Where to eat in Queenstown: The best restaurants, cafes and other places to treat yourself
My guide to the best independent and local spots.
Sundays is a very cool restaurant in a former church
The most disappointing place I’ve eaten while in Queenstown is Aosta.
I was so excited to try the restaurant (which although in Arrowtown, a 20 minute drive from Queenstown, seems to always be nominated as one of the best places to eat in the area) but to be frank, I feel like I can’t recommend a place which serves a critically endangered species — blue fin tuna — on the menu.
I don’t know about you, but that is exactly the kind of restaurant I prefer to avoid.
Instead, I like places that are independent and locally owned, with a community oriented slant, and a great vibe.
I seem to find myself in Queenstown every few months in pursuit of a new adventure, and each time I visit I try to explore a new restaurant or two.
I’ve put together this list from my food experiences in Queenstown. This isn’t intended to be an exhaustive list of the best places to eat, just places I’ve been, and my thoughts.
Hopefully this list leads you to some places are a little more local — and a little more thoughtful than Aosta.
A few insider tips
How to save some money on eating out:
Dining out in Queenstown can get expensive, so if you want to try the local restaurants on a budget, take a look at First Table. You can get 50% off your meals, if you’re happy to eat at 5.30pm.
I also find discounts on BookMe, where you can get deals for even cheaper than First Table (it’s also better if you’re dining alone — First Table requires at least two people).
It’s nice to dress up for Queenstown’s fancy restaurants, but if all you’ve packed is hiking gear, don’t worry too much — the dress codes are pretty lenient and you’ll see most people dressed very casually.
Housed in a historic building that was once the New Zealand Railways Shipping Office, and perched right on the edge of Lake Whakatipu, the Boat Shed is the ideal spot for a coffee and cake.
The drinks list has a few creative options — I recommend the iced tiramisu latte as a decadent afternoon treat.
Hustl Cafe
Hustl Cafe is owned by a brother and sister team who are born and bred Queenstown locals. With a focus on sitting in to enjoy your coffee, the cafe is proudly single-use cup free.
The menu has the usual suspects — avo on toast, eggs benny — but with wholegrain toast and dukkah sprinkles. The tofu scramble is a good vegetarian option.
Black Lab Coffee
Black Lab is a little independent coffee roasters located in the Country Lane precinct.
It’s close to the airport, so it can make a great pit stop before or after a flight. Or it’s just a good place to get caffeinated before browsing around Country Lane, a rustic little village with stores ranging from a local honey shop to a (very expensive) vintage store.
Wolf Coffee Roasters
On the main street in Arrowtown, Wolf does what it says on the tin — provides epic coffee roasted in small batches, for a cup of caffeine perfection.
Ma Boulangerie, Frankton
Owned by a French couple, Ma Boulangerie can call itself an authentic French bakery.
As well as coffee, this little bakery is a great place to grab a pie, pastry, sandwich, or other easily portable snack to go.
Located in a beautifully refurbished church on Country Lane, SUNDAYS is my favourite pizza spot in Queenstown (I really wanted to enjoy Canyon Brewing’s pizzas, but the one I ordered was awful. SUNDAYS’s pizza was faultless).
It’s also possibly my favourite restaurant for a laid-back hangout, with unpretentious service and a cosy setting.
The food is broadly European inspired, which means delicious things like pecorino churros with black garlic sauce, and woodfired pizza with thick bases and toppings mostly listed in foreign languages.
Fergburger
Locals have tried to convince me that Devil Burger is a better option than Fergburger — but I have to disagree. Devil Burger was a disappointment, but Ferg? Nails it every time.
You might not think a burger is worth a 30 minute wait, which is fine, but if you don’t mind standing in the queue (which is something of a quintessential Queenstown experience) the reward at the other end is the best burger in town.
And if you really can’t tolerate the crowds of people waiting to get their hands on a Fergburger, you can phone in your order in advance.
The pappardalla with funghi (and foam) and a beetroot dish, which was the only let down of the meal
Queenstown is heavily dominated by meat — steak houses, flame grilled barbecue, that kind of thing. The region is famous for producing beef, lamb, and venison, but even so, it makes a lot of the restaurants feel samey. And it makes it hard for vegetarians like me to find a decent main (that isn’t risotto).
With that in mind, Toast & Oak really stands out.
The kitchen at Toast & Oak
Dim, but not too dim, inside
The menu is interesting and refreshingly vegetarian friendly (if a little obscure — they only list a couple of the ingredients on the menu, instead of describing the whole dish).
I have to admit I was a tiny bit confused about the toast part of the menu. It was delicious, but it’s literally toast with toppings, and when I asked about the bread they said it comes from a European bakery — they don’t make it themselves.
It wasn’t bad by any means, but I thought that if toast is in your name, you would probably be making the bread, no?
But other dishes were delightful, and felt a little boundary pushing. Like the mushroom pappardalla, which came topped with some kind of foam. And the comte and cauli savoury dessert, which was completely unexpected, but very enjoyable.
The drinks list was also excellent, with a standout being the espresso martini with sea salted caramel foam.
Espresso cocktail topped with salted caramel foam
If you’re looking for a nice restaurant for more of a treat, or a special occasion, I recommend checking out Toast & Oak.
The setting at Walter Peak is beautiful
This one may be a bit of a wild card; it’s not really a place to eat in Queenstown.
But, I loved the food and the whole experience of the cruise with a gourmet BBQ dinner at Walter Peak, so I highly recommend this as an evening activity.
