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!

First night in queenstown and was looking for some food and drinks for our jet lagged selves…read more Smiths did not disappoint. My partner had the lamb burger, we shared the poutine, and I had the venison pot pie. Portion sizes are huge so I had to take away some of my pot pie and some leftover poutine in a box. Taste wise, my partner enjoyed his burger, we both loved the poutine, and the venison pot pie was good but a little too sweet for my liking. The poutine, while used mozzarella instead of cheese curds, was our favorite and would just come here to order a few orders of that. We also got a flight to share to try some local brews including 3 sours, 1 ginger beer, 1 cider, and 1 lemonade. They were all good and I especially liked the ginger beer on the menu. The alcoholic lemonade was also quite nice and better than any alcoholic lemonades I've had in the states.

I recently had the short rib burger which I did not like at all. Dry meat and very little that was…read moremoist enough to eat. A day latter and the Smith Burger is everything I'm looking for, It was a perfect medium rare, I didn't ask for - but nonetheless so good, a great combination of sauces and garnishes made this one of the super burgers I've eaten. So delicious and satisfying. Moist, flavorful, and just so damn good - it's everything thing the Fergburger wasn't. I tried the fried cauliflower as well -wonderful-be brave and get the hot. A fantastic beer selection as well.

Lovely setting, great service, good food and HUGE portions…read more The atmosphere was lovely, sitting outside under an umbrella. There were five of us, we had five different things and all of us were completely happy with our meal. I had the calamari salad which was so tasty but could easily have fed two people. We shared the garlic bread which wa also a huge portion but really good - garlic and cheese, how could you go wrong? We all enjoyed it and all of us would come back.

Ridiculously expensive and the 150ml of Wine for $18 is a joke!!! Honestly, what a money…read moregrab....fill the glass up and stop charging Champagne prices for a pub feed

Carey's Bay Historic Hotel (and Pub) is an unassuming stone building just past the port near Port…read moreChalmers. Our host recommended we eat dinner there for their on-menu seafood. We showed up without calling for a reservation -- something we recommend others do -- since there were no indoor tables available for dinner when we got there (on a week night). We were able to find an open outdoor table, and they provided blankets to use, as it can get chilly by the water. We ordered a couple beers while waiting for our food (a milk stout and a Hefeweizen). At this point it started to sprinkle just as our food came out. Fortunately, we were quickly moved to an inside table (another party had finished their meal and the table was available). Not only was the staff great, the food was also excellent. We ordered the seafood bowl (a big bowl of steamed scallops, clams, mussels, green lipped mussels, and white fish in a garlic-coriander-butter broth), the Thai curry seafood bowl (the same steamed fish but in a creamy red Thai sauce, served over rice), and a plate of loaded wedges (a staple menu item across all of New Zealand). The seafood portions were huge -- we probably could have split one between the two of us. And the seafood was excellent! Some of the best I've had in recent memory. In all this little gem turned out to be the perfect spot to take a chance on. And the secret must be out because it's a popular place worth hopping into for dinner or drinks.

If you want seafood, thus is one of the places to get it. Fresh with an asian spin. Great selection…read moreof beer and over looking a sheltered part of otago harbour makes this place worth a visit. The decor is historic and quaint. The food is great, worth paying for fresh seafood. The Poisson cru is a great take on cerviche with an Asian spin. Look out for the seafood specials, bluff oysters freshly shucked from the shell are a highlight when they are in season.

Stopped here for lunch and had a great meal. I had the lamb salad and my husband had the chicken…read moresandwich. Both were very good. They have tons of seating both inside and out with a nice view of the lake. You order at the counter and take a number for your table and they bring your food to you. Nice staff.

