Sharing our love of Mexican spice since 1995

Way back in 1995, the Amigos adventure started with their first restaurant in Wanaka. We now have five amazing restaurants around the lower South of New Zealand, and we don’t plan on stopping there! Read on to learn more about where it began, what we stand for, and our awesome team that make it all happen.

Hola
Amigo!

At Amigos, we’ve been sharing our passion for hot Mexican and cool margaritas since we first opened our doors in Wanaka in 1995. Now, with numerous restaurants operating in the South, if there is one thing you don’t have to question when it comes to Amigos, it’s their ongoing commitment to providing an enjoyable dining experience. Having options to suit any budget and dietary requirement, Amigos has got you covered! With its great vibe and welcoming atmosphere, Amigos is a place where anyone can gather for any type of fiesta to enjoy a super tasty array of Mexican flavours.

Amigos
Mission

The Amigos mission has always been to provide fresh, tasty, and innovative Mexican food to our guests. The best way we know to provide the highest quality meals is by starting from scratch! That’s right amigos, to ensure the highest quality, our chefs masterfully craft all our meals onsite, making nearly all the components themselves and accompanying them with only the freshest of local produce. We also strive to cater for every budget, preference, and dietary requirement – truly a place for everyone!

Amigos Sustainability

As Amigos continues to grow, we’ve realised more and more that every choice we make affects this beautiful planet we call home. As we continue to learn more about these effects, we are making additional efforts to change to sustainable practices on all sides of our business.

One way that we try to achieve this goal is by using as many locally-sourced products as possible, and only working with New Zealand-based companies whenever we can. For example, we only buy beef and lamb from Southland and Otago, and all of our seasonal vegetables are from the South Island and mainly from local regions. We also work with local micro producers such as Martinez and Basil Parsley from Cromwell, and we strive to carry as many locally produced beers and wines as we are able to.

Another way we are shifting to more sustainable practices is by moving towards a more plant-based menu. Of course, we will always carry the crowd favourites, but we also want to offer our customers the opportunity to explore how delicious plant-based foods can be. In fact, we currently offer over 50% of our menu in a vegetarian form and nearly half of that is plant-based.

To learn more about what Amigos is doing to help the planet, check out our sustainability stories by clicking the button below.

We are all about the Amigos community!

At Amigos, everything we do is all about the people. From our suppliers, all the way to our guests, we are always thinking about who we are working with and what we can do to help. For our staff, we try to provide competitive wages, an employee rewards program, and growth and educational opportunities for those that would like them.

Outside of Amigos, we are heavily involved with heaps of local organisations, events, and charities. From Football South to the Kahu Youth, Amigos is constantly helping out in the way of financial and food donations.

We are also always looking for more ways to get involved, so if you or your organisation are looking for a sponsor for a good cause, get in touch with us! Shoot us an email at marketing@amigos.co.nz with your organisation and what you’re looking to do and we’ll chat about how we can help!

Meet The Team

A little about James Emanuel

We would like you to introduce you to el jefe, James! He is the Amigos Executive Chef and Managing Director. As Executive Chef, James is in charge of developing, testing, and maintaining the Amigos menu. As Managing Director, he makes big picture decisions and supervises the senior management staff. When he’s not at one of the current, or future, Amigos sites, you can find him working as a volunteer paramedic, helping with community youth football, or snowboarding up at Treble Cone or in the backcountry. His favourite taco is the hamburguesa!

A little about Adam Berry

Adam is our professional problem solver and “fix it” guy! His official title is Operations Manager, and in short, he makes sure that all of our restaurants have what they need to operate efficiently and consistently. As a food lover himself, when he’s not at work you can often find him cooking or exploring other restaurants. He also keeps himself busy working on cars and motorbikes, and running a property management business. His favourite taco is the brisket!

A little about Viktor Barricklow

After his ten month trip around the world turned into six years, Viktor finally landed here in Wanaka, New Zealand! Viktor is our Marketing Manager, and he is in charge of managing all the marketing strategies and activities of the Amigos brand. While not at work, you can find him enjoying one of many outdoor activities such as skiing, climbing, tramping, or paragliding. His favourite taco is the hamburguesa!

A little about Syreeta Emanuel

Do you love the art and interior design at our Amigos restaurants (I’m looking at you, hanging doors in Dunedin)? That’s all thanks to our Creative Visionary, Sye! She is in charge of the design, layout, and flow of all our restaurants and she is always on the lookout for beautiful, recycled pieces that can be used in construction. When she’s not working, you can find her hanging out with her dog Basil, exploring new places, or planning her next trip. Her favourite taco is currently the Doble Loco!

A little about Andrew Clearwater

At Amigos, our people are our absolute priority, and Andrew is the man that helps us support our staff. He is frequently working on the road, getting to know everyone individually, and finding out how the business can support them to make their work more fulfilling. He also helps cover for holidays and when people are sick. Outside of work you can find him painting Warhammer 40K, snowboarding, listening to post-rock music, or gaming on the computer he built. His favourite taco is the jackfruit.

A little about Kate Weatherly

Say hi to Kate, our Head of Training! Kate’s job is to maintain the high standard of training across the Amigos brand, especially as we continue to grow to more locations. In addition to developing the training methods, she also spends time visiting each site to carry out ongoing education of staff members. When she’s not at work, you can find her gardening, walking her dog, enjoying a glass of wine, or studying. Her favourite taco is the mushroom!

Become part of the Amigos crew

We’re always looking for awesome people to join our team! Whether you’re a seasoned, margarita-slinging veteran or looking for your first job in hospitality, get in touch! To apply, flick us your CV, tell us a little about yourself and what you would like to do, and we’ll get right back to you!