The best restaurants in Christchurch

Not a list of everywhere — a short one. These are the Christchurch restaurants worth crossing town for: the standout kitchens we'd actually send a mate to, from long-running names to the neighbourhood spots that quietly out-cook the rest.

11 of them across the city — a few through the Central City, the rest spread from Lyttelton over the hill out to Papanui, Sydenham and beyond. Different cuisines, different price points; the common thread is they're worth the trip.

The good ones book out, weekends especially. If your heart's set on a particular table, get in early or call ahead.