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Diners in The Mall
 

queenstown’s food scene
Published in the January-March 2009 issue.

Queenstown resident Matt Wong is full of praise for the restaurants and cafés of the holiday town and its surrounds.


Next time you visit Queenstown, take the “pot luck” out of your dining experience. Within a short walking distance of each other in central Queenstown are eateries in which you can devour freshly made sushi and wash it down with sake, consume a generously proportioned, tasty steak with a cold lager in pumping environs, or dine sedately by the water’s edge on local specialties and outstanding local wines.

You certainly can’t go wrong with an artisanal pizza from The Cow Pizza & Spaghetti House, or with a picnic, ideally spread out on the edge of the lake and heavy on supplies from the local Mediterranean Wholesale Market or Destination Organic. Or take a short trip out of town to Amisfield Winery, where you can soak up some sun, and enjoy full views over majestic Coronet Peak. The chef’s menu here is deliciously varied and is the perfect accompaniment to some stellar local wines.

Saffron owner and head chef Peter Gowron
 

Taste more traditional favourites at Gibbston Valley Wines, a multi award-winning producer just minutes from Queenstown. This boutique winery offers a memorable experience,  which might incorporate dining onsite at the fabulous indoor-outdoor winery restaurant, a winery tour and tastings. Adjoining Gibbston Valley Wines is Gibbston Valley Cheese Company, which sells hand-crafted cheeses in styles created to match the modern wines of New Zealand. Made using only the highest quality local milk sources and employing traditional methods, the resulting cheeses reflect their artisan roots and showcase the distinctive flavours of the fine local dairy produce.

Just 20 minutes from Queenstown is the quaint treasure that is Arrowtown. The former gold-mining town is a living slice of history, with numerous compelling drawcards: spectacular scenery, a tranquil atmosphere and culinary delights to rival the best in the world.

No trip to Arrowtown could be considered complete without a stop at the Arrowtown Bakery where the big drawcard is the sumptuous gourmet pies. Early birds get the most popular varities: you’ll be lucky to beat the locals to the bakery’s deservedly popular venison and Thai chicken pie.

The downstairs bar at Botswana Butchery
 

Gourmets with a taste for the wild should book a table at Saffron, on Arrowtown’s main drag. This thriving fine-dining restaurant has a strong “hunter-gatherer” philosophy underpinning its menu. Passionate about living off the land, owner and chef Peter Gowron has an innovative take on ingredients, and the resulting dishes provide an exquisite taste of Central Otago’s finest natural produce. Wild rabbit, salmon and quail are presented with flair and there’s a continually changing menu (if time permits, dine here twice).

After dinner, make your way to Arrowtown’s intimate bar, a cosy little hideaway for people in the know. Imagine a small gentleman’s club in historic environs and you have the Blue Door. It’s the perfect place in which to savour your surroundings and enjoy a quiet cognac or brandy by the open fire – and fortunately, it’s right next door to Saffron. This genteel, rustic bar, tucked discreetly behind the infamous blue door in a historic building, is a must.

You’ll find another hidden local treasure just five minutes’ drive out of Arrowtown. Walnut Cottage, set in beautifully manicured gardens surrounded by established trees, has the best outdoor café in the district. There’s a charming onsite gift shop and art gallery in which to browse while you wait for your cappuccino and mud cake – the café’s home baking encourages many visitors to make the detour. From here, several galleries and wineries are just a stone’s throw away. Plan your day while sitting under the trees, enjoying the Cottage’s garden.  

In the cellars of the Gibbston valley winery
 

Back in Queenstown, the new kid on the restaurant scene is The Botswana Butchery, which could be mistaken for an importer of exotic meats but is in fact gaining a reputation as one of Queenstown’s finest restaurants. It boasts the resort’s first wood-burning grill, used to prepare the restaurant’s signature dish: succulent wood-grilled steak, hung for 30 days before it lands on your plate. A stupendous view of Lake Wakatipu defies the common assumption that eateries with great views rarely have food to match. Thankfully, you won’t find zebra or antelope on the menu at The Botswana Butchery. Part owner and head chef, Botswana-born Leungo Lippe can, however, give you tips on safari excursions in Africa; just don’t mention cricket.

