Only sinners here to seek out an afternoon pick-me-up with a visit to a quaint, aged church,…read morere-purposed into a beer bar! Blessed be! When in hop capital, the Freehouse is an automatic add onto one's rotation. The most friendly, helpful staff to serve up a fresh pint and give all the best recs. Quite a few tap handles, but per the sheet, only those with the red check mark were the ones "On". No matter, because the selection with the 15 available was eclectic and very exciting. Surprisingly a number of sours on draft along with some cask options and beers featured from their on-site brewery "The Flavourtorium". We sat outside near this makeshift brewery within a shipping container, fermenter tanks and mashers in full view as a worker toiled away gathering the spent grain for disposal. Many a patron chatted away -- visitor and locals alike -- and dogs lazed away or wandered around off leash for a joyful afternoon basking in the Nelson sun. What an absolutely terrific vibe and what a time to be alive enjoying the fresh Nelson hops of the region!

Good place. They helped me out when I arrived in Nelson to an unacceptable hotel/motel, reviewed…read moreseparately. I ordered a pint and asked for recommendations. I got a few and followed up on one and ended up in a much better spot. It was admittedly not busy, so I had a bit of an opportunity to chat, and they were quite pleasant to get along with. A group came in as I was winding down my pint, and it is clear that they have a good community following (also confirmed by a recommendation of the Freehouse from a friend who lived in Nelson for quite a while). It was also a Sunday evening, so things were already pretty quiet in Nelson. There is a beer garden/patio out front with a food stand, but it is late winter now, so that wasn't active, and they have only a light kitchen themselves, so they were happy to recommend nearby places for take-out to eat-in at their spot. Good neighbors then. Good people. Very helpful. Good beer. Worth the visit. Oh, and it's in a repurposed church. Very cool.

The best atmosphere! Amazing drinks and cool place to hang…read moreout. Ask for a cookie monster! Also Jam sessions are a must go to. Wed and Thursdays I think. Best bar in Nelson !!

There wasn't enough. I was extremely parched, I came here looking hydration and I didn't find it…read more Good vibes tho.

Popped in here for a quick dessert and glass of wine. I had been told that this was a great local…read morebar and it did not disappoint! I had one of their excellent chocolate bourbon balls with a glass of great NZ rose and people-watched from the corner. Initially the bartender I got came off a bit salty and surly, but he warmed up a bit in the end. The other bartender was a bit more jovial and engaging and by the time I left you could tell this was a regular spot for some of the locals as well as a place recommended by the locals to visitors in the area. They looked like they had a good menu, if I had been in Nelson an additional night, I would have come back for lunch or dinner.

I was in Nelson for two nights and went here both times. The beers are all local, the staff is…read morefriendly and helpful explaining all the different beers. The beers are fantastic. I only wish my liver could handle a few more at each sitting. My favorite is the Porter. The have a couple of tables out front, a lot inside in two areas, including a separate smoking area which is very nice.

If you're Californian, and you've been in NZ, you know the pain of finding only 4% beer…read more Really? Dear god if I wanted coors light I would've stayed home. Enter CBD. An oasis. Apparently these are "California boys" who have started to make craft beer in Nelson, the northern part of the South Island. They know what they're doing. And they also have take-away beer that's excellent. If you like craft beer with higher alcohol than 5%, come here. The vibe is chill, the beer is excellent. Currently sipping a half pint of a 12% porter after a 6.5% red Ale. Considering we're from the land of hops and 7-10% beers, this place is a godsend. Come here, especially if you're from Cali and need a good brew. Growlers are for sale. No food on site. Eat before/after you come.

We loved this place!! We are from Hawaii and we stumbled across CBD to grab a beer and wine. The…read moreowner was so nice and we became instant friends!! Beer and wine were tasty. They even have kombucha on tap. We will definitely come back

This is easily one of the top 3 hostels i've ever stayed in!…read more Location: 5-7 min walk from InterCity buses, close to shops and restaurants/bars, and right across the street from Cathedral Hill. Amenities: Rooms and bathrooms/showers are very clean, washer and dryer available, blow dryer and hair straightener, towels and laundry powder available at reception. Rooms and laundry are very reasonably priced Friendly service at the front desk. A man named Glenn is the sweetest guy and was very helpful at check-in when my air bnb's reservation didn't work out last minute. If you're staying in Nelson, I'd highly recommend InnBetween! They also will store your luggage if you plan on going off into the parks etc.

From the owner: Accommodation for all travellers in the City centre of sunny Nelson. Overlooking the park and a…read more1min walk to all cafes and bars. Try our underground kitchen and bar, sit on any of our balconies overlooking the historical park, or chill in our private courtyard and soak up some sun.

