8 Best Restaurants in Christchurch, Christchurch and Canterbury

This restaurant's laneway setting and beautifully restored two-level building gives it a London pub feel. With food and drinks to suit all tastes, it's a popular hangout for locals day and night. Plush dining rooms and a wide covered veranda lead to a manicured garden that is also a year-round source of produce for this busy kitchen. The pizzas are hard to skip (try the salmon), and the lime-and-coriander-crusted fish is a treat. Staff go out of their way to make you feel at home for brunch, lunch, dinner, or a drink anytime. The emphasis here is on seafood, vegetarian, and vegan dishes. The Dux also brews its own acclaimed beers.

Don't be fooled by the unassuming alleyway outside: this chic restaurant and bar delivers fine Asian fusion cuisine on all levels. It's hard to recommend particular dishes because they are all exquisitely prepared and taste so good, served in a striking, seductive setting. Try the spinach leaf with roasted coconut, peanuts, garlic, chili, and lime for a stunning starter or the light, crunchy texture of moong dal and mixed seed salad with fresh lime and avocado. The sticky beef wontons are popular but save room for the equally delicious main courses to follow. There's a good selection of wine and, of course, fabulous cocktails. The restaurant is offset from the road, so keep your eyes peeled to find it.

Set in the heart of Christchurch's dining haven, The Terrace, this rain-forest-inspired restaurant combines delicious food with friendly service. Behind the busy bar is an opulent dining area with an open kitchen where you can watch the talented chefs create Mediterranean-style dishes.

Here you can dine in a 1920s Tudor-style house, looking out on the Botanic Gardens and the Peacock Fountain, or take a garden table and be part of it. The menu has tapas selections and a good variety of seafood, with owner–chef Javier Garcia producing authentic Spanish cuisine evoking an old-world atmosphere. Try the Cordero Asado (slow roasted alpine lamb shoulder) or something a bit lighter like the Spanish Paella served in its pan. The kitchen garden supplies herbs, berries, and vegetables to the restaurant, and they have a strong environmental policy to keep things green.

One of the city's most beautiful pieces of architecture also houses one its most popular cafés. Christchurch Botanic Gardens' rare plants and nurseries sit alongside a busy dining room in this modern take on a glass conservatory. With their own vegetables and herbs just outside, the ilex chefs are no doubt inspired by the 52 acres surrounding them. Line up with the locals for well-priced and inventive seasonal soups, pies, and salads washed down with organic soda or a glass of wine. On a fine day grab a picnic blanket from the friendly staff and spread out on the impressive lawn.

Rascal is a modern bistro in the heart of Christchurch offering innovative food from a constantly changing menu, and exceptional cocktails. Dishes are designed to be shared tapas-style, and they arrive at the table as they are made. The service is casual but attentive, and the space itself offers various seating options along the bar on high tables, traditional seating at the rear of the restaurant and a cozy courtyard for summer evenings. 

A great place to get a coffee fix, this hip café is styled with a red-and-white American diner aesthetic. The café is a flagship outlet for the Coffee Supreme brand, which started in Wellington over 30 years ago before expanding to Japan and Australia. Look to the all-day breakfast menu for fresh fruit platters, and a decadent double stack of pancakes with whipped butter and maple syrup. Countertop goodies are served with excellent coffee. Sit at the communal bar or smart wooden tables.

This inner-city pub anchors the emerging South Town neighborhood of the Central Business District, and this big indoor–outdoor space has plenty of atmosphere. Menu items range from contemporary pub food to Mediterranean cuisine, all made using local produce. You cant beat the souvlaki served with Greek donuts. They often have live music, and there's a pool table in the back.