New Zealand has a reputation as a leading producer of meat and dairy produce with lamb, beef and pork on most menus. Venison is also widely available. A variety of fish is available, including snapper, grouper and John Dory. Seasonal delicacies such as whitebait, oysters, crayfish, scallops and game birds are recommended. New Zealand is also establishing a reputation for French-type cheeses: bleu de Bresse, brie, camembert and montagne bleu.

Things to know: Picnic areas with barbecue facilities are provided at roadside sites. Restaurants are usually informal except very exclusive ones. Waiter service is normal, but self-service and fast-food chains are available. Some restaurants invite customers to ‘BYO' (bring your own liquor). Bars have counter service and public bars are very informal. Lounge bars and ‘house bars' (for hotel guests only) are sometimes more formal and occasionally have table service. There is some variation in licensing hours in major cities and some hotel bars open Sunday, providing a meal is eaten. In most hotels and taverns, licensing hours are 1100-2300 except Sunday.

National specialities:
• Kumara (native sweet potato) in Auckland.
• Feijoa (local fruit) and golden-fleshed Zespri Gold kiwi fruit from the Bay of Plenty.
• Battered fish and chips from Gisbourne.
• Salmon and green-lipped mussels from Marlborough.
• Paua (abalone) from Stewart Island.
• Toheroa (clam) from Ninety Mile Beach.

National drinks:
New Zealand boasts world-class domestic wines and beers, some of which have won international awards. A wide range of domestic and imported wines, spirits and beers is available from hotel bars, ‘liquor stores' and wine shops.
• Merlot (Auckland and Wairarapa), Chardonnay (Bay of Plenty, Gisbourne, Wairarapa and Canterbury), Pinot Gris and Noir (Auckland, Wairarapa, Marlborough and Central Otago), Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough and Wairarapa).
• New Zealand draught beer and lager.

Legal drinking age: The minimum drinking age in a bar is 18.

Tipping: Service charges and taxes are not added to hotel or restaurant bills. Tips are not expected.

New Zealand has an active and varied entertainment industry. Theatres offer good entertainment ranging from drama, comedy and musicals to pop concerts and shows. Concert tickets can be booked online (website: www.ticketek.com). In large cities, there are often professional performers or guest artists from overseas. Visitors should check ‘What's On' in local papers. There are also cinemas and a small selection of nightclubs in larger cities.

Special purchases include distinctive jewellery made from New Zealand greenstone (a kind of jade) and from the beautiful translucent paua shell. Maori arts and crafts are reflected in a number of items such as the carved greenstone tiki (a unique Maori charm) and intricate woodcarvings often inlaid with paua shell. Other items of note include woollen goods, travel rugs, lambswool rugs, leather and skin products.

Shopping hours: All shops and businesses are open Mon-Sat 0900-1700, as a minimum; there are local variations but many stores and most malls are also open Sun 1000-1300. In resorts, most shops are also open in the evenings.