If you’re looking for fresh and delicious food in Christchurch then you’d do well to visit the Riverside Market. It’s on the corner of Lichfield Street and Oxford Terrace and is quite accessible. In fact, if you have a Christchurch Tram ticket then it’s going to be near one of the stops. I managed to spend some time here during my stay in Christchurch and I more than enjoyed walking around and admiring the stalls and shops here.
Riverside Market Christchurch: Fresh and Delicious Food From Different Parts of the World, All in One Place
This is the area’s Lichfield Street entrance and it’s really not a must that you enter through here. The Christchurch Tram has a stop on Lichfield Street but it’s on its junction with Manchester Street. If you stopped there, you’ll need to head west and walk about a block to get to this entrance. Conversely, you could also hop off at the Cashel Street (this is also where the Christchurch Cathedral Square and Christchurch Botanic Gardens are located) stops to get to the market.
Now if you plan to visit just the market, I’d highly suggest taking a screenshot of its trading hours first. It opens at 7:30AM and will typically close at around 8:00PM – 9:00PM depending on the day. As for the bars and restaurants, you’re going to want to check out those you’d want to visit individually as they typically follow different business hours.
On the first floor, you’ll be greeted by a number of baked goods and pastry shops. On the right, is the stall for Bellbird Bakery while opposite it as the stall for The Melting Pot. In the background you’ll find a stall specializing in Indian Cuisine called Dosa Kitchen.
Here’s a quaint looking stall for a pastry shop called Great Pastry. From what I was told, this is actually family owned and has been around for quite some time now. I particularly liked how it’s under the stairwell here which makes it really stand out.
I asked around and The Great Pastry Shop also has a stall somewhere in Victoria Street (still in Christchurch). Looking at their offerings, they actually have a great selection of breads and pastries to choose from. Some of the breads and pastry items I saw were the homemade cookies, pies, and eclairs (among others).
Now if you’re into Japanese food then you might want to head to this shop called Hikari. It specializes in sushi though it does offer other popular Japanese dishes like ramen, karaage, and a variety of rice bowls as well. From what I’ve been told, they also have one other branch in Christchurch and a couple more in Auckland and Queenstown.
Here are another set of stalls that you’ll want to visit if you’re craving for sweets. On the right is the Riverside Candy Shoppe which sells both local and imported candies. As for the shop on the left, it’s called Sweet Revenge and it mainly sells a variety of cakes and other baked goodies.
Riverside Candy Shoppe had some really nice candies and rows of licorice that I actually wanted to buy for souvenirs. Some of the ones that I was eyeing include Apple BonBons, Chocolate Baby Fish, as well as Sour Blueberry and Raspberry Licorice. If not for the fact that I was already eyeing something then I’d probably have gotten some of the candy here.
Another stall I was eyeing when I got here was Sweet Revenge. Really, the only thing keeping me back from ordering here was the idea that I might end up getting one of each order because of how good they all looked. Moreover, it seems like these aren’t just for show as the reviews on their social media pages are generally positive.
Here’s a closeup of one of the displays at the Sweet Revenge stall. What really caught my eye here were the absolutely humungous eclairs. Other items that I think I would’ve snapped up in a heart beat were the slices of Salted Caramel cake as well as their various Millionaire shortbreads.
Other than food, there are also stalls here that offer beverages like Pure Pulp. You’ll find this near the Oxford Terrace entrance flanked by Roti Joes and Fritz Weiners. The juices here are made as you order and they say that the fruits they use for both juices and smoothies are organic. On top of this, they also state that they don’t add any refined sugars to either.
Just across Pure Pulp, you’ll find Malaysia Delights. As its name implies, this is a stall specializing in Malay dishes. Examples of dishes offered here include (but isn’t limited to) Epic Malaysian Spicy Laksa Noodle Soup, Penang Fried Noodles, Chicken Satay Skewer, and of course, Malaysian Nasi Goreng.
So here’s a closer look at the Malaysia Delights stall. What I liked about this specific stall is that it’s one of the few here that has a self-service kiosk. This is great if you’re really not in the mood for talking to somebody to order your food.
