They're not necessarily the latest or the slickest, just good places with nourishing food, great coffee and a pleasant atmosphere to help you rest and regather that holiday spirit while on the highway to somewhere.

A Vietnamese restaurant in Newmarket lives up to expectations.

If you haven't done so already, I suggest this year you make peace with a more casual style of eating out.

Triumph of style, taste: An evening meal in central Auckland restores this reviewer’s faith in food.

Can lunch ever really compete with dinner as the ultimate dining occasion? Definitely. Especially when it involves taking a trip to the country through rolling hills to a beautifully restored villa with white wicker furniture set out on a shaded verandah.

A long-standing eatery lives up to its reputation for excellence.

Tasting menus take the stress out of choosing.

A central city dining venue ticks all the food and service boxes — and allows easy conversation.

Some fine food gets a bit lost in the fanfare at a Mt Eden eatery.

Elegant surroundings complement a menu of sophisticated dishes in an inner-city establishment.

The new owner at Delicious has kept the best and improved the rest.

Anyone who has ever spent time in South Africa knows meat plays a key part in its national cuisine. Smoked, roasted, dried, fried, whatever - meat is king.

The warmth of the welcome is sadly not echoed by the food presentation — or the dining room.