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 technically is in Arrowtown, 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.
This made me so mad I couldn’t help but get frustrated at every other misstep.
Things like the server reading the menu aloud without asking about dietary requirements (vegetarian), and having an unnecessarily confusing menu that meant we ended up with plain bread and a bowl of olives instead of a tapenade.
I also think Ferg Burger is overrated. Which is something no one else seems to want to say in any lists of places you should eat in Queenstown.
The burger places seems epic, with lines out the door and down the street at any time of day (you can’t miss it, at some point you will have to shoulder through the crowd milling around the entrance).
But to be honest, it’s by no means the best place to get food.
I prefer places that are driven less by hype and more by a desire to create awesome community spaces, or push the boundaries of sustainability.
You could say I’m pretty opinionated on the topic of food, even though I don’t really consider myself a foodie.
And as much as I can, I like to support independent local businesses, and hang out in the places that feel a bit more lived in. The old cliche of living like a local.
I’ve put together this list from my own experiences in Queenstown (and a massive shout out to my local friend who led me to so many of these wonderful, locally owned spots).
For a while I thought I should write a ‘best of’ round up, but after trying quite a few places, I decided to just jot down everywhere I’ve been, and my thoughts. So, these are all places I have personally vetted.
If you also love finding the best little coffee shops, and supporting independent local businesses as much as you can when you travel, you might find a few good places on this list.
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.
Where to get coffee in Queenstown
Hustl Cafe, Frankton
Hustl Cafe is owned by a brother and sister team who are born and bred Queenstown locals. The cafe has a focus on sitting in to enjoy your coffee, and they are proudly single-use cup free.
The interior has warm hues and lots of plants, making it easy to sit and slow down, a little oasis in Queenstown’s rush.
If you go for breakfast, I can recommend the Sun Bun with haloumi.
Black Lab Coffee, Frankton
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.
I loved the
Queenstown Signs, Central Queenstown
Yes, it’s a… sign shop. It’s also a cafe. And a stationary store. The inside is as eclectic as it sounds, but it’s also cosy and cute, with a retro vibe. The coffee is reasonably priced and it’s rarely busy in there, a rarity for Queenstown.
Wolf Coffee Roasters, Arrowtown
Ma Boulangerie, Frankton
Owned by a French couple, Ma Boulangerie can call itself an authentic French bakery.
On my last Queenstown trip I stayed right around the corner from this bakery in Frankton, and it quickly became a regular morning stop. Coffee is good and comes with a mini pan au chocolat — parfait!
We also loved the sourdough bread, which was perfect for day trip sandwiches.
Queenstown’s best restaurants
This is obviously very subjective. I don’t eat meat, so I’m hardly qualified to talk about the best steak restaurants in Queenstown. But, these are places I have loved.
Toast and Oak — one of the more original restaurants in the centre of Queenstown
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.
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?
The kitchen at Toast & Oak
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.
SUNDAYS — down to earth, epic food in a ‘hidden in plain sight’ spot in Frankton
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.
Mora Wines & Artisanal Kitchen — for a delicious lunch near Arrowtown
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.
Walter Peak High County Farm
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).
Mt Rosa Winery — great for a platter and a glass of rose
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 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.
The plant based platter and 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.
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, Queenstown lakefront
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 — great cocktails in a cosy space
Tortilla chips and queso fundido
Little Mez is the little sister of Margo’s, a popular Mexican restuarant in the centre of Queenstown.
There is a snack menu at Little Mez, with the food coming down from Margo’s. I wasn’t particularly impressed by the food. It’s nice to have a few things to snack on, but it’s not overly memorable. They do often have deals on food on BookMe, so check that out if you want to save a little on the bill.
The cocktails, on the other hand, were pretty good. There is a whole list of margaritas to choose from; the picante pepino was delicious.
Margs
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).
I will admit to finding the bar a little noisy as the evening went on — I’m not a huge fan of anywhere I need to raise my voice to have a conversation. Yeah, I’m that old.
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.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy going on a food tour of Queenstown.
If you like food and wine as much as I do, you might also find these posts helpful:
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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