New Zealand · best-of list
The 6 Best Restaurants in New Zealand
All 6 restaurants our route editors picked in New Zealand, across 4 destinations, gathered in one list. 4 come with an insider tip.
Our curated picks
6 restaurants in New Zealand, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Christchurch 2 picks
C1 Espresso
Christchurch · On our South Island Alps & Fiords route
Café in the old High Street post office that delivers sliders by pneumatic tube.
Photo: Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0
Riverside Market
Christchurch · On our South Island Alps & Fiords route
Indoor food market by the Avon with produce stalls, eateries and bars.
Photo: David Palmer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Queenstown 2 picks
Botswana Butchery
Queenstown · On our South Island Alps & Fiords route
Steak and lamb restaurant in a historic cottage on the waterfront.
Tip: Reserve; ask for a lake-view table.
Photo: Botswana Butchery · Google
Fergburger
Queenstown · On our South Island Alps & Fiords route
Queenstown's famous burger joint, open late.
Tip: Order by phone to skip the queue.
Photo: Roderick Kar · Google
Aoraki / Mount Cook 1 pick
Panorama Room at The Hermitage
Aoraki / Mount Cook · On our South Island Alps & Fiords route
Hotel restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows facing Aoraki.
Tip: Book a window table for sunset.
Photo: The Hermitage Hotel · Google
Milford Sound 1 pick
Pio Pio Restaurant
Milford Sound · On our South Island Alps & Fiords route
Milford Sound's only restaurant: Fiordland venison and crayfish, open daily for lunch and dinner.
Tip: Book ahead; capacity is limited.
Photo: Pio Pio Restaurant · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the restaurants in New Zealand?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 6 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of New Zealand has the most restaurants on this list?
Christchurch and Queenstown lead with 2 each; the other picks are spread across 2 more destinations.
More lists for New Zealand
Best restaurants nearby
Destinations on this list
- Christchurch 2 on this list
- Queenstown 2 on this list
- Aoraki / Mount Cook 1 on this list
- Milford Sound 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.