Your guide to where the Remix team is imbibing and dining this month

With longer days on the horizon and lazy sunset sessions gradually being added to the diary, the great New Zealand summer is starting to feel tantalisingly close. With that in mind, it’s time to celebrate some of the fresh new collaborations, pop-ups and dining experiences rolling out across the motu this month. From delicious sparkling wines from marvellous Marlborough to Ponsonby happy hours and a chance to snag a sandwich created by the Sourdough King, chances are the Remix team will see you there…

Kick off Summer with a sunny Sunday session at Bon Pinard

Birkenhead favourite Bon Pinard is celebrating the start of summer with a Sunday session in partnership with Marlborough’s Hunter’s Wines. On Sunday, November 9th, Chief winemaker James Macdonald will be pouring glasses of MiruMiru méthode traditionnelle, which you can pair with dishes from a menu inspired by Marlborough’s bounty featuring the likes of oysters with MiruMiru mignonette, Mills Bay mussel escabeche and Steak frites with Hunter’s Pinot Noir jus. There even a Hunter’s spritz, created with their Rosé méthode traditionnelle, peach and soda, the perfect pairing for an afternoon in the sun.

Spend summer by the water at La Marée

Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour’s waterside restaurant, La Marée has unveiled a fresh new summer menu, showcasing Executive Chef Maninder Singh Panesar’s talents creating French-inspired cuisine with sustainably sourced New Zealand ingredients. The seasonal refresh brings a delectable collection of dishes that celebrate the arrival of warmer weather, with a focus on fresh seafood, locally farmed produce, and exciting flavour combinations. We love the sound of freshly shucked seasonal oysters prepared two ways, pan-seared scallops with apple-turnip purée and bacon crumb, and home-made lobster ravioli with seafood bisque and pistachio crumb.

Image via @thehospoguynz

Feeling festive? Why not head Uptown

Uptown is turning up the flavour this November with its first-ever food festival — Uptown Bites. From 3–16 November, Tāmaki Makaurau’s Uptown district will come alive with two weeks of special offers, tasting events, and hands-on foodie fun across multiple must-visit venues. From iconic fine dining at The French Café and crayfish specials at Lillius, to authentic Vietnamese fare at Sen, Uptown Bites celebrates the area’s diverse and delicious dining scene. For something a little different, Eden Ceramics is hosting a family-friendly Make Your Own Plate workshop —materials and firing included.

Charmed: an inspired collab with friendship and great wine at its heart

Ponsonby-based friends Meadowlark, Everyday Wine and local favourite Bodega have come together to unveil Charmed - a multifaceted collaboration with its own bespoke chilled red blend. The trio wanted to celebrate community, creativity and friendship, and the limited edition collab will also feature Drop 2 of Meadowlark’s Charms collection alongside a raft of fun specials like a Meadowlark Happy Hour at Bodega. “We all work within two blocks of each other,” says Meadowlark designer, Claire Hammon. “Bodega is our local, and Everyday Wine has been our go-to wine supplier for years. There’s a shared ethos between us - care, quality, good design, and good times. It just made sense to create something together. The world’s been feeling heavy, so we wanted to make something light, festive and joyful.”

For coastal-meets-cool, meet brand new favourite, Water Boy

St Heliers has a fresh new spot to eat, drink, and gather: Water Boy, a coastal pub just steps from the shoreline. Created by Patrick Kean and Victoria Blake (the duo behind Remuera favourite, The Corner), Water Boy brings a taste of Sydney and Melbourne’s laidback surf club culture to Auckland’s eastern suburbs, with casual music, and sun-soaked Sundays built around long tables and shared plates.

Explore Tepan House cuisine at Kureta

Tucked away down a speakeasy-style corridor in JW Marriott Auckland, new Japanese dining destination Kureta pays homage to the Tepan House techniques of flame and heat, while elevating the concept with locally sourced ingredients, refined presentation, and a deep connection to nature and craft. With Chef de Cuisine Akihiro Nakamura at the helm, Kureta’s menu offers epicurean delights from New Zealand’s southern oceans to the rich flavours of the volcanic lands, with each dish paying homage to nature while fusing local ingredients with traditional Japanese techniques.

Hercules Noble celebrates the sandwich at Deli de Bossi 

In honour of World Sandwich Day, the public can get their hands on chef and creator Hercules Noble’s viral sourdough in a one-time-only collab with Deli di Bossi. Herc, (aka the King of Sourdough) has teamed up with Bossi Executive Chef Shaun Dowling to create the Carbonara Pane Fritto - a bold, never-before-tasted twist on his most viral creation. It’s a match made in heaven for Deli di Bossi, known for its fresh, handmade focaccia sandwiches – and the perfect partner to Hercules’ cult-favourite baked good. Available for one week only, it’s the hero dish at Deli di Bossi until Saturday, 8 November (until sold out daily).

Sip and savour with Dom Pérignon and bespoke bites

This Spring, diners are invited to experience Dom Pérignon & Bites, an exclusive culinary collaboration celebrating the artistry, creativity, and the harmonious connection between world-class gastronomy and an iconic Champagne. Available for just six weeks, Dom Pérignon & Bites brings together three of our most acclaimed chefs: Gareth Stewart of Advieh, Ryan Moore of The Wine Room, and Paul Froggatt of ROKI Collection Queenstown. Each chef has crafted a bespoke bite to perfectly pair with a glass of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2013, a harmonious vintage that never fails to delight. The collaboration invites guests to discover the artistry of pairing, where each bite captures the spirit of its creator: refined yet daring, precise yet full of personality.

Coffee takes flight as our national carrier unveils its own blend

Air New Zealand took its love of coffee to new heights when it served its new bespoke blend, Carry On, straight through the flight deck window in a world-first moment at Queenstown Airport. The airline teamed up with legendary Kiwi roasters, Coffee Supreme to deliver the perfect pour directly through the window of an A320 jet, who they are now partnering with so travellers can enjoy the same care and quality poured into every cup at 30,000 feet as they do today at their local café. Roasted to taste just as good in the air as it does on the ground, Carry On has notes of dark chocolate, malt biscuit and maple, is smooth, full-bodied, and designed to hold its own long after take-off.