We took a little drive to Akaroa from Christchurch to enjoy what this beautiful, French inspired…read moretown has to offer. We have been before but haven't stayed long enough to catch a meal in town. Hearing nothing but good reviews, we decided to make a reservation and pop down to The Little Bistro. The atmosphere was warm and cozy. A close-knit style so you can easily see what people around you are dining on and eavesdrop on their conversations ;). The name is fitting because it is in fact a little bistro. It seemed a little cramped for the staff to deliver food, but they seemed to manage just fine. With the exception of one of the girls accidentally spilling wine on the lady next to me. But she handled it professionally and no one was angry. Accidents happen. We felt welcomed and at home with the staff. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful. We had questions on the wine and specials and she knew what she was talking about right away and what to suggest. I wish I could remember her name, but she was from down south. Everyone was friendly though, so no complaints there! We decided we weren't hungry enough to get a starter or entree so we shared a bottle of Sanctuary Sauvignon Blanc (not a bad wine) and got one main each. From what I saw at the other tables, the entrees were quite small, but I guess that is the point. They looked really yummy though. Instead of regular table salt, they had a little rock salt grinder that you could use. Quite quirky but it was cute. I ordered the famous Akaroa salmon with a mussel and caper mashed potatoes and bok choy and my boyfriend had the venison with green beans and potato terrine with a truffle jus. We were very excited to see our mains arrive and when they did, they looked incredible so we were ready to stuff our faces! To be honest, the food was really disappointing. I mean for the price at about $40 a main, I would expect pretty great flavor. It was so-so. My salmon didn't really taste like anything, the mashed potatoes tasted really sour and the bok choy was just kind of there. I had to dump some rock salt on there to liven it up a bit, and I hate putting salt on food. I would have been happier if we spent a lot less on the meal. We ordered dessert thinking we'd give the place another chance. We went with a safe option of the creme brûlée. Again, disappointing. The texture was off and it was on the eggy side. We heard such rave reviews for this place and in the end, it was okay food. Apparently they have changed owners so maybe that's why we didn't enjoy the food as much as we heard. I really would give it a 3 1/2 stars because the staff were that nice but yelp doesn't do halves so it's 3 stars. I hate complaining but people have to know. I would really love to come back if it's improved!

What a lovely place, guys! We've came from the US to New Zealand and after a long flight were so…read morehappy to have a delicious meal at "The Little Bistro". They really have a great service, relaxing, cozy and creative atmosphere. Staff is friendly and a whole place is super clean. For a dinner we have a wild salmon, lamb and "Parfait" with a Straight 8 Rose! Everything was do good! But my "Parfait" was the best one! Great job, chief! We were at the restaurant in the evening and it wasn't crowd, but if you'd like you can make a reservation to be sure. Also this place was a good advice from our Canadian friend, who fell in love with New Zealand And we did not regret it! Really a great place to visit. I advise!)))

Don't recommend noodle soup. We ordered some beef, pork and Tomyum noodles soups, all the meats…read moreare chewy and dried. Service is good but very slow.

this was the most terrible ,disgusting meal we have had in a long time…read more.. the restaurant needs a very good clean and don't use the toilets absolutely filthy... So bad I let the staff know but they didn't seem to care...yuk

Came here with a friend one night just because I had been craving some french food. I found the…read morerestaurant difficult to find and managed to drive past it twice! In all fairness though, that may just be my own poor sense of direction. Park in the hotel right next door. This is a very elegant restaurant with a classic and restrained decor. Tables are beautifully laid out with white tablecloths and the chairs are comfortable but of a solid quality (my favourite type). We went on a random wednesday night so it was fairly quiet. Service was excellent - a french waiter which certainly adds to the ambience! As for food, I was a little disappointed. Maybe my expectations were to high. I ordered the escargot (entree) and the cassoulet (main). Both were good but didn't wow me. The duck in the cassoulet was actually a little dry. My friend picked much better than me and next time I would probably order what she had. She had the foie gras for entree and the steak for main and both were absolutely excellent. Perfectly cooked, lovely well balanced flavours. Dessert was delicious, I can never go past a perfectly cooked chocolate fondant. Good wine menu, and served in nice big glasses which I like. Next time I would probably choose the surprise menu, the only reason I didn't this time is that I had a major craving for some cassoulet and some escargot and didn't want to take the risk that they might not be included! Price wise this is at the top end of the scale for Christchurch but food and ambience are of a high quality. That said $90 each for a three course meal and a glass of wine is not unreasonable. Bottom line: great for a fancy date night, or just randomly treating yourself (like we chose to do!)