Now is the food here any good? I can’t really say since I wasn’t able to try their offerings. That said, I did notice that it has okay reviews online. Most people swear by their fried noodles and laksa though there are some who think their dumplings are great.
Beside Malaysia Delights is a unique food stall concept called Cluck Cluck Slurp. Essentially, it’s two different stalls under one management team. Currently pictured is the Slurp stall that specializes in Japanese ramen. Their offerings include Tonkutsu, Spicy, Chicken, Shoyu, Miso, and even Vegetarian Ramen. Other noodle dishes that you can order here include Yakisoba and Dan Dan Noodles.
Cluck Cluck is the complete opposite of Slurp and it mainly offers Rotisserie Chicken and other Western fast food dishes. From what I was told, the rotisserie chicken here is very good thanks to their use of a German rotisserie. The chicken is roasted here daily which they say is what makes it tender and flavorful. Now I was unfortunately unable to verify this but I will say that you can actually smell the chicken being roasted and the aroma really is appetizing.
Across Cluck Cluck Slurp is Fritz’s Weiners. If you’re not too particular with your carbs and protein intake then this is probably the stall that you’d want to check out first. The Spicy Bratwurst was what really caught my attention though there were other notable items that seemed nice as well. The Double Banger, Bacon Bratwurst, Currywurst, and Lamb Bratwurst are just some of the other items you could order here.
Here’s what the Riverside Candy Shoppe looks like from another angle. If you remember Pure Pulp from earlier, this is just opposite of that stall (if you’re coming from the Oxford Terrace entrance). The first thing you’ll notice here is the rows of licorice that I was talking about earlier.
So one thing that I liked about the licorice here (aside from there being so many flavors to choose from) is that they’re actually quite affordable. I’ve seen some online that go for close to 7 NZD for a strap. Here it’s just 5 NZD for a strap and you even have the option for half a strap for half the price. Like a lot of stores nowadays, you can pay for your orders through EFTPOS.
Already have your orders? If you’re already hungry then look for areas like this where you can just sit down and start eating. These seats don’t have any cushions but I think you’re really not meant to sit here for long. I did try sitting on one for a minute or two and it was comfortable enough for me.
So I’m not sure if I said this earlier but Pure Pulp isn’t just a stall that sells beverages. They also have Fruit Salads, Bircher Breakfast, and even Chia Pudding. I’m not too sure on the pricing of these though. That said, considering they’re using only organic fruit, the pricing might just be justified.
Here’s what Pure Pulp’s juices look like. If I’m not mistaken, these were prepared just today and the colors of the juices actually look very natural. You could also have the staff at the stall prepare a fresh cup for you in case you’re not too keen on getting the ones on display here.
You already saw Riverside Candy Shoppe’s display up close, now here’s Sweet Revenge’s. Like I said earlier, the Millionaire Shortbread here looks really delicious while the Eclairs look even bigger than Fritz’s Weiners’ Spicy Bratwurst. Price-wise, I think these are quite affordable especially considering the ingredients and sizes of their servings.
The Riverside Pantry has a collection of local produce that you might want to consider for your souvenirs. The products you can find here include (but aren’t limited to) chocolates, crackers, Southeast Asian sauces (Thai Chilli Oil, Satay, and even Pad Thai), organic tea, olive oil, and even various kinds of pickles.
After checking out the Riverside Pantry, I walked back towards the Lichfield Entrance and came across Little Fish Co. Let me tell you, seeing all the fresh fish here had me salivating for some reason. Now I will always prefer beef but fresh fish can be equally as delicious (especially if cooked really well).
Initially I thought the fish here was for sale. Turns out these weren’t real fish at all but rather just displays. I was just a little too excited that I snapped up a picture of these snappers (see what I did there?) thinking they were the real deal.
While the fish in the previous image wasn’t real, these containers contain the real deal. These are called trays and they’re part of the Raw and Chilled Bar here at Little Fish Co. Trays typically contain fresh market sashimi grade fish, as well as wasabi and a number of side vegetables depending on their theme.
