After driving around the South Island for a few weeks, it’s fair to say that some of my favorite experiences were just finding places off-the-beaten track that had really good food! The scenery gets all the attention (and yes, those lakes and mountains are pretty amazing). However, I wasn’t prepared for such high quality food at every turn.
You can find great regional Chinese dishes in Christchurch or hotel buffets with serious carvery stations. Even little cafés in small towns surprise you; you would think they were serving up something basic, but then they serve an amazing breakfast. I didn’t eat in all these places, it’s simply every place where I got photos (and time) before hitting the road or going hiking.
Some were short fuel stops; some were full-on sit-down post-long-day-of-driving dinners. Here’s what I ate.
My Food Photos from the South Island
Ancestral Restaurant
We ate at Ancestral in Christchurch when we first found it, and we returned because the food was so good. On my first visit, I had some chilli soy greens that were properly wok heated, not the sad steamed veg you can too often get. The spicy beef tasted deep and slow cooked.
Christchurch Hotel Recommendations Based on My Own Stay
🔹 DoubleTree by Hilton Chateau on the Park Christchurch
🔹 The George Hotel Christchurch
The mapo tofu was the real deal, hot and numbing, with a generous amount of sauce. No frills setup, just a straightforward restaurant but the kitchen knows how to do there stuff.
Garden Court Brasserie (Chateau on the Park)
One night we didn’t want to go back into town so dined at Garden Court, the hotel restaurant in the Chateau on the Park, Christchurch. There’s not much to report here. The Caesar salad was as you’d expect, and the seasonal risotto was creamy and well made.
My partner’s braised beef was tender enough to fall off the fork. Nothing groundbreaking, just solid hotel dining that hit the spot after a day’s driving around.
Riverside Market Christchurch
When we stayed in Christchurch, we always visited Riverside Market for breakfast.
e. They are made with real butter and served warm first thing). I also returned multiple times for there cinnamon scrolls.
Shanghai Restaurant
The scrolls are sticky, well-iced, and loaded with filling. There were fudgy brownies and thick caramel slices as well, perfect food for road trips. It’s one of those busy market halls with loads of other stands but really it was all about the bakery section for us.
One of the best dumpling restaurants I went to was Shanghai Restaurant in Christchurch. The xiaolongbao were delicate, stuffed with soup, and required eating slowly or else you’d burn your mouth. They also serves one of the best versions of scallion oil dry noodles.
They are simple but really well done, with that sweet-savoury scallion flavour covering each strand. And the spicy beef noodle soup? It was rich and beefy, with just the right amount of heat.
We returned here for another visit too.
The George Hotel Christchurch Breakfast
The George: we spent a couple of nights here and they included the breakfast buffet, which proved excellent. Most mornings I stocked up on roasted tomatoes and mushrooms. There were also proper sausages and bacon, and everything else was excellent (not the tired, runny-hotel-fare standard).
Blue Lake Eatery & Bar
One day, I felt like something less heavy, so I had there creamy porridge instead. The point is, If your hotel breakfast is this good, then you will actualy wake up in time to have it. After a long day of driving, we stopped for dinner at Blue Lake Eatery in Lake Tekapo.
Greedy Cow Cafe
It has a good looking interior, including a large feature wall. I got the salad bowl (generous and fresh) while my partner got the lamb rump (perfectly cooked). In a small town where you’re limited to what’s available, this is a decent place to get a proper meal.
The kitchen didn’t rush anything; the service was friendly. We visited the Greedy Cow to find it absolutely packed, always a good sign in a tourist town. Fortunately they found us a table and I had the eggs Benedict, which were perfectly poached and came with a good hollandaise.
Other people dining there seemed to be having the beef hotpot too. It’s a busy, warm cafe with clearly the locals rating it as highly than the tourists.
Mackenzies Cafe Bar & Grill
In Lake Tekapo, we went to Mackenzies on the main street; we passed it a couple of times before stumbling inside.
The deal is the stonegrill steak, it comes out on a hot rock thing that you cook yourself at your table (sounds gimmicky but does work). This means you can control how done you want each bit.
After a day of sightseeing it’s a fun way to spend an evening eating.
