The dining experience here was exceptional! A 19 course meal with every single dish so creatively and well made! The service here is also really good, as they wait till everyone is seated before every dish is brought out for the full experience. The environment is very simple but super elegant! Loved my experience here so much! read more

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Amisfield Bistro & Cellar Door was our first winery (out of two) that we stopped at while we drove through Lake Hayes. It's a huge building with a restaurant in the back. Bookings are essential (according to their sign). We dropped in on a Friday afternoon (around 4:00pm). The restaurant looked busy but the wine tasting area wasn't. Wine tastings are $10.00 NZD/person but the fee is waived if you buy a bottle. There's 13 wines to choose from (bubbles, white and pinot noirs) and you get to choose any 5 from the list. Service was excellent and informative. Other wineries should take notes. - Amisfield pétillant naturel 2017 - a pretty different sparkling but in a good way. Hints of apple but not sweet. A popular bubbly (they only had 25 bottles left). We were debating between this and the chenin blanc for our bottle purchase. - Amisfield chenin blanc 2016 - this was excellent. Apparently, there's only three chenin blancs in NZ and we've tried two of them (Mt. Difficult and Mt. Edmond are the others). Citrus and smooth. We got a bottle ($30.00 NZD). - Amisfield pinot gris 2016 - this one consisted of floral tones. Off dry. - Amisfield pinot noir rosé 2017 - it was the best rosé we've tried so far. We got hints of strawberry and watermelon. - Amisfield RKV reserve pinot noir 2014 - a bottle is $120.00 NZD! Incredibly smooth as it's been aged for 18 months. Our second favourite winery out of all the wineries we visited during our month long trip in New Zealand. Superb wines! read more

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Ok so we arrived without a booking but were told we could get bar food . Had a wine tasting ( which was excellent) and then were told that despite a room full of empty tables and no booking facility , they didn't have capacity . We were just dressed in jeans and tee shirts so if you are really keen to go there, which I don't recommend , dress for success . Very very disappointed to travel out from Queenstown on a friend's recommendation to be so bluntly snubbed . read more

This is one of the iconic places to sit and watch the world go buy in Queenstown. As one of the original Otago wineries, it has an incredible location right outside of Queenstown. We were there on a beautiful spring day and sitting outside watching the world go by was terrific. The grounds are immaculate and the nearby hills are beautiful. I could have taken pictures here all day. The staff and the food are very good particularly for lunch. We loved the oysters on a half shell, the salads were wonderful. For the mains we had a nice lamb dish and then a wonderful local fish. This is the kind of place where you should make sure to bring your sun hat and sunglasses as there isn't too much shade outside. We then went for a wine tasting and it was a pretty good selection, the white wines seemed like they were light and easy to drink. But the main reason, at least for us, to come here is lunch and the view read more

Awesome experience with the food quality; presentation and the services. I would highly recommend this restaurant

I must disclose that we drink a lot of wine and travel a lot. We love the wine regions in Napa Valley (Northern California USA), Northern Portugal (Douro Valley) & Italy. We were excited to check out this winery but left feeling very disappointed . It is a nice setting but nothing over-the-top. The gentleman that waited on us for the wine tasting was not very friendly. It kind of ruined the whole experience. I would not go back ... there are too many other places to visit where people are glad to have your business. read more

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Very nice winery with good food and wine. They were even able to accommodate my dietary restrictions (no meat). What we ended up doing was the wine tasting first, then dinner. If you do that, then the wine tasting fee is waived. w00t! Too bad I didn't pack a check in bag... I couldn't bring back any of the wines with me. Sad. read more

Really enjoyed my dinner at Amisfield Winery Bistro. Incredible food with incredible views. Highly attentive wait staff. The chef was incredibly good at combining flavors and textures in his dishes so that you had full, flavorful mouth explosions. Salty with sweet. Soft with crunchy. High use of floral aromas. I had the "Trust the Chef" menu which was described as four courses, but I counted six! Started with fresh local fig with house made prosciutto, mint leaf and lavender on a balsamic vinegar reduction. Just a mouthful to get started. Amazing. The soup was a simple cold gazpacho soup made from pureed tomato and cucumber with a drizzle of olive oil and crouton. The appetizer was fresh eggplant ravioli with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes in a butter sauce. I thought it didn't need the sundried tomatoes except for their texture, but they were a little too salty. The first main was a pan fried sole with grape halves, walnuts and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing on the side. This was probably my favorite. The sole was perfectly cooked, the grapes and vinaigrette offered the perfect amount of sour and sweetness and the walnuts added a crunchy texture. Outstanding. Between mains there was a slice of cucumber with shaved flavored ice as a palate cleanser. The second main was a beef rump roast with pesto served with roasted cauliflower and onion. Baby potatoes cooked in butter and sprinkled with tarragon were served on the side. The beef was tender and perfectly cooked. I'm not a huge pesto fan, but it was really good. A pesto fan would have loved this. For dessert, there were crepes with berries and cream and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Delicious! The entire meal with a glass of wine was $75 NZ. I thought an incredible bargain. read more