We were walking around the main strip of Wanaka and spotted a few happy hour signs. Alchemy was one…read moreof them; happy hour is from 5:00pm to 6:00pm ($7.00 wines and beer on tap). We dropped in on an early Monday evening (just before 6:00pm) to take advantage of happy hour. The place is beautiful with a few tables outside to people watch and enjoy the lake view. Otherwise, there's tons of seating inside with hipster light bulbs, a fireplace and old vintage equipment as decor. The dinner menu is split into share plates, mains, sides and kids. The pasta of the day was a seafood linguini ($25.00 NZD). We saw a few mains come out to neighbouring tables that looked appetizing. Same with the coffee, which most tables ordered. There's also a separate dessert menu. The Alchemy dessert platter ($18.00 NZD) sounded promising. Nice touch with the complimentary sparkling and tap water. Only lame thing here is that wifi stops working at 6:00pm. Er... - Crater Rim Waipara riesling ($7.00 NZD) - sweet but not overly so. It's regular $11.00 NZD for a glass. - Soljan Estate Reserve Hawkes Bay syrah ($7.00 NZD) - a little drier finish. Decent. We only came for drinks but the food looked pretty legit. Chill, relaxed vibe.

A hearty and inexpensive dinner for seven of us on 5th Jan…read more A grill based menu, no fine dining, at the only pub in town. Large portions and good service too. Would return.

Great place to eat and have some craft beers. Amazing food and fantastic service. The best…read morerestaurant in Dunedin if you ask me, it is hard to find a place that is consistently producing great meals every time you eat there. It has a warm, cozy feeling in this beautifully restored heritage building. I highly recommend making a trip out to Port Chalmers and stopping in for lunch or dinner, a few drinks at The Portsider, I promise you won't regret it!!!

Wife and I dropped in for a snack and a beer before re-boarding cruise ship and really enjoyed it…read more Quite little bar with great atmosphere.

Would give the cute tall bartender a 5/5 anyway... but the service was great and it was such a…read morefriendly and fun atmosphere. The drinks were a very reasonable price and it's definitely a place where the staff look after the regulars. We headed next door for a feed and the food was excellent and the meals were massive! Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good pub feed or just to have a few drinks.

From the owner: With our friendly and helpful staff it's easy to see why the Mornington Tavern is Dunedin's #1…read moresuburban tavern. You certainly can't go past the main bar for viewing any sporting event, with 6 big screen TVs giving excellent viewing from anywhere in the bar! Fat Harrys Restaurant has been well established at the Mornington Tavern for over 10 years. Offering affordable meals at both lunch and dinner, Fat Harrys can cater for large groups, family groups and functions as well as providing bistro facilities. Daily specials, bar facilities and children's play area are all part of the service offered in the Restaurant with the best view on Top of the Hill. If it's a function you want, then we have the room for you. For only $50 there is a standalone bar that can hold up to 150 people. Ideal for any occasion, it is one of the few suburban functions venues available in Dunedin. With over 18 pokie machines and a brand new full service TAB, you will never be short of entertainment at the Mornington Tavern! Add to that our 6 big screen TVs for all your sporting events, dartboards and a pool table we're certain you will not be lost for something to do. There is also a great play area in the restaurant to keep the kids entertained while you finish your meal. The latest nightlife video jukebox offers the best in music with regular bands featuring. All part of our commitment to great customer service.

Our final stop and pick up location for Bike Around the Basin bike tours…read more It has a great lawn area to relax on. Apparently they serve great pizza. It looks and feels like the kind of place where people can relax or get rowdy. They serve both wine from the area as well as local and import beer. I so wanted to try their Moonshine Wine....recommended by Lonely Planet. But when we arrived I completely forgot and only remembered as we were driving off. All around charming spot and servers were quite friendly.

An amazing place! There are not enough stars in this app. Not only was the food and drinks amazing…read morebut the people went so far above and beyond it's hard for me to even express grateful we are. We went to the electric bikes and got lost the bikes ran low on energy not only did they run electrical cords outside the kitchen to charge your bikes but even offeredto give us a ride to the lodge that we missed on the way. Can't say enough about this place!!!!!

Fish was very good but the chips were lame. Luke warm and needing salt in the worst way. What…read moreservice? Asked for a side plate and never saw the server again. The people watching from the patio on Easter Monday was outstanding. There are just so many great places to eat in Queenstown that is hard to regard this place highly. Wouldn't recommend it at all but won't bad mouth it either.

Spouse had beef Wellington and enjoyed it! I had the chicken Caesar salad and it was good. Nice…read moreoutdoor area to enjoy !