Alpine Restaurant (Hermitage Hotel)
The Mount Cook Alpine Restaurant is located at the Hermitage Hotel.
I wasn’t expecting much from a hotel buffet but I was wrong. There was a carvery station with serious roast meats (beef and lamb done well) and rich, properly spiced butter chicken.
I loaded up a plate of roast meat and vegetables, then returned for seconds. If you don’t fancy driving anywhere while staying at Mount Cook, then this buffet will do just fine.
Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre Cafe & Bar
The Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre is a unique round building located at Mount Cook that houses a cafe offering simple lunches. I got the fries and a fish burger. Nothing special, but it was a good old-fashioned pub grub, fresh fish, large portions.
If you’re stopping here for a visit to the museum or simply because you’re tired of walking around, it’s an easy place to grab something quick.
High Country Salmon (Twizel)
We also went to High Country Salmon in Twizel, a place that everybody said we simply must go.
It didn’t disappoint. They farm there own salmon right there, and the sashimi was amazingly fresh.
We got a mix plate of sashimi and sushi, and I also sampled the salmon chowder, which was full of chunks of fish and creamy goodness. There’s outdoor seating overlooking the ponds where you eat, which is nice on a sunny day. It is a little touristy perhaps, but it is really good quality stuff.
Fergburger
Fergburger in Queenstown: I’d read about the queues here so didn’t intend to visit Fergburger. However, late one night we passed on our way back from a bar and there was only a small queue so in we went. It was really good; big and messy; properly cooked beef; toasted bun; fresh toppings.
The hand-cut fries were excellent. Would I wait an hour for this? No. Not particularly.
Is it a solid burger though? Yes. If you have to queue then maybe don’t bother.
But otherwise give it a try.
Fergbaker
The following morning we ducked into Fergbaker which is right next door to Fergburger. The window was full of cakes and pastries on display, so I got myself a couple of slices to take away for breakfast. It was good…
Solid baking that could be considered proper bakery quality, not mass produced. It was an easy breakfast before heading out for the day. It was as busy as the burger joint, but with less hype.
Mapo88
Mapo88 in Queenstown serves Korean cuisine. Following a chilly day, we were looking for some warming comfort food; so Mapo88 was perfect. The sweet spicy fried chicken had a great glaze and really hit the spot.
The grilled pork belly was crispy and fatty in all the right places. Army stew arrived in a large bubbling pot, deliciously filling with plenty of flavour. It is a little out of the way (off the main drag) which is probably why it isn’t overrun with tourists.
No.8 Noodle Bar
8 Noodle Bar serves Chinese noodles and dumplings. The dining room is simple and clean. The hand-pulled noodles are fresh and chewy, just as they should be.
The pan-fried dumplings was juicy within and crispy beneath. A no-nonsense noodle spot where the basics is done really well. Good for a quick, satisfying meal.
Saigon Kingdom
We walked past Saigon Kingdom at night and the glass front made it look inviting, so we went in. The Vietnamese noodle soup (proper pho) was clear, fragrant brothy goodness over rice noodles. My partner had the braised beef stew in a claypot.
This was tender and rich. There’s actualy quite a lot of nice Asian food to be had here in Queenstown and this was up there as one of the better Vietnamese meals I’ve eaten in New Zealand.
Shanghai2Taipei
I noticed the lit-up entrance on Shanghai2Taipei as I walked past one night and decided to give their hotpot a go. They has two broth options so we chose the yin-yang pot: half-spicy/half-mild. Another favourite dish was the seafood claypot with scampi (the sauce was deeply tasty and the scampi were sweet).
It is a great spot for a long, slow dinner if you’re frozen out.
Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar (Skyline Queenstown)
We visited Stratosfare at Skyline Queenstown (the restaurant at the top of the gondola) primarily for the view but I have to say that the food exceeded my expectations.
The sushi rolls was pretty good. The tiger prawns were fresh and chilled.
Even though I wasn’t expecting much from a carvery station, the roast wagyu beef turned out to be really good, flavourful and tender. It’s not cheap but it was worth the splurge for the combination of view + food.
Ice Bar Queenstown
Finally, there is the Ice Bar.
It is a novelty bar where all items are made of ice, even the glasses! We went anyway though, why not?
