Dig in or Dine out

EAT GLACIER COUNTRY 

Exploring the great outdoors in Glacier Country is sure to work up a healthy appetite.  

Top off a brilliant day out with a fine dégustation menu in the rainforest at Franz Josef’s Canopy Restaurant. Located up in the trees in 5-star Te Waonui Forest Retreat, this gourmet dining experience features a carefully curated menu of the finest local cuisine. A la carte or 5-course dégustation — you’ll not be disappointed.  

Franz Josef also offers a cluster of relaxed restaurants serving great hearty fare, ranging from the eclectic Alice May (commemorating the curious story of Alice May Parkinson), upmarket, reliable Canavan’s Restaurant at Scenic Hotel Franz Josef, and convivial Monsoon Bar & Restaurant at the award-winning Rainforest Retreat. (Canavans reopens for the season on 2 October.)

A favourite in Fox Glacier Village, Betsey Jane Eatery & Bar is inspired by the story of the trusty canine partner of an early 19th century West Coast explorer. This modest little old cottage has been reimagined as a smart café-bar-restaurant serving a satisfying range of sharing plates and mains.

EAT GREYMOUTH

Greymouth stalwart Sevenpenny takes inspiration from proud West Coast history back in the days when thirsty Coasters could swig down a pint for sixpence. Sevenpenny’s all-day contemporary cuisine comes with a history side highlighting the 1947 beer-drinking boycott when local publicans tried and failed to raise the price of a pint from six to seven pennies. The workers abstained in protest and won the fight.

As the Coast’s main administrative hub, Greymouth has good hotels with nice restaurants. The Copthorne’s Jimmy Cook’s Kiwi Kitchen (after that famous British sea captain) works with passionate local producers to create fine fare. Buccleugh’s on High at the Recreation Hotel is another local favourite serving up seasonal West Coast delicacies — think whitebait, venison or blue cod. 

As country towns go, Greymouth has more than its fair share of pubs. For starters, it’s home to New Zealand’s original craft beer — Monteith’s Brewery (founded 1868) is open all day, serving up brews and tasty pub grub. Around the corner from Sevenpenny, the Speight’s Ale House is a stylish gastropub offering a hearty menu in a charming historic brick building.

EAT HOKITIKA 

When night falls, it’s time to think about refuelling for the new day’s adventures, and there’s plenty of good eating around Hokitika.

Catch of the day? Right on the beach in Hokitika, the refurbished Ocean View Restaurant has the best seats in town for watching the waves roll into shore. Contemporary and local, the varied menu highlights West Coast produce —  the whitebait patties are a seasonal must. Linger over dinner and watch the sun go down over the Tasman Sea. 

Try the famous Whitebait Pizza in Fat Pipi Pizza, right in town.

On an elevated terrace on Hokitika’s eastern perimeter, Stations Inn serves up expansive vistas of farmland, mountains and the sea. First licensed as the ‘Station Hotel’ in 1867 when diners arrived in horse-drawn trams, the modern 4-star hotel offers fine dining, including award-winning beef and lamb cuts, New Zealand wines and locally brewed Monteith's beer. 

New in town, Thatcher & Small is an all-day dining and drinking destination inspired by a couple of local entertainment legends. The atmos’ is a combo of vintage charm and contemporary elegance, styled with innovative cuisine.

EAT KARAMEA

Outstanding natural beauty and legendary hospitality make Karamea — at the subtropical, northern end of SH6 — well worth going all the way for. 

A homely Victorian era establishment, the Karamea Village Hotel is a family affair that does award-winning cuisine (whitebait is a speciality), pub grub and seasonal fare. 

Quirky, arty, surrounded by nīkau palms and committed to doing good for the environment, The Last Resort is a local icon with accommodation and a licensed restaurant, café and a bar. Meet the locals at the bar or dine in at the restaurant.

EAT LAKE BRUNNER

Largest of the many lakes on the Coast, tranquil Lake Brunner / Kōtuku Whakaoka (sea of herons) is a vast natural freshwater playground famous for its large brown trout. 

Dine in front of the fire or al fresco on the sundeck at Kingfisher Restaurant & Bar in Hotel Lake Brunner. The extensive menu ranges from classic pub food to Asian fusion and pizzas, with a full range of local beers and NZ wines.

On the opposite side of the lake, Lake Brunner Eco Lodge’s restaurant focuses on fresh, local ingredients. Nightly rates include dinner and continental breakfast, and casual day visitors can also reserve for lunch and dinner.

EAT MARUIA SPRINGS

Stop off or stay over for a beautiful dining experience at Maruia Hot Springs near Lewis Pass. The outstanding surroundings — a mountain pass in a forest above a river — and the food here compete for the title of prettiest. 

This tiny eco-resort is a wellness spa with an all-day restaurant that serves up delicious, beautifully-presented healthy cuisine that will delight your eyes and nourish your soul. Best of all, you don’t have to be staying in-house to enjoy the dining experience — though you might want to choose to do that.

EAT PUNAKAIKI

Premium dining right on the beach! Oceanview Restaurant at the Scenic Hotel Punakaiki literally has its toes in the sand on this wild and magnificent beach. Enjoy delicious premium New Zealand food and wine with a fabulous side of epic views by day and night. Open from breakfast onwards.

EAT WESTPORT

Westport locals know and love The Yellow House Cafe & Restaurant — a meal here is an experience that goes beyond the food. Owner Lyn, who appears to wear most of the hats in the kitchen and front of house, creates Mediterranean-inspired cooking (organic and free range as much as possible) with a focus on health, wellness, flavour and catering for diverse dietary needs. For a tasty starter, try the delicious artichoke dip served on warm focaccia bread.

Spot the cheery yellow exterior of the Denniston Dog restaurant, café and bar and head inside for a light meal, stone grill or other honest Kiwi pub fare. This friendly little local does breakfast, lunch and dinners flavoured with photos and memorabilia telling intriguing tales of life on the Denniston coal fields. There’s also a large screen TV to watch the games on.

If you’re looking for waterside dining, Westport has a couple of options. On the river bank in town, Portside Bistro is a popular local hangout with an all-day menu. Donaldo’s Beach Cafe, not far out of town at Carter’s Beach, is a family-friendly seaside eatery.