Kika

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#3 of 73 Restaurants in Wanaka$$ - $$$, Healthy, New Zealand, Vegetarian friendly

+64 3-443 6536+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Mon

5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Tue

5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Wed

5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Thu

5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Fri

5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Sat

5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

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What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

734 reviews

#3 of 73 Restaurants in Wanaka

Travellers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

$8.00 – $40.00

CUISINES

Healthy, New Zealand

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

meals, features

Location and contact

2 Dunmore Street, Wanaka 9305 New Zealand

+64 3-443 6536

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Can a vegan person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

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Details

Manage this business?

PRICE RANGE

$8.00 – $40.00

CUISINES

Healthy, New Zealand

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Outdoor Seating, Seating, Street Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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4.5

734 reviews

Excellent

589

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

JackZorich

Sydney34 contributions

Good food, Great Ambience, Good Service

Jan 2020 • couples

We tried Kika after a recommendation from our hotel manager who said it was one of the best fine dining restaurants in Wanaka. We weren't disappointed and thoroughly enjoyed our time there. We didn't feel pressured to hurry up with our meals, and needed up spending a substantial amount of time there. The entrees on offer where fantastic and the lamb main meal was huge (over 1kg of lamb that we struggled to finish). The only complaint I would have is that the wines are way overpriced for the quality.....$20 for a glass of average chardonnay....have had better offerings at less than half the price in New Zealand. Apart from that, if you're into fine dining and have an adventurous pallet for trying different textures and combinations....Kika wont disappoint!

Written 8 January 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DDignum

48 contributions

Good.

Jan 2020 • family

I agree with the previous review, tramvip about the lamb. It was ok. Difficult to cut, lacks the fall apart bit that WGK has. It needs a sauce that is more than the slightly flavoured liquid provided with it. We were 3 of adults and we were advised to get 3 starters and 2 side dishes to accompany the main lamb. The salt cod and 'kfc' were good, but 2 tiny black pudding things were totally inadequate for one, let alone 3. They were not good either. We loved the potatoes, the kamarah was a definite miss and the other side choices were a salad or brocollini. Neither was a good choice. The salad looked all lettuce on other tables. The service was good, but I would not return based on price and taste. Lots of other restaurants to choose from.

Written 17 January 2020

Mark S

8 contributions

This testament deserves a Mitchelin Star

Mar 2020 • family

This was not just a meal but a total experience. From being greeted into the restaurant by trained professionals, who explained each of the dishes in detail, to the visual experience before tasting the food that was of an exceptional quality, a taste that deserves recognition. Kika in my opinion is deserving of recognition as one of the finest restaurants that I have experienced. The professionalism of the staff, the ambiance and of course the visual and taste of quality ingredients put together by top chefs who clearly love what they do and create dishes of an exceptional quality. This restaurant is in my opinion deserving of the highest accolade and deserves recognition .

Written 16 March 2020

Tram

Western Australia7 contributions

Not worth our money

Dec 2019 • none

Apart from great customer service (the waiter was very attentive and made us feel welcome), the food was very average given that it came with a fine dining price tag. Lets talk about the slow cooked lamb shoulder. When I hear slow cooked, i expect it to be tender and falling offthe bone. Texture wise, I wouldn’t describe their lamb as tough, but it surely was not tender, and definitely not falling off the bone. Taste wise, it was soooo average unless you like the taste of pure lamb meat. I expected some in-house seasoning or marinade going on, or a hint of thyme or rosemary. Or Maybe Thats just how the dish was supposed to be cooked and i had a wrong expectation of it. But if you have the same expectations like mine of a slow cooked lamb shoulder, I suggest you not waste your money.

Written 16 January 2020

indulgentexperiences

Sydney246 contributions

Superb meal

Jan 2020 • none

Kika was recommended to us by the manager of our hotel and I am so glad we went. I would recommend anyone visiting Wanaka dine here at least once. They don't take bookings so get there quite early (they open at 5.30pm) or be prepared to wait a little while. On a busy Saturday night in January, we arrived at 7.30pm and had to wait for about 40 minutes for a table. It was a beautiful night and we were happy to sit outside and have a drink while we waited. Service was very professional and attentive without being intrusive. The food is designed to share and I'd describe it as modern New Zealand with an Asian influence. We ordered the seared tuna with koji mayo, cucumber, ponzu and puffed grains. The tuna was seared perfectly, the sauce added depth without overwhelming the dish and puffed grains great texture. For a main we shared the roast shoulder of lamb with rosemary, chilli and preserved lemon and the kumara with miso, pistachio, sesame, sake and yuzu. We were concerned it might not be enough food but we needn't have worried. The lamb shoulder serving was very large and more than enough for two people to share. As an Australian I eat a lot of lamb, including some bought direct from the farm and this was definitely some of the best lamb I've ever tasted. Contrary to what a few other reviewers have said the lamb was falling off the bone tender and it was full of flavour. The sauce was the pan drippings from when the lamb was cooked which was perfect. Anything else would have detracted from the dish and the amazing lamb flavour. We also enjoyed the (purple) kumera although it was more of an Asian dish and probably not the best accompaniment to the lamb. If I was ordering the lamb again (which I will definitely do if I ever make it back to Wanaka) I'd choose either the potatoes or the cos lettuce as a side. My only regret is that we didn't save room for dessert.

