Queenstown’s Best Places To Eat & Drink, And The Hottest Openings For 2025

Queenstown Lakes is tasting better than ever with the opening and reopening of a swathe of wining and dining establishments. Jo Elwin rounds up the best of the best not to be missed next time you’re down for an alpine adventure.

Pavilion Bar and Kitchens

The prize for the loudest, funnest opening this year goes to Pavilion, which has slotted into Queenstown’s good-times scene as if it has always been there. Live music pumps at all the right times and the PB&K team are satisfying locals and visitors with everything from early morning coffees and bakes, through lunch, apres ski, dinner and late-night drinks.

Viva visited owner Sean Connolly onsite a few days before opening, and his promise that Pavilion Bar and Kitchens will be a fun place for all ages is now evident. The two kitchens – Ciao Brutto on pizza and pasta, and Steak & Oyster Co grilling steaks and seafood just so – are pumping out meals while the oversized bar quenches myriad thirsts.

A little bit fun and a little bit fancy, Pavilion is hitting the mark, and there is more to come with what we predict will be a sought-after private dining room and a soft-serve salon being revealed later in the year. From prawn cocktails, beer-battered oysters and Neapolitan-style pizza, to the slabs of local meat and seafood in the butcher’s window and speciality cocktails, everything is done to perfection, as we have come to expect from the cheeky chef and restaurateur.

Queenstown Central, 19 Grant Rd, Frankton. Pavilionqueenstown.com

Swiftsure

READ MORE: Jesse Mulligan - Why Man O’War winery’s new South Island venture is making waves

Named for the rivers that shape the environment of Swiftsure’s Marlborough and Bannockburn vineyards, the restaurant serves wine from both labels (including Man O’ War library stock), with winemaker Duncan McTavish being as bold and adventurous with Swiftsure as he is with Man O’ War. Front of house are happy to talk you through the nuances of each varietal, offering tastings of the Swiftsure 2024 Marlborough sauvignon blanc and 2022 pinot noir – the inaugural Bannockburn release. There’s a small, mostly local beer list and cocktail lovers will not be disappointed.

The food menu runs from lunch through dinner, with snacks in between being served in numerous sections: Inside by the fire or under the Fiona Pardington-commissioned rock wren wings – the alpine rock bobber being Swiftsure’s mascot – or around the bar.

A two-level terrace soaks up sun and views outside. Foodwise, prepare to be enchanted by dishes that are influenced by head chef Yann Robert’s French background as much as his years living in Aotearoa. A cocotte of whitebait arrives sizzling in a chilli, garlic and coriander oil with plenty of sourdough to soak up the goodness. A confit duck leg, on a pool of jus that would make Alain Ducasse cry with happiness, is generously plated with a layered potato rosti, bacony braised cabbage and crispy kale. Wood-fired lamb shoulder, steaks, salads, burgers, oysters, fries and seasonal specials induce happy tears from all who cross the threshold.

Swiftsure, Arrow Lane, Arrowtown. Swiftsure.nz

Billy’s

Table 20 in Billy’s butterfly room has given us the most sensory Queenstown dining experience of 2025. With the half-dozen other Ayrburn venues humming along, Billy’s July opening has taken things to a roar.

Order a cocktail (also no mean feat with a list that incorporates intriguing ingredients such as jasmine, lychee, ginger, star anise and Sichuan pepper) and take your time piecing together your banquet. Get the party started with Billy’s signature cocktail – Infinite Wisdom – featuring sesame-washed rum and soy sauce, with a bump of caviar.

Oysters come with smoked chilli oil and sesame crumb. Prawn crackers with salmon roe and nashi. Pāua and caviar put the bling into silky steamed custard. The umami-packed mushroom filling of the signature bao, shaped like a freshly foraged fungi, makes this clever bun no gimmick. Crab elevates the prawn toast, and it’s hard not to order everything under small plates – raw kingfish, bang bang chicken, seafood spring rolls and a beef carpaccio. Dumplings run from Sichuan prawn wontons through prawn and truffle har gow, duck xiao long bao, wagyu shu mai, squid and crab crystal skin, and we may have exclaimed that the least exotic – pork and cabbage – were the best pan-fried dumplings ever.

All this and there are still two pages of larger dishes, noodles, hotpots, rice and vegetables to go. More elevated classics – roasted pork belly, Peking duck, sticky braised pork hock and whole steamed fish – are here. Alaskan king crab legs, Australian banana prawns and crayfish can be ordered and cooked several ways. You’ll have little room, yet desserts should not be overlooked.

No expense has been spared restoring Ayrburn’s dilapidated 1800s homestead into a multi-room restaurant – each uniquely themed with opulent chinoiserie overtones, enviable art, and plush furnishings. Billy’s is a special-occasion kind of place that will have you conceiving regular reasons to celebrate.