Other than the sashimi trays, you can also find these raw Pacific Oysters here at Little Fish Co. I checked and apparently, the price listed (29 NZD) for a dozen of these is actually very fair. I’ve seen ads on social media from other places selling these for north of 30 NZD per dozen. That said, raw oysters can be an acquired taste so only get these if you’re used to the taste and texture.
If you’re not feeling that adventurous, you could always get the fish here instead. No, these aren’t made from plastic like the display from earlier. These fishes are the real deal and they’ve already been cut, filleted, and ready for your order. At the time I was there, they had tuna, salmon, lemon sole, gurnard, blue cod, and many more.
Just beside Little Fish Co. is a store specializing in Mediterranean food products called Mediterranean Food Co. Now it says Mediterranean but really, the majority of the food products and ingredients you can find here are Italian (which to be fair, is in the Mediterranean region). From what I was able to observe, the selection here is much more extensive though not as diverse as what you’d find at the Riverside Pantry.
Here’s what one section of the store looks like. As you can see, it’s got so many food items that it kind of felt a little intimidating for me. Like with the Riverside Pantry, you might also want to drop by here if you’re looking for souvenirs. If I remember correctly, the store has themed gift boxes that range in price from 90 NZD to as much as 135 NZD.
Here you’ll see a host of pasta from all over Italy. On the bottom shelf of the display are baskets containing packs of multi-colored pasta and grissini (breadsticks). Then on the second shelf are even more pasta, crackers, and even Italian pasta sauce.
Moving on from the center display, the shelves here are also chock full of pasta. These particular ones are from Liguori, a pasta brand that’s been around since 1795. A lot of their pasta offerings are what’s called Pasta di Gragnano and have a Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) certification. Other than the pasta, the shelves also have a wide selection of wines and olive oils.
Now it’s not just dry food products that you’ll find here at the Mediterranean Food Co. The store also had tubs of Italian-made Gelato by Siviero Maria with flavors ranging from Bacio, Pistachio, Vaniglia del Madagascar, and Tiramisu. Aside from the Gelato, you’ll also find packs of frozen Pizza Margherita here.
Speaking of pizza, want to know what’s a great pairing for it? If you thought beer then you guessed right! The stall opposite the Mediterranean Food Co. store has a bar run by the Canterbury Brewers Collective. Take note though that this opens at 10:00AM unlike the majority of the shops here.
A majority of the bar’s offerings are craft beer from local breweries like Volstead Brewing Co’s Fool’s Gold, ChinChiller Brewing’s Back to NZ IPA, and Test Lab Brewery’s Pale Alien just to name a few. Other breweries that are part of the collective include Two Thumb Brewing Co., Derelict Brewing Company, Beer Baroness, Emporium Brewing Co., The Crater Rim, and many more.
Here’s a corner of the bar that shows the available beers they have and which brewery they come from. The words written in yellow are the names of the breweries and to their right is the name of the beers they make as well as the logos for those drinks. Now if you want to know more about these beers for ordering them then you could also check out the Canterbury Brewers Collective website as this information is easily accessible there as well.
While the ground level does have seats and tables for eating and/or drinking, you might be better off going into one of the restaurants here instead for proper seating. Pictured above is the entrance to one of these establishments. Aside from indoor seating, the Kaiser Brew Garden also has a garden bar overlooking Oxford Terrace which I unfortunately wasn’t able to check out (maybe next time).
Another establishment that you can visit on the upper level of the Riverside Market is the Riverside Cantina. This is a very similar business to the Kaiser Brew Garden though they’re thematically very different establishments. In my opinion, the Riverside Cantina has a much more festive atmosphere while the Brew Garden feels much more laid back.
One reason why you might prefer the Riverside Cantina is the diversity of its drinks selection. From cans of Red Bulls to Frozen Margaritas, the bar here probably has the drink that you’re looking for. Additionally, the seats and tables also aren’t too shabby and were actually comfortable to sit on.
