Fantastic atmosphere! Great beer selection and the food was delicious! We were recommended Smiths…read moreby the concierge at the hotel and it was a great recommendation. If you like a great beer and full flavor foods give them a shot, also great vegetarian options.

Unlike most beer bars in NZ, this one seemed to carry more Stouts than others... but plenty of…read moreHIPA's on tap at this upstairs beer bar in downtown QTN. The adjoining balcony was great for watching life pass by down below with our 6x200mL taster flight for 45 NZD. For some reason, this beer bar and the last made a big deal about having Sculpin on tap. And little did they know, these San Diegan's cared not! Plenty of fresh hops selections were eyed instead, brews from Garage Project and Behemoth the MUCH better selections. The beer bar is huge with plenty of places to post up. Despite it's location in touristy QTN, Smith's keeps it laidback with its rougher environs that are not overdone or cringey like some of the places in QTN. Didn't have a food, but it looked to be of good value in expensive QTN, that is, if you aren't tired of pub food.

There are so many amazing places to go in Central Otago wine country, but put Bannockburn Hotel at…read morethe top of your list! For starters, the views are killer. We went on a beautiful, warm, sunny summer day just about as soon as they opened. We opted to sit outside for lunch to take in the views and some sunshine. I suppose it's a casual restaurant, but the food is outstanding and the presentation is top notch. The food can be a bit pricey given the tapas style sharable portions, but the thoughtful mix of flavors and fresh ingredients make the experience well worth the price. Naturally they have an extensive wine list boasting local wines and some from other well known international wine regions. It was a rose kind of day, and a glass of the local Terra Sancta rose was perfect. We ordered light - just 3 small plates for the two of us - but it was all delicious. The Baked Empanadas came with three types - beef & provolone, porkbelly & sweet corn puree, and mushroom, provolone cheese and raisins. The Goat Cheese Croquettes were served with local honey, greens and toasted almonds - a must order! I don't eat seafood, but my husband thoroughly enjoyed the Baja Fish Tacos. Take a break from vineyard touring and enjoy a lovely afternoon (or sunset!) at Bannockburn.

This is probably the best restaurant in all of New Zealand, hands down. I am surprised how this…read morerestaurant doesn't have a Michelin star yet. We ordered a tapas sharing menu for dinner, loved the prawns + cider tapas, and the tacos was amazing. I loved how they have designed the pineapples with a fish cod fillet and blend it with some simple sauces. The chorizos are from a nearby town, so some good local flavor blended in. We sat outside on the patio and had an amazing view of the mountains and vineyards. I would def come back here again if I am back in NZ. A must visit!

A little lounge tucked away behind the storefronts facing Lake Wanaka. It is upstairs, next to a…read morebikeshop in an alley. The night I went, a DJ from South Africa spun 90s era hip-hop, to entertain the gathering of those getting off work, as well as young backpackers. Impressed that the he had 7-inch single of a Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones" (Wonder how much that is worth?) Best suited for a pre-game or wind down, and small enough to strike up conversations.

Stopped by for a quick beer, lovely sunset views with nice tunes setting a great vibe for the…read moreclose of a long day. Bartender from Nebraska had plenty of great recs and was a super chill dude, if I pass by Wanaka in similar circumstances I'm sure to stop by again. Cheers and sweet as!

Great little restaurant in Te Anau…read more Make sure to book a reservation in advance. Kind of awkward entering because they don't have a hostess stand so just go up to the bar and tell them you have a reservation. This confused a lot of people because they'd come in and sit down in the restaurant area, presumably without a reservation, and then be asked to leave/informed they needed a reservation. I ordered a salad for a starter, the pork belly for my main, and the server twisted my arm to get the salted caramel cheesecake. Almost everything was delicious. The pork belly was great. Nice and crispy top and well cooked middle portion like you'd expect. The slaw it came with was meh. Smothered in mayo based sauce. I didn't really like it but then you'd get a bite of an apple which really cut through all that mayo or whatever and made it interesting. Too bad there wasn't more apple in there. The salad was fine. The cheesecake was very good. My server was great. She was running around taking care of everyone--both those who were in the bar area (ie drinks only) and in the sit down area (food). Fantastic service. Super friendly. If you're in the area check them out.

We had one of our best meals in New Zealand. The place was selected by our guide for a five day…read morewalking tour, perhaps in part because we were seeing a Nat Geo style film about the fjordlands at the adjoining cinema. Fine beer list, but really it was the food that stood out -- very well prepared beef ribeye; a lamb rump that I had been reluctant to order because of a bad experience with that cut in Lake Tekapo, but fellow walkers did order and and it was superb. Some in our party ordered fried cauliflower with a crust and spicy sauce (after some wangling, the host parted with the recipe that I plan to make at home)

Eichardt's made the most delicious martini I've ever had the privilege of drinking. We had four…read moredrinks here and all were unique and delicious with a really lovely, informative menu to tell you about the history of the drink alongside the history of the bar. Learned a lot, got to take some refuge from the hot sun, and had also the best oysters of any spot in NZ. It's intimate, cozy, and overall wonderful. Can't recommend enough!

Great service with a nice cocktail and wine list. Small, chic environment, would recommend for…read morethose looking to stop in for a drink or two while in QT.

This spot was delightful! The view was almost as good as the food! We had gluten free spaghetti al…read moremare and an amazing lamb blackstrap! They even provided a blanket for the cool temperatures! The service was also very good.

Fabulous Italian food with a beautiful view of the water. We had the Fruiti de Mare and Bolognese…read more Delicious!

How epic, a bar with option to BYO food on a boat overlooking the beautiful Queenstown landscape…read more You can't beat it! Service was friendly and deliver your drinks upstairs so you can safely manage the boat steps to the rooftop deck. The drink menu is fun, many of them caught my attention but my friend and I settled on espresso martinis, one with a coconut version. They were setting up for a DJ set before we left. Highly recommend stopping by Perky's floating bar!

Lovely spot, literally a boat docked in the pier with a great view…read more You bring your own food and order drinks only. We brought our meat pies to enjoy. There is a lower area below deck and additional seating on top, where you can overlook the pier and passersby, and view the lake/mountains. Drinks are good. Good variety of beers/cocktails. We ordered an IPA and spicy margarita. IPA was cold and refreshing and margarita was yummy. Such a fun spot! Definitely enjoyed our experience.

Awesome food. Best price in Te Anau. Fed two and had leftovers. I can't remember what this is…read morecalled, but it's got fries, cheese, chicken, steak/lamb?, Saute'd mushrooms and carmelized onions.....oh ya and some chorizo. Cost less than 2 fergburgers. Tastes delicious.

On vacation in New Zealand and this restaurant was recommended by the owner of our b&b…read more The recommendation was spot on! The service was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The food was excellent and was served quickly. All in all a great evening. I highly recommend this restaurant. You will not be disappointed!

Great food is found here. Good thing we had a reservation. The restaurant was packed and the line…read moreof people outside was very long. It is in an old house. The service is excellent. We loved our dishes (lamb and venison).

Perfect little pub and eatery to pop in for a while! The pub is really charming and has a nice…read moreoriginal historical feel, then seems they added on additional space. We ordered at the bar, so just the usual service. Someone checked on us when we were finished but all was good. The fish and chips were excellent! Fresh, hot and fried perfectly.

Excellent food is only surpassed by the friendly and efficient service. The fish and chips were…read moredelightful as were the pizzas. Maje sure to ask about the homemade hot sauces.