The Search for New Zealand's Top Toasted Sandwich Has Begun Again

There are 83 restaurants, bars, cafes, supermarket, garden and department store cafes, café-stores, breweries (and even a hole in the wall servery) from all over New Zealand hoping to take out the title of Best NZ Toastie...

Sandwich makers fire up your sandwich presses ands frypans, The Great NZ Toastie Takeover is back, with 83 eateries across the country competing to win the title of Best NZ Toastie. 

In 2019, Hokitika Sandwich Company, wowed the judges with their winning combination of corned beef, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, harvati and cream cheeses, red onion and their own in-house sauce. 

This year, the judging will take place throughout the month of July, with the 12 finalists (made up of two entries from each of the six competition regions) announced on Monday, August 3. The competition’s toast-master-royale will then visit the finalists in August to sample their creations and liaise with McClure’s Pickles co-founder, Joe McClure, to determine New Zealand’s best toastie of 2020 which will be announced in September.

Whether you head to Bread & Butter in Grey Lynn, Auckland for their Te Poaka Pakepake sandwich (ancient grain sourdough with McClure's Pickles, crispy pork belly, kumara, melty provolone & salsa criolla with a broccoli slaw) or to Love Chicken in Queenstown for The Southern (3 Cheese mac & cheese, Southern-style fried organic free-range chicken & McClure’s Pickles), or to one of the many cities and towns along the way, we're sure you'll get a toastie worth toasting to.

One of our favourite things about the Toastie Takeover in 2020 (and every other year, actually) is that there are so many eateries, from so many different towns in New Zealand that there is sure to be one near you... So scroll down to see a full list of the eateries or click here for more info. 

Auckland /Northland

Akarana Eatery (Orakei)
Bread & Butter Café (Grey Lynn)
Burger Boy (Central)
Burger Burger (Newmarket)
Butcher’s Shop Café (Patamahoe)
Cheese on Toast (Mt Eden)
Federal Delicatessen (Central)
Fish Kitchen (Devonport)
Good Day (Orakei)
Good Dog Bad Dog (Central)
Good George North Wharf (Central)
Hallertau Brewery (Riverhead)
Hello Pickle (Whangarei)
Hero Sandwich House (Eden Terrace) & Hero at the Tuesday Club, Airedale Street (CBD)
Jemima’s Kitchen (Oratia)
Kohi Store (Kohimarama)
Longroom (Ponsonby)
New World Eastridge (Kohimarama)
Palm Beach Store (Waiheke Island)
Pickle Pickle (Mission Bay)
Pilkingtons (Central)
Something & Social (Newmarket)
The Humble Canteen (Central)
The Apothecary (Howick)
Vondel (Devonport)
Winner Winner (Pukekohe)
Wren Kitchen (Mt Wellington)
Wynyard Pavilion (Central)

Hamilton/ Waikato/ Coromandel/ BOP/ Rotorua

Capers Café + Store (Rotorua)
Espy (Whitianga)
Flock Kitchen & Bar (Tairua)
Harbour House Cafe (Whitianga)
Hayes Common (Hamilton)
Keystone  (Hamilton)
Mr. Pickles Bar & Eatery (Hamilton)
No.8 (Mount Maunganui)
RedKitchen (Te Awamutu)
The General (Mount Maunganui)
The Lookout (Hamilton)
The Verandah (Hamilton)
Thyme Square (Hamilton)
Winner Winner - Hamilton East (Waikato)

Central North Island

Bay Espresso Karamu Road (Hastings)
Carr’s Kitchen (Hastings)
Federal Store (New Plymouth)
High St Bistro (Dannevirke) OPENS 6th JULY
Joe's Garage (New Plymouth)
Parnells Cafe (Whanganui)
Replete Café & Store (Taupo)
Roosters Brewhouse (Hastings)
The Rose Irish Pub (Napier)

Wellington Region

10 O’Clock Cookie Bakery Café (Masterton)
Bebemos (Newtown)
Bin 44 Restaurant & Bar (Wellington)
Fix & Fogg Eva Street Window (Wellington)
Goods Manufactory and Café (Petone)
Leeds Street Bakery (Wellington)
Mockingbird (Wellington)  
On Trays Scheckter's Deli (Wellington)
Park Kitchen (Wellington)
The Butcher & Brewer (Petone)
The Crooked Elm (Lower Hutt)
The Offering (Greytown)
The Residence (Wellington)
Winner Winner (Wellington)

Upper South Island

Arden Bar & Kitchen Porta Via (Nelson)
Beach House (Kaikoura)
Bottle & Stone - OPENING 8 JULY (Christchurch)
City Social (Christchurch)
Civil & Naval (Lyttleton)
Earl Bistro (Christchurch)
Grain Coffee and Eatery (Christchurch)
Joe's Garage – Riccarton (Christchurch)
Kin at Ballantynes (Christchurch)
Sign of the Kiwi (Governor’s Bay)
Terra Viva Cafe (Burnside, Christchurch)
Terrace Tavern (Christchurch)
The Tearooms at Ballantynes (Christchurch)
Welles St (Christchurch)

Rest of South Island

Forage Café & Information Centre (Cromwell)
Hungry Hobos (Dunedin) 
Love Chicken (Queenstown)
Nichols Cafe (Cromwell)