May the best – and most delicious – toastie win

Monday, 8 July 2024

Humble yet generous, the beloved toasted sandwich is a well-known staple of New Zealand cuisine: especially for kids alone in the house during the holidays.

We call them toasties. It’s not a grilled cheese, as the Americans say. They’re not even made on a grill … a toastie is created on a frying pan or a toastie machine.

The sandwich is such an essential part of Aotearoa that we even have a competition for it now: The Great NZ Toastie Takeover, started in 2018.

To take part, eateries must create a toastie that has two pieces of bread and is able to be eaten by hand. It must contain cheese (or a vegan substitute) and pickles from McClure. Anything else is up to the restaurant.

Restaurants in Wellington, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and Kāpiti have created their own toastie masterpieces for this year’s competition, with 38 venues taking part in this year’s competition.

Beach Babylon, Dirty Little Secret, Kanteen, Green Man Pub and The Tasting Room are some of the restaurants in the capital who are taking a shot at the grand prize: the title of best toastie in New Zealand.

Stand outs from the delicious sandwiches up for offer include Petone café Small Batch, which has created the Crackle Belly Rosti Tosti.

This toastie is made from free range pork belly with a maple and pickle juice glaze, and comes with kumara rosti, apple chutney, and whipped feta.

In Pōneke, Loosie’s Superette has created a Sloppy Joestie: A smoked brisket and hot dog chilli with American cheese and sweet and spicy pickles.

Not to be outdone, St Johns made a lobster thermidor and prawn toastie that comes with a serving of lobster and prawn bisque and a three cheese sauce.

Kanteen in Pipitea has made a sandwich with a panko crumbed pork cutlet, Japanese curry sauce and pickled cabbage with fries.

In Lower Hutt, Janus Bakkerij has created a Chilli Cheese Dog that comes with manuka smoked pork jalapeño sausage, complete with sweet and spicy beans and nacho cheese.

In Masterton, Ten O’Clock Cookie Bakery Café has created the Porky Cristo: a slow cooked BBQ pulled pork sandwich with Colby cheese and sweet and spicy pickles.

The Offering in Greytown has made the Beefy Melt: which has slow cooked, house smoked beef as its filling, with a four cheese blend and McClure’s Bread and Butter pickles.

Across New Zealand, 170 venues are taking part, with finalists revealed on August 5. The winner will be announced August 21.

Participating restaurants and their creations at www.toastietakeover.com