I am HUGELY remiss in posting a review. Today my daughter called me "remember that place in Nelson…read moreNZ with the smoked manhattan drinks?" Oh yes I do, in fact it was a highlight of places we visited in New Zealand. Inside is a pretty classic setting. Black tablecloths with white butcher paper. Clean, cozy. The first thing we noticed was this very small bar with 6 tiers of shelves hosting all sorts of spirits and alcohol, and the bar tender was ever so gracious. Our table wasn't quite ready but we enjoyed our chat with the bartender and honestly could have waited longer. The menu for drinks and food was immediately appealing. We tried their smoked manhattans. Delicious. They made it at the table and that was just fun. I got their scallops. Fresh, simple goodness. We shared their fries and I rolled my eyes. Great food, service and overall a charming relaxed and gem of a place in Nelson. Highly recommend!

A delightful setting with great seafood. Ok you hungry travelers tired of mediocre tourist food--…read moretry Cod and Lobster in the town of Nelson. Named after the British Admiral but hey, hi there anyway. Fresh is the name of the game here. You want it, they have it. A beautiful setting. Inside and out. I love it didn't feel touristy. Crazy good bar- see pic-- and great wine list. A lot of great regional pinot noir. Fairly priced for very high quality. I paid around $90 NZ for a hard to get delicious bottle. Try Burnt Cottage if you're into Pinot. Go here. Don't hesitate

We had no initial intention of dining in Havelock, while on our way to Nelson for the evening,…read morehowever during a kayaking tour we learned Havelock is the Green Mussel Capital of the World! when in Rome...right?! We were encouraged to try the Mussel Pot Sampler. DELICIOUS. So much variety on one plate; the largest, juiciest mussels we've ever had. The variety included: smoked, marinated, creamy white wine sauce, bacon & cheese, garlic & herb, spicy tangy zing, fried, croquettes, with a side of fresh homemade bread. My husband and I split the platter and were equally well stuffed. Along with dinner, we enjoyed reading the table booklet all about mussels & the area's history. The town of Havelock is a quaint town, factoring in this delicious meal, this is a don't miss pit stop!

Stumbled upon this hidden gem while driving to the French Pass from Blenheim. Had to try the green…read moremuscle platter which did not disappoint. A good sampling of every which way muscles can be prepared. 10/10 would recommend a visit

My husband and I needed a place to grab lunch after the ferry ride, and didn't want to stray too…read morefar as we had a train ride coming up. We walked in to Cockles since they had a patio to eat on and it was the most beautiful day. The menu was extremely limited (maybe 5 items to eat), but we found out that it was the first week the new owners had it. They said they had some changes coming and didn't want to roll out a whole menu ASAP. They wanted to perfect it and make changes to make the place theirs. The wife and son were very friendly and welcoming. I had the blue cod fish and chips and it was probably some of the best fish & chips I have ever had! I was extremely impressed. They had a decent beer selection, too. I am excited for this couple to see what they do with this place, especially if the fish and chips were that good! (By the looks of the new menu now- it looks amazing!)

The service, the people, the food. Everything at this restaurant is exactly what you want after a…read morelong drive to the north side of South Island. Complete with a beautiful view of the shore, you are cutting your vacation to Abel Tasman short if you don't get the Mussels & house pilsner here.

Mussels were unwashed, with sand crabs and ocean debris in every bite. Ciabatta bread was…read moredoughy--butter and toppings were ok at best. Fiji style ceviche was fine. Most of the staff were having issues. Table next to us were waiting 20 minutes just for beer. The lady who brought out our food was pleasant, she was the saving grace . Location is amazing. Wish the food was edible. Hopefully we just hit this place on a bad day. But would rather drive 15 minutes to get food than come back here.

Seafood chowder.... What's better than that?! I loved this place! I went to New Zealand a year ago…read moreand got the pleasure of coming here. The coffee and the food was absolutely delicious. If I ever get lucky enough to go again, I'll definitely come here!!!

Always great food great people ! Good menu great atmosphere. By far the best in kaiteriread more