diff --git a/pygeoapi/api/__init__.py b/pygeoapi/api/__init__.py
index 37f8a3c7b..b47541f23 100644
--- a/pygeoapi/api/__init__.py
+++ b/pygeoapi/api/__init__.py
@@ -1122,19 +1122,6 @@ def describe_collections(self, request: Union[APIRequest, Any],
                         'title': title_,
                         'href': f"{self.get_collections_url()}/{k}/coverage?f={collection_data_format['name']}"  # noqa
                     })
-
-                # Hardcode netcdf format for xarray provider
-                if (collection_data['name'] == 'xarray' and
-                   collection_data_format['name'] == 'zarr'):
-                    title_ = l10n.translate('Coverage data as', request.locale)
-                    title_ = f"{title_} {F_NETCDF}"
-                    collection['links'].append({
-                        'type': FORMAT_TYPES[F_NETCDF],
-                        'rel': f'{OGC_RELTYPES_BASE}/coverage',
-                        'title': title_,
-                        'href': f"{self.get_collections_url()}/{k}/coverage?f={F_NETCDF}"  # noqa
-                    })
-
                 if dataset is not None:
                     LOGGER.debug('Creating extended coverage metadata')
                     try:
diff --git a/pygeoapi/provider/xarray_.py b/pygeoapi/provider/xarray_.py
index 46bcf5b92..ba835f033 100644
--- a/pygeoapi/provider/xarray_.py
+++ b/pygeoapi/provider/xarray_.py
@@ -257,9 +257,6 @@ def query(self, properties=[], subsets={}, bbox=[], bbox_crs=4326,
         elif format_ == 'zarr':
             LOGGER.debug('Returning data in native zarr format')
             return _get_zarr_data(data)
-        elif format_ == 'netcdf':
-            LOGGER.debug('Returning data in netcdf format')
-            return _get_netcdf_data(data)
         else:  # return data in native format
             with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as fp:
                 LOGGER.debug('Returning data in native NetCDF format')
@@ -674,22 +671,6 @@ def _get_zarr_data(data):
         return fh.read()
 
 
-def _get_netcdf_data(data: xarray.Dataset):
-    """
-    Returns bytes to read from netcdf file
-    :param data: Xarray dataset of coverage data
-
-    :returns: byte array of netcdf data
-    """
-
-    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as fp:
-        data.to_netcdf(
-            fp.name
-        )  # we need to pass a string to be able to use the "netcdf4" engine
-        fp.seek(0)
-        return fp.read()
-
-
 def _convert_float32_to_float64(data):
     """
         Converts DataArray values of float32 to float64