Considering it’s called a cantina, you can also order food here to go along with your drinks. I asked around when I was there and was shown a menu that featured food items like salt and pepper fries, fried chicken and mayo, as well as chicken & peanut wontons.
I said earlier that Kaiser Brew Garden was more laidback but you can still relax and chill at Riverside Cantina. This particular scene is on the ground level and features these antique fixtures (at least I think they’re antiques). As you’ve probably noticed, there were already a number of people here even though it was still early in the morning.
So I’m not quite sure what the right-most antique was. My guess was that it was some sort of roaster for coffee beans. Regardless of what it was though, I feel like it contributed to the chill vibes and was also a great conversation starter.
This is another bar on the ground floor that was directly in front of both the Mediterranean Food Co. and Little Fish Co. stores. Called the Curiosity Cocktail Bar, it mostly specializes in cocktails as opposed to Canterbury Brewers Collective’s beer focused offerings. That said, it does have similarities to the Canterbury Brewers Collective in the sense that it also features local spirits prominently in their cocktails.
So these are the spirits that I’m talking about. In the foreground are bottles of single malt whisky distilled by The Spirits Workshop and sold under the Divergence brand. Then at the back you’ll notice bottles of gin labeled Curiosity. The brand is also by The Spirits Workshop and much like their whisky, it’s used on a lot of the bar’s cocktails.
After walking around the Riverside Market, I then felt pangs of hunger. Considering how delicious the breads and pastries at the Great Pastry Shop looked, I decided to go back to their stall. The market was already drawing in a lot of people at this time so I decided to quickly get an order and be on my way.
Unfortunately, choosing a bread/pastry here was close to impossible. You’d think it would be easy choosing but there were honestly so many delicious looking food items here that I genuinely got confused. In this section you’ll find some Cheesy Leek and Potato as well as Traditional Cornish Pasties.
Other than the pasties, there was also a huge selection of other breads and pastries. This particular display had Cinnamon Brioche, Double Choc Brownies, Blueberry and Raspberry Custard Puffs, Mango Cinnamon Custard Puffs, and Apple Crumble Pie among others. Man, I’m salivating just looking at this picture again.
One of the things that held me back from buying one of each bread and pastry was the price. Now some people might think the price is a bit too steep for these and I’d argue that it’s actually just fair. Remember, these are home made and the profit margins for these are probably going to be a little tight considering the quality of the ingredients. Anyway, at this point I already decided what to get but then I also wanted to explore a little more before I put in my order.
Another stall that I decided to revisit was Cluck Cluck Slurp. I specifically wanted to check out the Cluck Cluck menu as the stall was quite possibly one of the most aromatic in the whole market. From this view you can see their vaunted German Rotisserie which was already cooking some beautiful looking birds.
There was also a display that featured both the cooked Rotisserie Chicken and the Roast Pork to be used on their Roast Pork Sandwich. Off to the side of the display was a sign showing the Roast Pork Sandwich’s price. At 19.5 NZD, this sandwich (along with small fries) is slightly more expensive than a Big Mac meal but I guarantee it’s definitely tastier and more filling.
If the Roast Pork Sandwich isn’t to your liking then you could always check out Cluck Cluck’s menu. This was actually quite varied and probably the only meat missing here was beef. I did talk to the staff manning the stall and they told me that if there was one thing I should order it would have to be the chicken.
Now I know I already said that I had decided on getting food at the Great Pastry Co. but seeing the Fritz’s Weiners stall actually made me do a double take. Considering how large the bratwurst here was, 20.95 NZD for the Original Combo seemed like a good deal. At this point though, I was already set with my decision to get something from the Great Pastry Co. stall so that Original Bratwurst Combo might have to wait for some other time.
Since the Oxford Terrace Entrance was close by, I decided to check out the outdoor seating facing that street. While the sun was out at that time of the day, I wouldn’t really say that it was warm in this area. This was winter after all and people were typically out with their long sleeves and coats.