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This was a lovely place to go wine-tasting! We tasted some great wines, liked the service, and found the tasting room beautiful! Our favorite wine was the Fume Sauvignon Blanc, which we bought a couple bottles of. We also liked Amisfield's Dry Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Rose. The woman who poured our wines was friendly and informative. The tasting room is modern and elegant, and the indoor and outdoor dining areas are attractive as well. Overall, one of our favorite wineries in the Gibbston Valley. read more

After some initial suspicions due to our age, and then more suspicion over whether we could pay. We were welcomed into Amistad and given the full experience - within our budget. I would recommend the table outside which has great views and serene surroundings. The waitress was really good, she even poured us water! read more

Amisfield Bistro - Bistros Near Me - Lake Hayes, OTA

I'm not a fancy food lover. I don't appreciate teeny tiny quantities of vegetables on giant plates with random foams and reductions. I went into the Amisfield Bistro's Trust The Chef meal anticipating to need a real meal afterward. Not only was the quantity of food enough to satisfy my unusually large appetite (thanks, breastfeeding), but I can honestly say it was one of the best meals of my life. I won't tell you what the Chef made, because it doesn't matter and he or she may not make it again, but every course seemed to be better than the last. Delicate, complex. You can order individual items, but the Trust The Chef is a real treat, especially with the wine pairing. Chef takes care to observe every food restriction, so don't feel bad letting them know at the outstart to avoid nuts/gluten/dairy/whatever you're avoiding. My vegetarian and gluten free offerings looked even better than my group's unrestricted spreads, though everyone was just so content, energy wasn't diverted to comparing. Thank you Amisfield, for an experience of a lifetime - I can't wait to be back. read more

Six Stars - "Trust the Chef" is Fabulous! This winery and restaurant exceeded my expectations - obviously since I gave it six stars. :-) I really enjoyed the ambiance at the Amisfield Winery Bistro and the staff could not have been nicer or more attentive. I am not going to describe what we were served with the Trust the Chef signature menu, because that is what makes it so special - you do not know what they will bring out - loved it! The chef selects the menu based on fresh produce from their gardens and with local seasonal ingredients simply prepared, and with a beautiful complimenting wine pairing each day. For $110 per person, you get 5 courses matched with 4 wines. It was simply one of the best meals I have ever had and will remain in my memory forever. I learned later when I got home that Cuisine Magazine awarded it Best Winery Restaurant 2013. In between courses, we had a little time to explore and loved checking out the vineyards and outdoor patio with fireplace, water feature and umbrellas for warm days. Next time I would like to sit outdoors. Then surrounding scenery is stunning and we were lucky to be there on a Fall day when the trees were turning colors. Incredible food, incredible wine, incredible service, and incredible winery - what more could you want? :-) read more

Part of visiting Queenstown is to try as many of the wineries as possible. One of these place you should ought to try is Amisfield. It has produced some of the highest quality wines around, and not surprisingly has won many wine awards for their efforts too! Notice in advance - Tasting's are $8 per person for five choices, waived if you purchase a bottle or dine at their restaurant. Advance booking is essential, a week or two out. Presented with their food menu it looked all too good for me to choose. The waitress informed that "Trust The Chef" was the best option to go for if you were unsure of what to get. The Trust the Chef signature menu offers a shared dining experience, with dishes selected by the chef based on fresh produce and ingredients available on the day. The food is an expression of local seasonal ingredients simply prepared, and an ultimate compliment to the wines. For $110 per person, you get five courses matched with four wines. I'll call this right now - One of the best restaurants in Queenstown right now. Not surprisingly when I researched this place I found they have indeed been awarded Best Winery Restaurant 2013 by Cuisine magazine. First course - Salted Cod & potato on crusty bread Second course - Spanish Style soup served cold, as intended. Flavours were great & I really enjoyed this. But just couldn't get my head around eating cold soup! A food experience in it self! Third Course - Smoked Salmon & Green Salad. Main Course - Lamb with pesto, califlower & pickled red onions Dessert - Choice of Chocolate Brownie, Crepes with seasonal fruits & vanilla bean ice cream or trio of sorbet. There was nothing about the food that I didn't like, the staff were fantastic. The matching wine went well with each course. I was a bit hesitant in Trusting The Chef - But I am so glad I did!! A wonderful food experience not to be missed Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Price 5/5 - Expensive, but worth every cent. Matching wine removed, it comes down to $60 per person. Atmosphere 5/5 Overall 5/5 - read more