Written 28 January 2020

Scott Saige

Plano31 contributions

One of the best meals ever

Jan 2020 • family

Went last night with family and friends - we are visiting NZ from the US. Had one of the best meals of my life. I love tapas and sharing because you get to try many dishes and at Kika, every item was simply amazing. Beautiful presentation, incredible variety of flavors all cooked to perfection. We were a table of 8 so got to try almost everything on the menu. The atmosphere of the place is casual and relaxed even though it was very busy. Wine list featured good local and international selections. Service is super friendly but not overly attentive and the pace is slow - we spent nearly 3 hours there but enjoyed every minute and every bite. This place is a must do!!

Written 8 January 2020

dekleijnanita

Rosmalen21 contributions

Food like old masters paintings, excellent taste

Jan 2020 • none

Take the effort to go to this restaurant wich is a little walk a way from the boulevard! Jou will receive an award winning menu which is beautiful presented with original en surprising flavours. The restaurant has a good vibe with friendly staff. Our advice; order when you eat at two persones, 5 or 6 entrees combined with fries (made with truffels) en share the food, It will be an amazing experience. it's a little bit far away to come again from the Netherlands otherwise we would surely come again.

Written 2 February 2020

Ron T

Greenville61 contributions

A very memorable dinner

Feb 2020 • family

We chose Kika Restaurant for dinner based on a strong recommendation from our B&B host. This tapas format restaurant is located in a beautiful but very loud space. The service was casual and friendly but a little “upselly” at times. The menu is said to change daily. The wine list is fairly limited and featured good local wines. We started with licorice tea marinated salmon. It looked like a very small portion but it was a wonderful little dish. We had a much larger portion of a fried chicken app that had a unique and complex flavor served with several tasty sauces. We then had a perfectly cooked pan sautéed whole sole. It was all topped off with an indescribable chocolate/cherry mousse served with a coconut sorbet. It was a memorable meal. It’s the best we had in two weeks in NZ. It’s also the most expensive meal we had here. I’m not sure why Trip Advisor gave it 2-3 dollar signs. It’s $$$$.

Written 25 February 2020

Approve-or-Gong

Washington DC24 contributions

Get Everything!

Feb 2020 • none

Great ambiance and very busy place. This came at the recommendation of our Backroads tour guides on our New Zealand. Food was outstanding. Highly recommend the crispy potatoes, gnocchi, tuna, salmon, and oh everything. We ordered a lot and they have options for people who are vegan, vegetarian, and garlic sensitive.

Written 26 February 2020

kiwimadeinnz

Auckland95 contributions

Still the best in Wanaka

Jun 2020 • couples

Kika is as good as ever. We enjoyed a superb meal with friendly professional service - the highlight was the beef tartare well balanced flavours and beautifully presented. This restaurant remains my favourite place in Wanaka, so pleased they are taking bookings now it made for a much pleasanter evening.

Written 5 June 2020

H M

New Zealand122 contributions

Perfect.

Jul 2021 • none

Everything we ordered was amazing. Only problem was we ordered an amount based on the waiter's suggestion and it was too much but it was all so good. It would be rude not to finish it all off, right? Luckily, we finished up the meal tucking into into a fish, slowly flaking flesh from the bones. Dessert? A wafer thin mint was all that came to mind. Hopefully next time.

Written 21 July 2021

KiwiVisitors14

5 contributions

Bit average

Jul 2020 • none

Went with really high expectations, so maybe that was a bit of a hurdle. Sadly we could only get a 5.30 seating so being early meant we sat with our coats on as they did not have any dry firewood and the one heater I saw had broken casters so was not located in the most ideal place in the restaurant. We never took our coats off. They coped with my being gluten and dairy free ok. For the price we thought it a bit average. Hubby had the pork belly (he often orders Pork Belly) and thought it a bit dry - given the price it should have been perfect! I opted for a couple of sides as that was the easiest and whilst tasty the Broccoli had a huge thick stem which was hard and the patatas were oily and the accompanying sauce very thick (? slightly over reduced?). Yeah, so a bit average for the price.

Written 28 July 2020

J Dol

1 contribution

Phenomenal

Nov 2020 • couples

We visited Kika on a Thursday evening. Ordered asparagus dish and beef tartare for entrees, tartare was one of the best we had ever had, asparagus was so good we ordered more for our main. Mains were the lamb shoulder with potato side, salad side and asparagus again. All dishes were incredible, our eyes were bigger than our stomach and we had to take a doggy bag home, beautifully cooked lamb and potatoes were super crunchy and delicious. The staff were very attentive. We decided to settle the bill and sit outside to finish off our bottle of wine. A staff member realised that there was an issue with our bill and we accidentally got charged for an extra dish, they proactively sought us out to rectify the issue and refunded us promptly. We highly appreciated this from them as it was not showing on our bill, but was clear that we had been charged extra. Highly recommend this restaurant, both for the phenomenonal food and incredible honest service. Great work team!

Written 7 November 2020

Jolene P

Christchurch79 contributions

Excellent food and service

Jul 2020 • couples

Excellent food and service tonight. Left the restaurant totally full and more than impressed with this establishment. All items were of high quality and came out without much wait. Our favourite was the seared tuna but again all the food was great. The lamb shoulder is definitely big enough for 2 and you could probably serve 3 with a couple of sides. No desert for us as we couldn’t eat anything more. Service was attentive without hovering. Great to see lots of patrons and I’m sure they would be happy to welcome more especially after the school holidays finish.

Written 14 July 2020

svowels

Sussex678 contributions

Very good restaurant in Wanaka

Jan 2020 • family

We had dinner here after a day in Wanaka. They don’t take reservations so we got there at 5:30pm when they opened. The cocktails and food were amazing. The best restaurant that we ate at in New Zealand.we shared all dishes. The main dishes are very large portions and are meant to be shared