It’s an all you can eat buffet, so it’s not the most elevated cuisine you’re going to find in Queenstown, but it’s still surprisingly good. My advice is to go hungry, because you’ll want to have enough space for the desserts (the sticky toffee pudding was divine).
Sherwood
The in-house restaurant at the eco- and community focused Sherwood Queenstown is the only restaurant in town to have been awarded two hats in the Cuisine Good Food Awards in 2025 (New Zealand’s local version of Michelin stars).
Michelin-trained chef Chris Scott heads up the kitchen, and the menu focuses on local and seasonal fare — three quarters of the ingredients are sourced from the South Island, with a decent portion of produce coming from the kitchen garden.
As well as good food, Sherwood has great ambiance. Dark colours and plenty of wood create a soothing, peaceful dining area, which can be a balm in amongst the frenetic pace of Queenstown.
Mora Artisanal Kitchen is a restaurant and cellar door in Arrowtown.
It’s a beautiful space, with most of the seating in a courtyard area with enough wine barrels and roses to feel whimsical.
The food is seasonal and fresh, and while not wildly creative, everything was great. I loved the halloumi with spiced quince paste, and the roasted baby carrots.
Bread with truffle butter, and riesling on the side
I’m a huge fan of Central Otago rieslings, and we ordered both the dry and the regular rieslings — both were superb.
Between the setting, the wine, and the food, as well as charming service from the team, Mora knocked it out of the park. Highly recommend.
Mt Rosa Wines
Mt Rosa has an exceptionally pretty setting
If you’re looking for a vineyard lunch near Queenstown, somewhere to enjoy some wine and food without going all in on a wine tour, I recommend Mt Rosa.
The setting is gorgeous, tucked in under the jagged, arid valley walls.
The restaurant interior is in line with a lot of Central Otago venues — warm wood, tasteful lighting, a fireplace, and an overall rustic chic. It might not be the most original, but I liked it.
The plant based platter and Mt Rosa rose
The menu isn’t extensive; it’s ideal if you would prefer to graze on a platter, rather than order entire dishes. We opted for the plant based platter and it was lovely, especially paired with the Mt Rosa rose.
We visited in winter and were seated by the fire, which was a treat in itself, but the outdoor area was beautiful and looked like it would be equally lovely on a warm, sunny day.
Kinross Winery
As well as being one of the best places near Queenstown to go for a wine tasting, Kinross has a relaxed bistro with pretty outdoor seating. Surrounded by vines, looking up at the arid rock walls of the valley, Kinross makes for an excellent lunch destination.
The menu features shared plates and seasonal produce, designed to pair with wines from the five independent vineyards represented at the cellar door.
Located in a prime spot on the waterfront in Central Queenstown, Patagonia frequently has queues to the door. If you brave the crowds inside, the reward is intensely flavoured ice cream and luxury chocolates.
Patagonia Chocolates first opened in Arrowtown in 2005, created by Argentinian couple Alex Gimenez and Lorena Giallonardo (the name is indeed a reference to the Argentinian region, Patagonia). Despite the success of their handcrafted chocolate, the couple have kept things local and small scale — it’s a point of pride that all fruit is hand picked.
Where to drink like a local
Queenstown is the ideal place to get a taste of the wines produced from vines just down the road, and for beer lovers there are some epic breweries to explore.
Perky’s Floating Bar
Perky’s Floating Bar
One of the first things you should do when you arrive in Queenstown is to head to Perky’s Floating Bar to toast your arrival.
Permanently moored right on the lakefront, Perky’s has excellent views — the best vantage point is from the bean bags on the deck — and a lovely laid-back service. You’re welcome to bring your own food onboard, so pick up some takeaways en route, get a cold drink, and enjoy.
Little Mez
Margs
Tortilla chips and queso fundido
Skip Margo’s (which, although popular, is an underwhelming Mexican restaurant) and head to the downstairs sister bar, Little Mez.
The small bar space can get noisy, but if you’re in the mood for a cocktail, they deliver. There is a whole list of margaritas to choose from; the picante pepino was delicious.
I also liked that they do little half-sized cocktails, which lets you try a few different drinks without committing to a full glass (or the full price, which in Queenstown is a lot).
Gantley’s
For a bit more of a pub vibe, there’s Gantley’s. This historic stone pub calls itself the oldest hospitality business in Queenstown, having been around in one form or another since 1863, when it was built by Patrick Gantley.
Nowadays it’s a laid back place to have a drink in the beer garden (the wine list is also pretty good) and enjoy a more local vibe than the central Queenstown bars.
Thank you for reading
You being here is what makes my life as a travel writer possible, so thank you. I hope this has been helpful and you have come away with a few ideas for where to eat in Queenstown.
All of the photos and words (and spelling mistakes and other errors) on this page are mine, created without help from either AI or other humans.
My goal is to try and make sure your travels around New Zealand are the best they can be, in exchange for your support. Reading my posts, clicking my links, sharing with your friends; all of this helps me keep doing what I’m doing.
So, thank you again, and while you’re here, maybe take a look at a few other articles:
QUEENSTOWN GUIDES
QUEENSTOWN ITINERARIES
AUTHOR BIO
I’m a freelance travel writer from New Zealand with bylines in National Geographic Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and more.
I’ve travelled up and down beautiful Aotearoa and I love sharing my recommendations for the best places to visit in New Zealand.
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