Threesixty, the restaurant at Crowne Plaza Queenstown, proves that hotels are also part of the great food scene. Threesixty has some great palate-challenging fusion cuisine in stylish surrounds that feature floating fire boxes and black granite bar tops. Equally stylish is the restaurant’s Bed Bar and the Martini Room, featuring glass artworks from New Zealand artists. The restaurant’s contemporary menu offers à la carte, share plate and a degustation selection, with wine matches, that emphasise the use of local ingredients. Phil Ryan, the executive chef, is a talented New Zealand chef with an impressive background in international cuisine. The excellent service is topped up by Phil’s habit of mingling with the guests and often delivering meals to the tables to explain the integration and execution of the food.

Queenstown is not just a town for adults: it’s great for families, too. Here, you’ll find culinary options to satisfy even the most demanding kids, without breaking the holiday budget. One of the liveliest places in Queenstown, and a favourite with rug-rats, Fishbone specialises in seafood with a good kids’ menu and magnificent dishes for adults: the seafood platter is truly amazing. Maritime artefacts adorn the walls, staff are positively joyful, and colouring-in place mats make Fishbone an affordable no-brainer for families. It is even open earlier-than-usual for dinner.

Stunning evening dining view for the Skyline Restaurant
 

A visit to the Walter Peak High Country Farm and Homestead should be on any visitor to Queenstown’s itinerary. It’s located 50 minutes out of town on the far side of tranquil Lake Wakatipu: the only way to get there is on historic steamship TSS Earnslaw, an interesting journey in itself. Once there, horse trekking, farm tours and trout fishing ensure you get plenty of opportunity to work up a hearty appetite. Fresh baking makes for memorable morning and afternoon teas, gourmet barbeque lunches and a smorgasbord of hearty country tucker for dinner in the homestead’s dining room, a popular option. Walter Peak is a busy tourist destination; it is also an iconic experience, quintessentially Queenstown.

Then chug back to Queenstown, watching from the deck as the sun sets over the mountains, casting a warm glow over the barren landscape, the water flecked with amber light. It’s an experience you’ll savour long after the holiday is over.

If you’re still hungry for local flavours, have a meal at the Skyline Gondola Restaurant with its smorgasbord of regional delights (and a fantastic option for families with hollow-legged teenaged offspring). Towering over the township below, the Skyline has superb vistas overlooking the lake and the magnificent Remarkables Range – what a way to watch the sun go down. Before or after eating, you might want to take advantage of other family-friendly activities on site – a luge, paragliding, hiking trails, traditional Maori performances and home-grown pastime, bungy jumping. Needless to say, the latter activity is best performed on an empty stomach.

Devine Brie at Gibbston Valley Cheese Company
 

Many serious foodies enjoy local fine-dinery The Bunker. The Spire Hotel’s restaurant Inspire, seating just 22 diners at a time, is another worthy choice. Its degustation menu is created by one of New Zealand’s leading chefs, Rex Morgan, and will set you back NZ$130 (NZ$190 with matching wines). Advance bookings are a must; expect a romantic evening rather than a family night out.

Before you head to the airport, make a diversion to Patagonia Chocolates for a slice of sensual heaven in the form of handcrafted chocolate delights. As your plane banks over the dramatic landscape on the way home, a box of handmade chocolates helps make the departure a little sweeter.

Photography by Matt Wong, Emily Adamson and Tourism Queenstown.

Winter view over Queenstown from Bob's Peak
 

TRAVEL FACTS

getting there
  • Air New Zealand operates direct daily flights between eastern cities in Australia and Queenstown during the winter season, or via Auckland and Christchurch at other times. Phone 13 2476 or visit www.airnewzealand.com.au
  • Qantas flies direct to Queenstown from Sydney. Phone 13 1313 or visit www.qantas.com.au

getting around

where to stay

where to eat

further information
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