Christchurch guide
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.
12 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.
Venue data checked weekly · Updated August 2026
The picks
- 01King of Snake · Restaurant · Central City
Euro-Asian fusion done properly, one floor up on Cashel Street with views over the mall and the Avon.
- 02Brazooka - BBQ Brazil · Restaurant · Papanui
Brazilian churrasco in Papanui — all-you-can-eat rodizio, skewers of grilled meat carved at the table until you tap out.
- 035th Street · Restaurant · Sydenham
An upmarket modern restaurant in Sydenham — seasonal, refined cooking and a smart cocktail list in a stylish room, open evenings.
- 04Twenty Seven Steps · Restaurant · Central City
Up a flight off New Regent Street, an intimate room doing seasonal New Zealand fine dining.
- 05The Athens Yacht Club · Restaurant · Central City
Greek in the city, despite the name — a taverna doing souvlaki, meze and the rest with a bit of character.
- 06Arbour Woodfired Pizza and Bar · Restaurant · Lyttelton
Artisan woodfired pizza on Oxford Street, Lyttelton — a sharing menu, local brews and a community 'home away from home' feel.
- 07Everest Indian Restaurant Woolston · Restaurant · Woolston
The Woolston branch of Everest — Indian and Nepalese cooking, tandoori classics alongside momos and chowmein.
- 08Miro · Restaurant · Central City
Refined dining in a 1934 heritage building, with a riverside terrace and a pair of open fires for the cold months.
- 09Hillary House Restaurant · Restaurant · Papanui
A Kiwi bistro on Papanui Road themed around Sir Ed and Tenzing's Everest climb — burgers, seafood, pasta and Kiwi classics with weekly specials.
- 10Gatherings · Restaurant · Merivale
New Zealand's first natural-wine restaurant — an intimate room a short walk from the CBD, plating organic veg, kaimoana and wild food alongside a serious…
+ 2 more on the map below ↓
Keep exploring
Common questions
- What are the best restaurants in Christchurch?
- Right now our shortlist is King of Snake, Brazooka - BBQ Brazil, 5th Street, Twenty Seven Steps, The Athens Yacht Club. We list standout kitchens worth a trip rather than every restaurant in town — so the bar stays high and the list short, across a range of cuisines and price points.
- Do you need to book?
- For the popular ones, yes — especially Friday and Saturday nights. Book a few days ahead if you're set on a particular table; walk-ins are easier early in the week or right on opening.
- Are they all in the central city?
- No — they're spread across Ōtautahi, from Lyttelton over the hill out to Papanui and Sydenham, with a cluster in the Central City. The map shows where each one sits.