I may be slightly biased but I think the places to eat in Queenstown are awesome. You’ll find freshly baked scones (exactly like my Nanna used to bake), creamy coffee, unique brekkies and loads of melt in your mouth lamb cooked to perfection.
Did I mention I wasn’t skiing during our recent holiday in Queenstown? Instead I literally ate and drank my way through the week! We also ate out most nights as a family and discovered there’s plenty of kid friendly options in Queenstown. In this blog I’m sharing our absolute favourite places to eat. All of them have top service, friendly staff and checking them out was another highlight of our trip to Queenstown.
1. World famous Fergburger and Fergbakery
After watching the queues of people come and go during the week, we decided to give ‘The Fergburger’ a try for ourselves. Our verdict? The combo of beef patty, relish and soft roll does make for a great burger. Our 20 minute wait was worth it! Our little dude gave the mini Fergburger a big thumbs up too.
Next door is Fergbakery which has amazing gourmet bakery eats. This is the perfect lunch stop with yummy fresh pies, baguettes, muffins, doughnuts and more.
2. Feed the whole family at The Bakery Queenstown
This was our go-to for fresh sandwiches, pies and sausage rolls for our boys. Located very near the Ski Bus Stop in Shotover Street, this is a very convenient and reasonably priced lunch or dinner option when getting back from the ski slopes.
3. Brekkie at quirky Joe’s Garage
Located in a laneway Joe’s Garage could almost be set in an actual garage. We loved the checked black and red throws outdoors and utensils inside toy trucks on tables.
The menu is unique and threw me for a few minutes. What? Eggs only come fried or scrambled and are served on potato pieces? But I ended up ordering the ‘Gorgeous George’ and it was amazing. We would also recommend the massive pikelets with jam and cream. Kids have their own menu to choose from and colouring activities for the table.
4. Yummy eats at Vudu Cafe
The second I walked in to this cosy cafe I felt at home. There are New Zealand souvenir teaspoons displayed on the walls just like my grandmother used to have. Enjoying a freshly baked muffin or scone in New Zealand is a must. With no packet mix in sight, they taste just like the ones my Nanna used to bake.
Here the citrus and date scones served toasted and sprinkled with icing sugar are no exception. My little dude loved his babycino (or fluffy as they’re called in New Zealand) and demolished all of his kids meal including an apple, sandwich, juice and chocolate fish.
5. Sweet treats at Patagonia Chocolates
Located right on the foreshore of Lake Wakatipu this is a must-do when in Queenstown. We all headed straight upstairs with our freshly made ice-cream to sit and enjoy the lake views. Our boys also enjoyed watching chocolate being hand-made and it tasted devine.
Visiting Patagonia Chocolates for an ice-cream and chocolate is a must.
6. Local lamb cooked to perfection
Eating out every night with kids is hard, right?! Pedro’s House of Lamb is the perfect option for eating at home. Order a whole lamb shoulder slow cooked to perfection and served with scalloped potatoes. Roast some other veggies and you have the most amazing meal to devour on a cold Queenstown night. Based on the outskirts of Queenstown town centre, delivery is an option if you have no transport to pick-up the lamb.
7. Authentic Thai at the wharf
If you’re in the mood for Thai food, this is the place to come. We found it upstairs at Steamer Wharf where the boats come and go. It’s obviously a hidden gem as the restaurant was quiet but the food and service was on-point. We chose a variety of dishes from their huge selection and loved them all.
8. Experience Iconic Cookie Time
Cookie Time is an icon I grew up with in New Zealand. As you can imagine I was excited to head to one of only a few Cookie Bar’s for the first time. Here you can try Cookie Time milkshakes, a variety of cookies & cream ice-cream and freshly baked cookies. You can also pick up packaged Cookie Time cookies and bumper bars at any convenience store or supermarket. Perfect for a mid-day snack on the mountain or taking back home as a New Zealand souvenir.
Queenstown is home to one of only a few Cookie Bar’s in New Zealand.
9. Fine dining at Botswana Butchery
We’d heard amazing things about this high-end restuarant. The fact we could only get an 8.30pm booking a few months prior to our holiday said it all. Located in a historical cottage just near the shores of Lake Wakatipu, you can sense this is no casual restaurant the minute you walk in the door. We loved the quirky touches such as meat cleavers being used as door handles. Hubby and I can recommend the steak or lamb for a main meal (yes I had lamb again!) What made the experience even more memorable was the signature creme brûlée for dessert. You must give this a try!
10. Massive meals at Speights Ale House
Whenever we head to New Zealand we always visit this restaurant chain. It’s become an icon, named after the local beer brewed in my hometown Dunedin. This is the perfect spot to try melt in your mouth New Zealand lamb. The ribs, fish ’n’ chips and sausage ’n’ mash are all amazing too. Be sure to come with a big appetite or share with someone. There’s also a kids menu for the little ones.
Please let us know in the comments below if you’ve been to any of these places to eat in Queenstown. Feel free to ask any questions and provide any other great recommendations. Somehow I think we’ll be back again soon.
