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The first restaurant opened in December 2000 in Glenfield, Auckland. Nando's soon caught on in this beautiful land where people have a love for life that extends into many different outdoor activities from their obsession with rugby to their passion for sailing. New Zealand is not big when it comes to population but they are big on character and they have taken to Nando's with our unique approach to casual eating.

It is our grand plan to continue covering the length and breadth of our great land so that everyone can experience our famous hospitality and great chicken.

We will take you on journey - your own voyage of discovery. Your senses will be fired with the unique products & tastes of Portugal - all prepared with pride & passion. Here, you will be touched by the magic that is the Nando's way.

You'll laugh, you'll cry...your taste buds will never be the same again!
This legend dates back to the 14th Century, and like all legends, each narrator adds his own flavour. In Barcelos, a small town in Portugal, a passing pilgrim was wrongly accused of theft, for which the penalty was death.
The Portuguese explorers came into contact with African people who introduced them to a little treasure called the African Bird's Eye Chilli. Whether this fiery little chilli was indigenous to Africa or introduced was not certain, but it is certain that the rich and fertile climates were perfect for the Bird's Eye chilli to grow with wild abandon.
The African people called this fiery little chilli, Pili-Pili. The explorers tried in vain to pronounce Pili-Pili but ended up with their own version called Peri-Peri and to this day the Bird's Eye Chilli is still known as Peri-Peri. The settlers immediately experi-perimented with Peri-Peri in their cooking and because much of life revolved around food Peri-Peri became an integral part of their lives.

Feeling threatened in a foreign village, he only had his faith to call upon. He appealed to "Our Lady" and St. James (the patron Saint of protection) that justice be done. The pilgrim found his way to the Judge who was to decide his fate.
The judge was about to commence eating a roast cockerel for his dinner. The pilgrim pleaded, "IF I AM INNOCENT, MAY THAT COCKEREL GET UP AND CROW!"

The cockerel at once got up and crowed heartily. The pilgrim was released and went on his way. The cockerel has, to this day, been the symbol of faith, justice and good luck. At Nando's our policy is based on those principles and our flavour, service and quality is legendary. We have faith in our product and will do you justice with a meal to delight you and the friends who have the good luck to be entertained by you.

You can imagine the delight of the culinary-adventurous Portuguese mama's, who were already in heaven with their fresh vegetable gardens and the abundance of wild meat, when they discovered the secret powers of Peri-Peri and it's effects on their cooking. Peri-Peri added flavour and fire to all their food making them feel alive. The women were also delighted with the effect that Peri-Peri had on the libidos of their men and it was no wonder that they were constantly smiling. The settlers were amazed that something so small could be so satisfying.