Fresh beautiful tasting menu in exquisite outdoor setting. Tasting menu at lunchtime: beautiful sunny cool day, sitting outside beneath an umbrella between the restaurant building and the garden. Attentive pleasant service. Very nice sequence of dishes and wines, in the Napa / Italian / locovore style: fresh direct flavors from the food, without extra embellishment. The tasting menu sequence started simply, understated; we were concerned that the food would be too simple. However, as the dishes and their wines progressed, the entire ensemble was rich and balanced. Two contrasting desserts for the two of us to share, along with a super fresh macaron, finished off the dining experience with delight and generosity. Amuse bouche Smooth gazpacho with coriander Mozzarella foam Cherry heirloom tomatoes Basil Olive oil Sparking wine (honey and apricot notes) Balsamic vinegar jelly Ravioli stuffed with eggplant Sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese Sauce: sage, chicken broth, shallots, olive oil A little peppery; simple seeming but enduring finish Interlude Ginger beer, lemon foam, tapioca pearls Lamb rump, roasted with a little salt: beautifully roasted, moist, flavorful Roasted potatoes Smoked aubergine purée: Nice dark smoked flavor Bok choi Aoli with Thai chili Amisfield pinot noir: Nose: oaky, dried cherries, nutmeg. Taste: pepper, oak, cranberries, dried cherries Two desserts White chocolate ice cream, passion fruit mousse, creamy meringue, blueberries Combination chocolate mousse and cake, espresso ice cream, strawberries poached with allspice Sauvignon blanc sweet dessert wine: honey, apricot Strawberry and vanilla macaron Espresso read more

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The "Trust the Chef" meal is one of the best I've had. It's not expensive for the quality of the meal and it comes with several courses and beautifully-paired wines. You also get wine tasting for free if you eat at the restaurant (which requires a reservation in advance). All around fantastic experience. Beautiful restaurant and winery. This was a highlight of my trip to Queenstown. read more

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Super restaurant surrounded by stunning scenery. Had a lovely meal sitting outside and we're very well looked after by the staff. We chose the "trust the chef" degustation menu which came with some lovely surprises. Particularly enjoyed the monk fish and salsa verde. Will definitely be back. read more

Amisfield Bistro - Steak with lovely salsa verde. - Bistros Near Me - Lake Hayes, OTA

This place is truly a gem around Queenstown. Need to make reservation ahead of time. Ordered the 7 course meal with pairing wine. So good and delicious! Reasonable portion, great presentation and the waiter is knowledgeable and patient. One of the best dining experiences that I ever had. read more

I had heard rave reviews of Amisfield and was thrilled to be going with a group of friends for lunch. Food and wine were good; my favorite was the cheese plate with 4/5 of the cheeses from New Zealand and the pillowy soft gnocchi was extremely well prepared. The ambiance and scenery is really the highlight of this winery--the view is lovely and if it is a clear and sunny day, definitely take a table outside. Quick note: tasting fees are waived if you have a meal at the restaurant. read more

Delicious. Delicious. Delicious. Perfect for a sunny day lunch. The wine is fantastic! We tried multiple plates and all were very good. The staff is kind and well versed. The price is a little on the high side, but worth it. read more

Beautifully prepared haute cuisine using fresh, local ingredients. We loved each of the five courses in the Chef's Tasting Menu. My husband is allergic to shellfish and the restaurant was very accommodating by providing an excellent alternative to the course with clams and mussels. I forgot what the alternative was, but my husband was happy and ate all of it. The wine pairings were perfect too. The Pinot Noir was particularly memorable. read more

The first time come here and wine test here. The staff so rude and told us we made some noises here but what??? The noises just from the restraint not us. read more

I've heard a lot about this place and for all the right reasons. The location is amazing and the building is something to be admired. No matter how much you look around there is just so much to take in! I was impressed by the selection of wines (as you'd expect) but also the knowledge of their staff. Mind blowing! We didn't have a booking, so I wasn't sure we would even be able to eat this particular afternoon. We waited in the main area but were continually ignored by staff and restaurant manager a like. In the end we decided to take a seat outside and see if that made any difference. We waited twenty minutes before going and seeking assistance. The snooty girl behind the desk asked if we had a booking to which we said no. Then she said she'd get someone to give us menus and sort our table out shortly. Another 10 minutes passed before someone finally came to our table. I couldn't help but feel we had almost ruined this ladies day. It really ruined my experience! I'm not one to get emotional over these things, but all I wanted was a nice relaxing lunch with my parents who I usually only get to see once or twice a year. Once food arrived I was very impressed, we had various dishes and the wine complimented the food so well. Well worth a walk around the vineyard it's a great location and is truly a sanctuary of relaxation. Don't expect to pay much less than $200-300 for 3 people. I guess now I can see why people rate the place, just a shame certian staff members aren't more accomodating and polite. read more