Service was excellent. Food too a while but not the server's fault. I could see how much she was…read morehustling to serve everybody and I thanked her for her hard work. The place is a really nice place to sit and relax. My eggs and smoked salmon were delicious. And the chocolate cake I took home was excellent. Thank you for a wonderful last meal in Wanaka!

We were blessed to find an open table at this popular and charming Wanaka cafe. Known for the…read moreseafood chowder, so of course I had to try it! It was full of ingredients- salmon, prawn, mussels, clams, squid, and tomatoes. Very creamy and delicious! Service was great and efficient despite how busy they were- impressive!

This place is phenomenal! Friendly staff, cute vibe, and everything we had was delicious. The BBQ…read morebrisket is especially good, and the Guilt Free Pleasure is a nice chocolate dessert. I'd come back here again.

We got caught in the rain in Arrowtown and ducked in to this darling spot for a bite and a respite…read morefrom the rain. And wow, what a cozy ambiance and darling spot that fits the small town vibe perfectly. The interior decoration matches the charm of the building's exterior perfectly - moody, cozy, vintage and intellectual. I love all of the nods to the town's history and New Zealand with the artwork and decor. Because we were outside of typical lunch hours and had just eaten, we didn't have much of an appetite and just split the BBQ brisket sandwich. Fare and prices are a bit on the higher end because it's an elevated gastropub, so note that when visiting. We liked but didn't love the sandwich - good enough for a quick pit stop! Service was friendly but we got the sense that splitting a meal was a bit frowned upon. Nonetheless, a cozy spot to get out of the rain with darling decor and exterior patio seating when not wet!

We had steak bbq for 2. Service was quick. We cooked the meat at the table. A table with exhaust is…read morerequired for cooking at the table. They bring you sides. It cost extra if you want refills. Staff was friendly. It's all indoor seating and no bar to sit at.

Bad food, poor service…read more I arrived at 7:25 and they close at 8. They won't let us dine in and on top of that, the fried chicken that I ordered is the most dry and cardboard chicken I've ever had from a Korean restaurant. My partner ordered cold noodles and it has no broth, soup was just water. This was a pretty tasteless meal and I recommend to stay clear of this establishment. They don't understand customer service and have no empathy for their customers.

First: A business should make an attempt for its menu and hours to match its fancy website. Website…read moresays pizzas till 6:30. Nope. Show up expecting one and be told it is six. Look forward to lamb. No longer on menu. "Have the beef." Second: Service. When our table was cleared, they left a soda can sitting on a seat. When my salad was served (in an unstable bowl) I knocked against it and it spilled onto the table. The waitress said, "Five second rule. Are you okay picking it up yourself? I don't understand why we don't serve it on plates." After picking up all the dressed salad, I had to ask for napkins as none had been provided with our meals. My partner commented that her portion of salmon--which was excellent--was rather small. The waitress responded, "Yes, it is. But it's fresh. I like to go to a restaurant where it is all you can eat." Is it casual? Fancy? A fishing hole? Mini golf? We were looking forward to a nice meal. Very disappointed.

Had a fantastic lunch here on our honeymoon. Amazing concept...you can fish in their pond and they…read morewill cook whatever you catch. We were running short on time so we didn't end up fishing but instead got the salmon platter which was delicious. The beer on tap was also great! Sat outside and enjoyed watching the fish swim and the clouds roll by. Perfect day!

We had one meal in Wanaka, and we decided to eat at Shinaburo. The two of us ordered the curry udon…read morenoodles ($18.5) & stir-fried udon noodles ($17.5), both with pork. WOW! The flavors were nothing out of this world, but the curry udon noodles tasted almost exactly like I dish I love making at home. It felt like I was eating my own cooking - such a comfort for a tourist thousands of miles away from home! The curry was soupy and incredibly hearty. Our meals came out fairly quickly too, which was a relief after a long day of hiking. We got 3 complimentary sides: sliced potatoes, sliced carrots with red dipping sauce, and kimchi. The kimchi was crisp & fresh and made for a terrific flavor pair with udon noodles. As for the restaurant decor, we loved being able to sit at an eclectic and sturdy wooden table fit for two. There are generic posters strewn around the restaurant with KOREA written on them, and several Chinese scrolls as well. This was a pleasant surprise in a super touristy & overpriced town. During our last 10 minutes in the restaurant, we saw this couple standing outside the door contemplating the menu listed on the window. They walked in to grab a table, then walked right back out and undecidedly stared at the menu some more. Don't be uncertain, give this place a try! We left with full bellies and not too bad of a dent in our wallets. Fantastic!

We had a pretty decent meal at Shinaburo. I'd seen all the 5 stars reviews, and although it wasn't…read more*that* good, it was pretty damn tasty. The slightly strange thing is the spice level. Their hot sauce is maybe mixed with miso? This means it is not as spicy as I am used to at Korean restaurants. Maybe they are aiming for Japanese tastes rather than Korean? If you add a good dollop to your bibimbap it still tastes delicious. The highlights for me where the mussels (which came with our sea-food) and the KFC, which was really tasty. I'm glad we popped in.

Everything was great...the food, service, atmosphere, value, etc. We're planning on going back to…read moreWānaka next year and you can bet that we will make a reservation because our Airbnb is a short walk to this place.

