Christchurch Food and Dining Guide - Restaurants, where to eat, and more

Like so much of New Zealand, Christchurch is blessed with access to the finest and freshest natural produce. The red meats here are treated with justified care while dairy products and wines are world class. Locals here love to eat out and the choices are wide, from à la carte fine dining to fish and chip shops that provide quick service with a smile.

The Lyttleton markets are a great example of the fresh food markets that proliferate around Christchurch and so cooking a slap up meal is an activity that can run weekend long. Scouring the markets for the very freshest vegetables and condiments can take all day since there are so many delicious distractions on offer from the stall holders.

There are several main dining districts in Christchurch but it is hard to get a bad meal in any part of town. Most pubs will have an excellent selection of counter meals while the top restaurants compete for awards on a nightly basis.

Chancery Lane

There are several fantastic dining options at this newly redeveloped civic precinct. An a la carte Italian restaurant is often booked out days in advance and finding a table at the large Irish pub with its wood fire pizza oven is often a difficult proposition, too. The legendary fish and chip café here serves nicely wrapped offerings and sensational local beers.

Oxford Terrace

Near Chancery Lane is the older of Christchurch's redeveloped city precincts. Dining options here tend to be larger and more along a fine dining road. Great steaks and lamb racks can be complemented with fine New Zealand red wines at any of the established places along and around this part of town.

olombo Street

Such a long street can hardly be grouped as one contained dining district. There are numerous sections along Colombo Street that blend from steakhouse into Italian a la carte and everything in between. A number of places have on street tables during the summer. 

Christchurch restaurants

Rotherhams of Riccarton
42 Rotherham Street, Riccarton
Phone: +03 341 5142
Excellent food, elegant surrounds and classy service are some of the reasons why Rotherhams of Riccarton continues to be the most awarded restaurant in Christchurch. The wine list runs to over 500 labels and New Zealand beef and lamb is served in traditional and new ways.

Wakefields
7-29 Wakefield Avenue, Sumner
Phone: +03 326 7230
Char grilled beef and fresh salads like mango and sun dried tomato with watercress and sesame tofu light up the menu at this fabulous diner inside a one hundred year old cottage. People make the short journey to the suburb of Sumner just to eat at Wakefields. 

Sticky Fingers

Oxford Terrace, Christchurch
Phone: +03 366 6451
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Sticky Fingers is most popular during summer evenings when tables at its outdoor terraces can be hard to secure. Sticky's, as it's called, has won numerous food and drink awards. 

Find more information about Christchurch and hotels in the area:
Christchurch hotels | New Zealand hotels