This is one of my most favourite "special" restaurants in Christchurch. The staff are knowledgable…read moreand attentive without being annoying,the ambience is perfect, and the food makes for a wonderfully memorable experience. I can recommend the wine matching degustation menu which was stunning.

This place was very busy on a Saturday, but we managed to get a table in the bar by at 6.15pm…read more Not being hugely hungry so early in the evening, we opted for 3 small plates - courgette hummus, salmon ceviche and house falafel. All delicious. I particularly like the seeded biscuits that came with the hummus. We washed that down with a nice Sauvignon, leaving just enough room for a passion fruit mousse {vegan, GF, DF}. A lovely meal, only marred by the ever-increasing volume from neighbouring groups, which by 7.15 had reached the shouting stage, to the point that any music being played was totally redundant! So yes, l lovely food, but try to get a table in the restaurant, not the bar!

Overall the ambience and service were good and the food was generally fine. The one issue was with…read morethe Gurnard main course, which came with corn fritters. The fish was absolutely fantastic. The corn fritters on the other hand should never have been served. They were burned black, and one taste was enough to inform that they were not meant to be that way. Three stars because I informed the server when our plates were picked up that while the fish was great, the fritters were burnt and inedible - server promised to "inform the kitchen". On paying the bill I was thanked for my candidness in sharing my comments. But I was still charged full price for all the items on my bill. There was no accommodation for serving me effectively a $43 main course that was less than two-thirds edible. An unfortunate showing for what looked to be a promising restaurant.

I loved shop eight! It helped it was a balmy 27 degree C day when I stopped by however being warmly…read moreand friendly greeted by the chef and waitress as I read the menu was lovely. I also really like the philosophy behind their daily menu showcasing local ingredients and that chef loves to prepare! The waitress was very friendly and enjoyed discussing the business and was really up to matching the dishes to wine; or at least asking chef to recommend something. I had to try the lamb heart with capsicum and carrot jelly as it just sounded so unique and it delivered; ultimately I could not finish the dish as it was a bit to rich for me though the three glasses of wine may also have had an affect! I highly recommend checking out the menu to see what's new that you can try!

You'll find this cafe in the oh so cute and historical New Regent Street…read more The cafe itself is on the small side, but they serve really good coffee and have friendly, efficient staff. They also serve the delicious cakes you may have already sampled at the Riccarton house market - 'By Anna' - which is conveniently awesome. Interestingly, many of the furnishings in the cafe have been made out of wood that came from buildings damaged in the earthquake; and have now been recycled and made into furniture. So if you are in central Christchurch, needing a coffee or a bite to eat - visit Shop 8 (and eat cake).

Yet another brunch/late night option in Merivale. While it's best to make a booking, there are…read moreplenty of tables inside and out that walk-ins in small numbers (2) should be fine. We made a booking and were seated immediately at a cute little table overlooking the patio seating. The cafe is cute and no frills, but offers a full lunch menu (after 3pm, and looked amazing) and serves breakfast until 3 pm. Our coffee orders were taken immediately and water was brought to the table. We waited for over 10 minutes for our coffee to be served (one barista making coffee for the entire restaurant = sleeping zombies grumbling at tables) and for our food order to be taken. Finally someone came to our table and we ordered pancakes (with bacon, cream and strawberries) and the Big Breakfast (tomato, mushroom, bacon, sausage, poached eggs, toast, hashbrown). The food was served much quicker. The Pancakes: large and fluffy (looked whole wheat maybe?) slightly overcooked for my taste. Not enough syrup (and I don't even care much for syrup) but the bottom pancake was soggy with a concoction of strawberry juice and syrup. The bacon was cooked perfectly and the cream pairs well with the pancakes if you're not a big syrup person. Very filling meal. The Big Breakfast: The sausages were spicy for my palate, but someone with a (American) southwestern flare will love them. The bacon was cooked perfectly and the eggs were poached to perfection. I didn't try the toast, hashbrown (golden brown and crispy), tomato or mushroom as it wasn't my breakfast, but my husband cleared the plate. Overall, the food is slightly above average but no stand-out to the rest of the options around Papanui Road. The service could have been slightly more efficient, but with only one barista and a small service area, that would be hard to change. I won't rush back here for breakfast, but it definitely is a decent option if you want a quick and filling breakfast. I'll update again once I try out their lunch.