We absolutely loved Francesca's! The atmosphere, the wine (Pinot noir was incredible), the food,…read morethe service... everything was just amazing. For an appetizer we had the pork meatballs which may be some of the best meatballs we have ever had. For our mains we had the pasta gnocchi and the ricotta ravioli, and it just felt like you couldn't go wrong with anything you chose. For dessert we capped it off with some yummy tiramisu. Definitely a great experience, we would 100% recommend giving this place a try if you are in the Wanaka area!

Alivate serves overpriced, small portions of Asian fusion food. The quality of the food was sub par…read moreand the service was really slow. On the positive side, Alivate has a great view, happy hour from 5-6pm, and friendly service. I also liked the Man o War cab blend. * Short ribs - 2.5 stars: This kind of reminded me of meat loaf, it was far from falling apart and the size of an appetizer plate. The coconut rice was good but way too mushy. * Duck crepes - 3.5 stars: pretty good but small. Comes with 2 rolls which are cut in half. * Pork Belly - 2 stars: Good chunks of poorly seasoned overcooked pork belly. How do you mess up pork belly?! Overall, great atmosphere, decent drink list - come for happy hour and maybe for a few apps.

We were very happy with this restaurant and most of all its selection of meals! That's why we came…read moreback two nights in a row, it suited us perfectly! It's an Asian fusion restaurant, very fresh food. Salads tossed in some lime vinaigrette which is what I had with my monkfish and prawn in coconut milk the first night. Very nice starters or small plates as they say, chicken wings and dip, seafood and more, just walking around the restaurant at dinner time to get to your table is a delight because you see all these beautiful dishes! With big plates you can decide between meet, fish, vegetarian, lamb. Good portions, the monkfish was good, not too much, whilst the ribeye was a huge portion! The first night we got our food super fast, but the second time it took us quite some time to get both starter and main. So I guess it varies. We were very happy with the service and the VIEW is just perfect. On the second floor overlooking the lake, dinner is served to perfection. Taste wise it wasn't always a 5/5 for me so that's why it ends up being a 4/5. Love the place though!

As of 2019.12.16, this has been renamed and changed to a Chinese restaurant, for one and half year…read more Still keeping coffee, drinks, and a few biscuits (seems from previous cafe), the new name, "Gusto" (鼎点168), is the best Chinese in town. Many traditional dishes plus local fresh seafood items on the blackboard in such bistro-style settings are the most attraction to the tourists. Ordered a cup of hot-spicy sour soup, and by its reputation, the Black Golden Abalone (blackfoot paua) and New Zealand Blue Cod. For many 1st-time customers, the deep sea scampi would probably the first choice. Actually, we'd recommend to try all the fresh seafood items with "market price". Yes, they are quite more expensive than normal dishes but worth to experience in New Zealand. See also https://www.facebook.com/CafeGustoWanaka/ ............................................................ Updated on 2019.12.27. Just arrived in Picton, had Grouper $35, Blackfoot Abalone for $49 (at Le Cafe) and it was the same shell size with larger meat on the dish. Believe this Gusto (restaurant) in Wanaka is probably over-priced (at least on the paua dish - remember paua is kind of "free" for local people and same tax on commercial). See https://www.yelp.com/biz/le-caf%C3%A9-picton?hrid=WrE94p_NDQ1QbaiKgN8bmA.

I had dinner at Gusto's tonight with my parents after a long day in Wanaka. The food was…read moreincredible, and service was exceptional. I would highly recommend anyone to come for a meal. The manager and waitstaff were so kind to us throughout the entire meal, and even after we thought one of us had left a phone in the restaurant (it was in the car the whole time) they helped us search high and low in the restaurant, out on the street, and finally in our car. Even when we asked to see security camera footage, they showed us all they had. They were nothing but helpful and respectful even when we became stressed and started speaking aggressively toward them. I cannot speak highly enough of this restaurant -- truly the nicest people and community in Wanaka! 10 out of 5 stars.

Cute cafe, indoor outdoor seating and nice ambiance. Enjoyed the Salmon Benedict in this pretty…read morecharming place of Arrowtown.

Great blue cod fish and chips. Very flavorful Seafood chowder filled with Seafood. A great find…read morein Arrowtown tucked away at the back of an alley. Friendly staff.

As we're spending several weeks in New Zealand, we've been shopping for essentials and came across…read moreNew World. The store feels very new and spacious, with flowers right at the entrance, plenty of fresh produce, a small café on the side, and a nice selection of pastries. Pretty much anything you need, you can find here. Prices are reasonable--slightly higher than Pak'nSave but definitely cheaper than Woolworths. So far, these are the three supermarkets we've visited, and New World has been a solid option. We usually pick up kombucha, pastries for the next morning, and some eggs since we prefer lighter breakfasts. They accept credit cards, the bathrooms are clean, and there's plenty of parking. A convenient and well-stocked stop for travelers.

Decently-sized parking lot, parking allowed for 90 mins. Quite a small New World, has everything…read morethough. Produce sometimes isn't super fresh, items are more expensive than PakNSave (but the closest one is 1 hour away in Queenstown). Good deals sometimes and also often has reduced-price items.