Catch the new breakfast menu at Kingi
Hotel Britomart’s flagship restaurant, Kingi, is mainly known for its lunch and dinner offering, but it’s just ramped up its existing breakfast menu with a bunch of fresh dishes worth seeking out. From this week, you can order crispy potato rosti with smoked kahawai and a slow-poached egg, Fiordland wapiti (deer) mince on toast, and huevos rancheros. The haloumi salad appeals for a healthy brunch, and for sweets there’s banana pancakes with raspberries, hazelnuts and maple syrup. Kingi serves breakfast Monday to Friday 7am–11am and brunch until 2.30pm on weekends. Tuawhiti Lane, 29 Galway Street, Auckland.

Celebrate Matariki with special feasts and events
This year we’re marking Matariki, the Māori New Year, on July 14 – and there are several special events in the lead-up that embrace the occasion’s principles of coming together with friends and loved ones, and enjoying some delicious kai. At waterfront restaurant and cooking school Homeland on July 15, chef-owner Peter Gordon will teach attendees how to make a lunch dish that he feels is “symbolic of our nation’s evolving cuisine from the last 800 years”. A $95 ticket gets you the class, where you’ll be cooking a dish of green-shell mussels, hāngī pork, kūmara, karengo seaweed, Pacific coconut cream and sauvignon blanc. You’ll can also make fry bread and drink wine. Heart of the City has a lengthy guide to many Matariki events taking place in the central city, and not-for-profit organisation Eat New Zealand is holding workshops in the South Island as part of its Feast Matariki series. Check out the Matariki Festival website for more events, workshops, exhibitions, presentations and more.

Get among the best of Auckland with Elemental festival
July’s a great month for events, with Elemental kicking off once again on July 20. Book tickets for special art shows, food events and gigs, with culinary highlights including a lamb butchery and beer masterclass with Hannah Miller Childs (aka A Lady Butcher); Nanam chef-owner Jessabel Granada’s Feasts of Legends event (read more about it here); and wine festival Winetopia. Elemental AKL is on from July 20 to August 6. aucklandnz.com/elemental

Zi Sweet’s first-ever market appearance
Paloma Harada and Nicholas Maestranzi’s cake business has grown an enthusiastic fanbase since launching in January 2022, and while market appearances are the starting point for a lot of small food businesses, Zi Sweet has never popped up at one – until now. Head to Britomart market this Saturday for a special menu that Harada and Maestranzi have created just for the occasion – you’ll be able to get slices of their signature elaborate, retro-inspired cakes, as well as cookies, cinnamon-sugar madeleines, mini bundt cakes and more. From 8am–2pm on Saturday July 8 at Britomart Market, Takutai Square.

Stock the freezer and pantry with these goodness-filled new snacks
New Zealand’s berry prices (and availability) swing wildly depending on the season – but now you can be sure to have them on hand year-round thanks to the new fruit treats from Nelson-based business Goodness Kitchen. Plus, they’re covered in dark chocolate. Choc Bites come with strawberries, cherries and blueberries, all snap-frozen at peak ripeness. They’d probably be delicious with our second snack pick – a new granola collaboration by Blue Frog Breakfast and Pic’s Peanut Butter. The crunchy granola is made with Blue Frog’s locally grown oats and Pic’s smooth peanut butter, with toasted coconut and vanilla.

Win at Dry July with top New Zealand-made non-alcoholic drinks
Whether you’re temporarily or habitually booze-free, there are more options to try than ever before – including many by local makers, from award-winning zero-booze beers to clever, healthy and tasty canned cocktails. Find our favourites here.