Brigittes is a merivale institution and for good reason. It is spacious with a variety of places to…read moresit. If its sunny and no wind then the outside courtyard is lovely, but if the wind comes up there is plenty of room inside and in the sheltered marquees. They have a good music selection playing, and not to obtrusively either. Service is good and attentive but not exceptional. I come here for brunch occasionally and cannot go past the mushrooms on toast. This meal is divine, huge mushrooms on pesto focaccia with truffle oil, a poached egg, and hollandaise. It basically combines everything I love breakfast wise into one delightfully delicious dish. My sister says the pancakes are equally amazing. I've had the salmon omelette and the eggs bene on previous occasions which have been good, not a step wrong. Brigittes is a popular place, and if you know you want to eat here it is well worth ringing for a reservation. I will be back to Brigittes, nothing will keep me away from the mushrooms on toast!

Hands down, New Zealand has some of the most beautiful wineries in the world. And this one, along…read morewith their on-site restaurant is in my top 5 places and spaces I've enjoyed. The fact that this place is non-pretentious, has good quality food and wine, and a relaxed atmosphere is amazing. The staff was great and my tour guide was very knowledgeable. I'd go back.

This is where you will find me on any given weekend; luckily it's the closest winery to…read moreChristchurch. Pegasus Bay Winery is just off Route 1 down a small sheep-strewn farm road. The entrance greets you with large wrought iron fences affixed to pale salmon colored concrete pillars. The lawn leading up to the parking lot is beautifully manicured and adorned with risque statues. Once parked, the path leads to the gardens of Pegasus Bay or you can turn left at the fountain and wander into the castle-esque building that is Pegasus Bay. The winery was founded by a doctor whose wife introduced him to wine via the book "Wine" one Christmas. His life was clearly forever changed as he makes some of the best wines in the region. I recommend picking up a copy of Ivan Donaldson's autobiography "The Truant from Medicine" as it is an interesting read (especially if you are married to medicine and love wine, too). Pegasus Bay offers free wine tastings in their beautiful rustic tasting room that overlooks the many barrels of wine. My favorite is the Sauvignon-Semillion 2012. It's crisp with a lime/rock-melon taste and is absolutely refreshing for any time of the day; we buy a bottle of this anytime we stop by. Among others you'll taste are their Chardonnay, Reisling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Noir. I would tell you about my tastes, but I don't want to spoil the experience and the vintages I tried may have changed. Honestly, all of their wines are delicious and there will be something for everyone's palate. We often purchase the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well. Over the years as Pegasus Bay has become world-reknown for their wine, they developed a fantastic restaurant to pair with their wines. Their worldclass chef pumps out amazing dishes daily which brings such a crowd that you absolutely must make a booking ahead of time. They do offer a cookbook if you want to try to recreate their masterpieces, "The Vintner's Table". Once you've had a taste of their wines, order a glass of your favorite and stroll around the grounds. They have planted beautiful native plants and trees that creates a small walking path down to their gorgeous pond. Be sure to ask the bar for some "eel food" if you want to feed their underwater pets. "Swanston" is the beautiful white swan in the pond, so be sure to snap a few photos of him as well. Pegasus Bay is a serene oasis and a fantastic place to dine. You will never grow tired of the beautiful views (both of nature and architecture) nor the delicious wines. You MUST MUST MUST stop here.

We were desperate for a decent coffee and a local recommended this place. I am glad they did. The…read morecoffee was excellent and it was served with a bickkie but I had to try their croissants. Not disappointed either. They seemed to be busy all day serving coffees and more substantial meals. We sat outside and allowed ourselves to be harassed by the sparrows.

Not great service, staff was rude and seemed angry that were ordering. Coffee was drinkable but not…read moregreat. The tea (Earl Grey) was very nice however. Foodwise, we ordered a 'Breakfast Sandwich' which was just a toastie that didn't quite match the menu's description but was still nice. Also ordered a bowl of homemade muesli which also was nice but not amazing, and I had to ask for the milk. None of the items arrived together which was not great. I don't think I would go there again when I visit Akaroa next.