Restaurant
Rātā
Josh Emett and Fleur Caulton's produce-led New Zealand restaurant on Ballarat Street, open since 2012 and awarded a MICHELIN Star in 2026.
Essence
The evening tasting-menu restaurant at ROKI Collection, holder of two MICHELIN Stars and Cuisine's Restaurant of the Year 2026, cooking New Zealand produce with European technique.
At a glance
- Type
- Contemporary tasting menu
- Area
- Town Centre, Queenstown, New Zealand
- Price
- $$$$ · Luxury
- Official site
- roki-collection.com
Good to know
- Tasting menus
- Wine pairings
- Mocktail pairings
- Lake views
Why we recommend it
Essence is the restaurant at ROKI Collection, a luxury hotel on Brunswick Street in the Queenstown town centre, and in 2026 it became the most decorated restaurant in the region. In the first MICHELIN Guide to New Zealand it was awarded two MICHELIN Stars, the only restaurant in the Queenstown area to receive two, and the Cuisine Good Food Awards named it American Express Restaurant of the Year 2026 with a score of 19.5 out of 20.
The kitchen is led by Paul Froggatt, ROKI Collection's Director of Culinary, who spent years cooking in New Zealand's luxury lodges before Essence. The style is precise and seasonal, built on premium New Zealand produce and European techniques. The restaurant sits on the hillside at ROKI Collection with Lake Wakatipu spread out below, so ask for a table by the windows when you book.
Dinner is a tasting menu. The full experience is called The Journey, a multi-course menu that the restaurant describes as running from Prelude to The End, and a shorter menu, A Taste of Essence, has also been offered. Both can be matched with wines, and there is a mocktail pairing for those not drinking alcohol. The tourism board highlights the Pinot Noir selection. Cocktails, both classic and inventive, are also part of the offering.
This is a special-occasion restaurant, and prices are set accordingly, so it suits couples celebrating, serious food travellers and anyone who wants to see what the region's best kitchens can do. Allow a full evening for the longer menu. Essence is open in the evenings to hotel guests, visitors and Queenstown residents alike, and it has been serving dinner only, from Tuesday to Saturday, so check the current days before planning around it. Tables book out a long way ahead, so it is worth reserving as soon as your travel dates are fixed.
Booking well ahead is essential, particularly since the MICHELIN award. Reservations can be made through the ROKI Collection website, by phone or by email to the reservations team. The hotel also has a separate venue, The Terrace, with panoramic views of the Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu.
Essence FAQs
Where is Essence?
Essence is at ROKI Collection, 2 Brunswick Street, Queenstown.
Does Essence have MICHELIN Stars?
Yes. Essence received two MICHELIN Stars in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand.
What kind of menu does Essence serve?
Dinner is a multi-course tasting menu. The Journey is the full menu, and a shorter A Taste of Essence menu has also been offered.
Who is the chef?
The kitchen is led by Paul Froggatt, Director of Culinary at ROKI Collection, who previously cooked in luxury lodges.
Is there a non-alcoholic pairing?
Yes. The tasting menu can be paired with wines or with mocktails.
Is Essence open for lunch?
Essence is an evening restaurant, open to hotel guests, visitors and residents.
How do I book?
Book through the ROKI Collection website, call +64 3 442 4112, or email [email protected]. Book well ahead.
Has Essence won other awards?
Yes. It was named American Express Restaurant of the Year 2026 in the Cuisine Good Food Awards, with a score of 19.5 out of 20.