While I would highly recommend going inside the Riverside Market building, it’s possible to just stay outside since a lot of the establishments also have their own entrances here. Remember Kaiser Brew Garden from earlier? You can actually see the outside entrance to its ground level area on this side of the building.
This is the outside facing takeout counter for Dimitris Greek Food. The store is actually just beside Fritz’s Weiners and as you can see from its signage, it specializes in Souvlaki. Other than this, you can also order Chicken, Beef Mince, Beef Steak, and Lamb Platters (among other platters) here.
I’m not sure if it was just that day but Oxford Terrace was definitely busy when I visited. The shop standee here typically shows food items from the establishments here as well as their prices. For some reason, this wasn’t updated for that day or it might have been later on when I wasn’t there anymore.
This area is called Riverside Lane and it separates the two buildings that comprise the Riverside Market. On the right is the Main Building which a majority of the establishments are located in. To the left is another building that has boutique stores where you can shop for clothes or even get your hair cut.
After checking out the outside area, I then went back upstairs. Now I don’t think the Riverside Market buildings’ designs were inspired by Gothic Revival but I think there are sections like this clock face as well as steel beams around it that could be considered a “homage”. I also couldn’t help but think that while it might not have been Gothic Revival, the building does complement the architectural style that was a staple for a lot of Christchurch’s buildings.
Here’s another view that you can enjoy from the upper level of the building. From here you’ll get to see how lively the Riverside Market can get especially during the early morning up until noon hours. I think a good reason why this is the case is that the market isn’t just for tourists but rather it primarily services the locals. The fact that it draws tourists is just the proverbial cherry on top.
One thing that I also appreciated while looking down on the ground level is the building’s lights. I’ve been to similar markets in my recent travels and none were as well lit as Riverside Market. Moreover, the establishments here also didn’t have to resort to tacky neon lights because the overhead lighting really helped showcase their stalls’ displays.
Remember the Riverside Cantina from earlier? Here’s how it looks from afar. It has an upper level which also has seats for both dining and drinking. As for the outside view, you’ll get to see down Riverside Lane and across Little Market Lane as well as the Market’s other building.
There are two staircases that you can use to get to the upper level where the Riverside Cantina is. The first staircase is in front of the Canterbury Brewers Collective and beside the Mediterranean Food Co. As for the second, it’s the one shown in the image and it’s the one that has The Great Pastry Co. in its stairwell.
Speaking of the Great Pastry Co., look at what I got after I walked down the staircase in the previous image! This is one of those Blueberry Custard Puffs and this tasted amazing. I especially loved the pastry’s flakiness which paired really well with the creamy, sweet, and tart blueberry custard filling.
Of course, I also had to get coffee and thankfully I saw this stall for Underground Coffee Roasters that was just in front of the Lobby at the Riverside Market’s Lichfield Street entrance. The coffee was moderately strong which I really liked. It wasn’t mind-blowing mind you, but still good enough.
Other than the Custard Puff, I also got a Pasty. This was the Traditional Cornish Pasty which I was told was a favorite among locals (or at least those who frequent the stall). Much like the Custard Puff, I liked how they managed to make the pastry here look so flaky and crispy.
Biting into the pasty, I immediately noticed how flavorful the filling was. It had just the right blend of saltiness and tastiness which, paired with the flaky pastry made for a memorable first bite. Now do I think that it’s worth a trip just to get this pasty? I actually don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong this is great but there are plenty of other reasons why Riverside Market is worth visiting. The pasty just so happens to be one of them and just coming here for this singular food is missing the forest for the trees.
My visit to Riverside Market finally ended with my last bite of the Traditional Cornish Pasty. I will say that I enjoyed walking around the market and observing its stores. Of the Christchurch Tram stops, this was probably one of the smallest in terms of land area. And if I didn’t count the time I spent eating, this would also have been the quickest stop. That said, size isn’t everything and the energy of the people and the shops here were kind of invigorating.
Ever been to Riverside Market in Christchurch? If yes then please don’t forget to share your experiences and thoughts about the place with us and our readers down in the comments section!
