priced for what you get. For a place that is far from home, New Zealand not only impresses in its adventure lifestyle mentality but presented a base line standard for quality in farm to table ingredients with the unique modern twist. I loved it. Cheers to all the hard work!

Very good food. Everything was delicious except for the sole, which was tasteless. I think it's our own fault for ordering fish instead of mutton in New Zealand! Other than that, we loved the food. BUT the restaurant has forced sharing yet for some reason the plates are not actually made to be shared by more than two. The black pudding and the beet tartine each comes with two pieces that are pretty hard to cut. AND they don't bring share utensils so I guess they assume groups will just all stick their dirty forks into the tapas plates? Because what everyone wants when they're traveling with friends is for the entire group to come down with the cold one person brought with on the trip. So less one star for that. Also the service was extremely unprecedentedly slow. I would take off another star but the food is so good that 3/5 is too low, so 4 it is.

Fried chicken (appetizer) and fried potatoes (side dish) were both very good. Market fish (sole) was decent. Slow cooked lamb shoulder was over cooked and a bit dry.

Loved this place! First off, this did not feel like an Italian restaurant to me... in case you are letting that sway your decision. (I normally avoid Italian simply because I avoid pasta) There are a TON of non-Italian items on the menu :D This was a recommendation from our hotel (Oasis Yurt & Lodge) and I'm so happy we checked it out. The place itself is medium in size, but filled with tables that make it feel a little smaller than it is. There is a small bar area as well. I had the 2 different shrub cocktails they offered - delicious! We decided to share small plates... a salmon + mussel dish was really tasty although not recommended if mussels aren't your thing. They definitely intend on it being eaten WITH the salmon so, not something to pick off in my opinion. Seared tuna was great! Fried chicken? AMAZING. I wish I could have one right now. This was the best dish of the several we ordered. Broccolini with almond paste was super tasty as well - really nice veg option to go along with our other items. We added the beet dish at the end - it reminded me of a beet version of falafel balls... glad we added these on. Ultimately, I really don't think you will be disappointed with picking Kika for dinner... great drinks and dishes to share - they had bigger entrees as well if you prefer separate dishes. Not formal but had a hipster / trendy vibe to it. Wish we could have done dessert but we were exhausted!

Not as good as the hype Ramsey gave this place. Triple A at best. Service do do, good just adequate at best. Good luck with this pricy place mate. .

We JUST got back to our room and I had to write a review immediately it was that good. Roast lamb shoulder was the best lamb I've ever had. Perfectly crispy skin, incredible flavor, and juicy on the inside. The fried chicken was also an amazing balance of crispy and delicate. Plum cheesecake dessert made me wish I was eating alone so I could have it all to myself.

A dining experience!!! Cocktails are amazing and food flavors and quality are out of this world. Highly recommend this tapas culinary experience!!!!

Best meal I've had in the three or so weeks I've been in New Zealand. The small plates are creative and I definitely recommend picking 3-4 of them to try out the different cooking styles (the venison tartare and the fried chicken were particular highlights). The larger entrees seemed more standard fare, but the quality and preparation of every dish is spot on: it's rare I've had a meal with so many elements where each piece was done so well, down to the dessert (get their take on banoffee pie!) really can't say enough positive about this spot. We didn't get the "just feed me" tasting style menu but it's a good value here as well based on what we ate.

Great seafood. The best whole fish I have ever had. Comfortable and upscale atmosphere. The service from the host was exceptional. She was all over the place; seating, busing tables, restocking restroom soap, and generally checking on patrons. She made up for the lack of attention from our waiter.

Awesome restaurant! Great food, epic wine selection and super knowledgeable staff. Perfect atmosphere. A serious must do on beautiful Wanaka.

Four of us had dinner here. Very welcoming staff, good advice on how many small plates might feed a group of four. Everything we ordered was good to great. We knew we had a great chef when the tea smoked duck starter came out... amazing complement of flavors. We got to try a lot of the menu. Our two favorites were the avacado mousse and the lamb.... amazing! Service was impeccable.

The food at Kika was delicious. We ordered the gnudi, the potatoes, the green beans, and the half chicken. The gnudi, potatoes, and beans were all utterly delicious. I seriously recommend all of these dishes. The only problem was that the chicken was undercooked. When the restaurant staff saw this they went straight to the manager and he more than made up for it by giving us any dish we choose, a dessert for each of us, and a glass of wine, completely on the house. He also refunded the chicken. This has to be the best service I have seen from a restaurant in a long time. I will definitely be coming to Kika again.