Your hand goes numb after ten minutes and that’s when the fun of having a cocktail in a solid ice glass wears off. The drink was nothing special either. It is worth doing just once for the experience.
I wouldn’t go back again.
Big Fig
On our way through Wanaka we dropped into Big Fig for lunch, which has an airy outdoor space and relaxed feel. We had a falafel salad bowl (mine) which was very good. The falafel was nicely seasoned, there were plenty of veggies, and it had a nice balance.
After so many meals out while traveling this is just the sort of place you welcome, a simple, healthy meal you can grab on-the-go. Service was prompt and the vibe was chill.
Francesca Italian Restaurant
One night, when we were craving pasta, we went to Francesca. It’s a cosy little Italian restaurant in Wanaka. I had the braised meat on polenta (well-cooked, hearty stuff) while my wife had a stuffed pasta that was rich and satisfying.
It is a warm, intimate restaurant. It is the sort of place you’d imagine taking someone on a date or having a post-hike dinner with friends. They use proper Italian technique and serve generous portions.
Kai Whakapai Cafe
We visited Kai Whakapai on a corner in Wanaka for breakfast. They served up some delicious earthy wild mushrooms on good toast that was piled high. My partner’s salmon eggs Benedict looked like one of the best she’s ever had, so it was all good here.
It felt like a neighbourhood place with a friendly atmosphere. It was full of tourists, but lots of locals was eating there as well.
Lake View Seafood Restaurant
For a more traditional Chinese meal, we went to Lake View Seafood Restaurant in Wanaka. It’s got quite a grand interior. They do sweet and sour pork well.
Crisp batter and a nicely balanced sauce. It’s a classic Chinese restaurant: everything is covered, done competently, and served in large portions. We were the only non-Chinese diners there which seemed like a good sign.
Impression Restaurant
I had Sichuan food at Impression in Dunedin. There was chili fish. Swimming in Sichuan peppercorns and chili oil.
It has a great numbing heat. The pork belly cubes is tender and sticky. It is proper Sichuan cooking, not toned down for tourists.
A reminder of why I like finding regional Chinese food beyond the big cities.
Vanguard Specialty Cafe
Then it was off to Dunedin to have breakfast at Vanguard, a speciality coffee shop. My breakfast was simply salmon on sourdough, which was done really well… Good quality fish and toasted bread.
Coffee was also excellent, as you’d imagine in a shop whose name contains ‘specialty’. It’s a small, bright cafe that gets things right for a morning visit.
Vogel St Kitchen
Another place to have breakfast in Dunedin is Vogel St Kitchen, where I had mushrooms on toast. The toast was thick and well-buttered, and the mushrooms were perfectly cooked. Straightforward cafe food done right.
Sometimes that’s what you want. A lot of local people was there which is always a good sign for a cafe.
Scotts Brewery
For dinner we had an early meal at Scotts Brewery in Oamaru (they brew their own beer and do pub food). We got the share platter which is a good way to sample some different dishes. The beef tacos were tasty and messy.
The brewery has a relaxed atmosphere that would be perfect if you wanted to wind down after a drive. Not being a huge craft beer fan I can say the beer wasn’t bad either.
Star and Garter Restaurant
I had a good salmon eggs Benedict for breakfast at Star and Garter in Oamaru. I returned there for some beer battered blue cod which was also very nice. The batter was crisp and the fish was fresh, making for good old fashioned fish & chips.
In a town where the range of choices isn’t vast, it’s a place you can depend on to deliver simple fare.
Harbour Street Bakery
There was a cabinet of savoury pies at Harbour Street Bakery, the real deal Kiwi type, and we picked up a couple to take with us. There were some great looking pastries as well, including almond croissants. They were flaky and filling, just what you want in a pie for eating in the car on the next part of our trip.
A good bakery can be enough. I didn’t know that the South Island would be quite so well catered for by eating places. From roadside bakeries to tiny noodle bars to hotel buffets, wherever we went there was something decent to eat.
While some meals were simply fuel, other meals were highlights of the trip. In fact, I ate better than expected on this trip. What is your favorite food stop when travelling?
Tell me about it in the comments below!
