Porcini Mushrooms
Foraged from cool Otago forests, these meaty mushrooms are folded through a wild mushroom risotto with aged parmesan.
Sourced from Otago foragers
Seasonal Philosophy
A Living Expression of New Zealand's Seasons
At RefinedMenu, our menu is a living expression of New Zealand's seasons. We work closely with local growers and producers to bring the freshest ingredients to your table.
Dunedin's cool southern climate gives us a distinct rhythm: bright spring greens, abundant summer berries, earthy autumn roots, and hardy winter brassicas. Each season shapes the contemporary dining experience, ensuring every plate reflects the region at its peak.
Current Seasonal Highlights
Autumn Harvest Highlights
Autumn brings a rich palette of ingredients to our kitchen, from earthy mushrooms to sweet root vegetables. These are the flavours currently shaping our menu.
Heirloom Carrots
Sweet, earthy and vividly coloured, these carrots are roasted whole and served with a herb emulsion and toasted seeds.
Sourced from Southland growers
Quince
Slow-poached quince adds a fragrant, honeyed note to our autumn dessert, paired with crème fraîche and oat crumble.
Sourced from Central Otago orchards
Chef's Ingredient Philosophy
From Market to Plate
“We don't write the menu first and find ingredients later. We visit the markets, taste what the season is offering, and let those ingredients guide every decision.”
Our chefs visit local markets weekly to select the best produce, letting the ingredients guide the menu. This approach means the menu changes often, but always with purpose. Relationships with local farmers are central to this process: knowing who grew the carrots or harvested the mushrooms allows the kitchen to cook with confidence and respect for the land.
Sourcing Calendar
Year-Round Seasonality
Our sourcing calendar highlights the peak seasons for key New Zealand ingredients, ensuring the menu always reflects the best of the region. New Zealand's seasons are opposite to the Northern Hemisphere, giving us a distinctive culinary rhythm.
Spring
- Asparagus
- New season lamb
- Broad beans
- Pea shoots
- Rhubarb
Summer
- Berries
- Stone fruit
- Fresh seafood
- Tomatoes
- Sweetcorn
Autumn
- Wild mushrooms
- Root vegetables
- Quince
- Feijoas
- Walnuts
Winter
- Citrus
- Brassicas
- Kūmara
- Leeks
- Preserved autumn harvest
Signature Seasonal Dishes
Dishes in Season
Our signature dishes evolve with the seasons, each highlighting the finest local produce. These are the plates currently defining the RefinedMenu experience.
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Roasted Root Vegetable Tart
$34Heirloom carrots, parsnip and beetroot baked in a rye pastry with smoked crème fraîche and watercress.
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Wild Mushroom Risotto
$38Carnaroli rice with porcini and field mushrooms, finished with aged parmesan and truffle oil.
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Poached Quince Dessert
$18Slow-poached quince with vanilla bean, crème fraîche and a toasted oat crumble.
Local Suppliers Spotlight
Our Local Partners
We are proud to work with dedicated growers and producers across Otago and Southland. These relationships are the foundation of our seasonal kitchen.
- Otago Organic Farms A family-run organic farm supplying heirloom vegetables, herbs and edible flowers throughout the year.
- Southland Coastal Seafood A small-batch seafood provider delivering line-caught fish and shellfish from the cool southern waters.
- Central Otago Orchards Stone fruit, quince and heritage apple growers who supply the kitchen with fruit at its peak ripeness.
Seasonal Tasting Experience
Taste the Season
Join us at our Dunedin restaurant to savour the current seasonal menu, crafted with the freshest local ingredients. After dinner, the evening can continue in our real physical casino, where genuine poker, roulette and blackjack tables await adult guests.
Seasonal Ingredients Gallery
A Visual Journey
Explore the colours and textures of our seasonal ingredients and the dishes they inspire.