Not sure what's happened in the year since we last visited Nelson and dined (loose use of the term)…read moreat the Vic. It might have been the time we arrived 8.15 pm? "Underwhelming" was the politest comment a colleague made. 16 of us for dinner. The gourmet hamburgers were oversized "sliders". The steak was dropped on to pile of string potato chips. On part of the steak was raw the other cooked to a leather consistency. No salad or garnish. Some sort of pesto on top of the steak no choice of sauces. The fish was old and small portions and greasy. Again a pile of chips and no side salad. Cost from $27 to $33 There are better venues and quality of food for similar prices. I suggest you try those.

BEST burger and meal I've had while visiting New Zealand. It's in a cute little area of down town…read moreNelson. Reminds me of Berkeley, CA where I'm from. Such a delicious burger, fries and yummy cider too. A little pricey, but totally worth it. Also cheaper option than other restaurants in the immediate area. Nice outdoor seating and fun decor inside. Must stop here if visiting Nelson. I'm sad I could only get one burger :p

Nelson plays host to multiple Sprig & Fern locations, with the main location being voted 'best bar'…read morein NZ, many years running. With no real knowledge of the differences between locations, we ended up at Hardy Street, simply because it was on our route. We loved this particular location, for its fantastic bar ambiance, and I do hope they are factored into the overall Sprig & Fern ambiance in the 'best bar' vote. Walking in, wandering up to the bar, we were overwhelmed by the variety of hoppy IPA choices- the bartender asked, 'what will it be', and I said, 'no idea', because I wasn't ready to decide on my IPA of choice quite yet. Though, the bartender took this to mean I was a beer novice, and was super friendly, as he began to describe the different beers to me- when I clarified, 'oh I know beers & taste preferences, the bar just offered too many great sounding IPAs'-and he immediately shifted gears and started pouring mini sample IPA sips to help narrow the choices! (and I didn't even have to ask-how nice). Once we made our pint selections, we stayed up at the bar for a bit chatting about life in Nelson, NZ-learning about his life journey, moving from Italy, learning about life during COVID, and life after re-opening. Then we nestled into the corner booth, enjoying our beers & music. An absolute delight of an evening, well-priced, tasty brews, and nice ambiance.

Great brews, food, friendly helpful staff. $10 lunch specials during the week. The falafel was…read morewell seasoned and delightfully crispy. Try the Golden IPA and the cider

We stopped in this really cool Italian spot for a quick to go morning meal, they have a great…read moreselection of cabinet food and full menu. We tried their cranberry & chicken,bacon & eggs panini along with homemade spicy chilli sauce, Excellent! For a sweet treat we had the carrot cake and the raspberry brownie also very good. The lady at the counter was extremely friendly and kind. The interior is spacious and airy with lots of seating and great decor to look at. Overall a great place to grab a meal.

Great selection of menu and counter food. Has the green veg quiche with home made sauce and a large…read moreginger slice - both great. Friends had the big breakfast which lives up to its name with bacon sausages mushrooms eggs spinach and more! Friendly staff

On our drive back to Christchurch we stopped here after many recommendations from travel books…read more Morrison Street Cafe is a low-key, simply decorated cafe that caters more to the stomach than the eyes. Touted as more of a locals spot, there is a community board on the wall and the artwork on the wall is often for sale. When there is a gap in available artwork and the walls are bare, the space can get particularly loud, especially with young children and groups of people dining. The service is still pretty efficient despite the crowds. We had a trim flat white, an Americano, the eggs Benedict with local bacon and the salted caramel & strawberry pancakes. The eggs benedict was spot on perfection with an incredible light but well-prepared hollandaise to top. The eggs were cooked just right and the bacon had a slight crisp to the edges. The eggs Benedict came heaped with spinach and chives which added a great flavor and added touch of healthiness on top of the soft bagel the Benedict was served on. Needless to say, the plate was licked clean. The pancakes were made with a wholemeal batter and were extremely fluffy. The pancakes were topped with fresh strawberries and a rhubarb compote that was bright, tart and totally complemented the salted caramel sauce that was served in lieu of syrup. If you've never had pancakes with caramel sauce, you must try it here. I had my dish served with yoghurt but cream is also an option. The prices are reasonable and the service is quick and friendly. If you're stopping in Nelson, you absolutely must find your way over to Morrison Street Cafe.

Even my sweetest of sweet teeth had had enough of the sugary pancake breakfasts I'd been eating…read morethroughout our trip, so I homed in on the "pan con tomate" at the Morri Street Cafe for a savory breakfast refresher and quickly fell in love. This is your dish if you aren't an egg person but still want something savory and complex, but there are plenty of other great options too. The Morri Street Cafe was spacious, low-key, and perfect for either a quick grab-and-go or a more leisurely morning wake up.