Billy’s, Ayr Ave, Arrowtown. Ayrburn.com/billys

Mora Wines & Artisan Kitchen

Sitting serenely between Queenstown and Arrowtown’s shiny new establishments, Mora Wines & Artisan Kitchen will celebrate 10 years in 2026.

The popularity of tables in the historic cottage garden setting has seen the recent installation of an elegant outdoor room with Louvretec roofing and sides that open and close to the weather. The restaurant is a dynamic partnership between Mora Wines and John and Debbie Pickens, who also “do” the best events in town through their Artisan Catering business.

Chef John nurtures a seasonal menu that encourages relaxed breakfasts and long lunches. For breakfast, it’s a toss-up between Turkish eggs and turmeric and coconut porridge with tamarillo for us right now. A cult following for cedarwood-baked Mt Cook salmon and braised Royalburn lamb oyster shoulder means they daren’t remove them from the lunch menu, but John constantly changes sauces and accompaniments. There is always at least one other sharing dish, and this winter’s braised beef cheek pie is rich with a pinot ragu and spiked with tamarillo. Revisit with friends who’d rather not share so that you can order the seafood chowder and have the creamy feast of fish, clams and prawns to yourself (or the mushroom arancini or confit duck leg for that matter).

Vegetables are never an afterthought, with a decent amount of char and a chorizo jam benefiting Brussels sprouts. Fennel, cumin, caraway and lime spice up honey-roasted carrots. Pickled onions, hazelnut and seed granola, whipped feta, puy lentils and dill make beetroot sing. A list of starters also serves those looking for a lighter meal – we’re looking at you, whipped ricotta and crisp prosciutto bruschetta.

Serving as Mora’s cellar door, the wine list has a by-the-glass selection not found elsewhere, including the much-loved bubbles, a limited-release white pinot, the beautifully complex Eden chardonnay and an intense 2019 Kolo pinot noir. The very best news is that the restaurant is now open for dinner on Fridays.

Mora Wines & Artisan Kitchen, 265 Arrowtown-Lake Hayes Road, Lake Hayes. mora.co.nz

The Shed

With an understanding that we are not always looking for fancy gourmet meals, smooth operators Alex Tong and Robbie McGillivray jumped on Buckingham Green’s corner kiosk when it became available last year. Opening just before Christmas, The Shed takes a classic Kiwi approach to their fish and chips, burgers and cheese toasties menu.

Order at the window and pull up at one of the picnic tables, or hurry home with your bag of quality goods. Blue cod is a permanent fixture with a market-fresh catch of the day – if the boats can’t get out, there will be no fish, which pleases us enormously. Batter is crisp and light, and well-cooked chips come in generous quantities. Fish, beef, chicken or vege burgers can be made the way you like them with a list of add-ons, as can toasties – corn and cheese with onion for me, please.

The longest drink in town – thickshakes – will have you discussing the whys and wherefores of lime flavour, and ice cream has its own window so you can take your time choosing your scoops. Alex also owns Wolf Coffee Roasters up the road, so the coffee is top-notch – there might even be a doughnut to enjoy with it. As we go to print, we hear The Shed has bowed under pressure - from those who know that Robbie was co-founder of Taco Medic - and Taco Tuesdays are now a thing at this hot little spot.

The Shed Arrowtown, 26 Buckingham St, Arrowtown. theshedarrowtown.co.nz

Treehouse

Discerning Wānaka diners have been breaking bread at Treehouse for over a year and are tight-lipped about it. Having caught wind of the low-key wine bar in Anderson Heights and discovering the type of going-out experience we’ve been longing for in the busy resort town, we understand why. We, too, were tempted to keep Treehouse to ourselves, but we’re here to share good things with Viva readers, so here you go.

Bookings will most probably become a necessity now – sorry, Wānaka. In the kitchen, chefs Al Wilson and Ricardo Le Roux creatively build a menu that combines high-quality, carefully sourced ingredients in an approachable style to deliver refined, seasonal dishes without the formality and expense associated with this high calibre of cooking.

Things such as silky Otago coastline paua dumplings, crispy venison and pork belly croquettes, kingfish ceviche with nori crackers and high-country lamb skewers hover just over, if not under, the $20 mark. The small menu of generously sized sharing plates is fun to pick and mix from, with daily specials including a bruschetta of ever-changing toppings, keeping things interesting for the regular clientele. On our autumn visit, a dish of Remarkable Mushrooms showcased the chefs’ skill in creating textural plates of food, with Ricardo explaining his need to put the wonder of the changing colours into a dish - the browns of the mushrooms, a red romesco sauce, orange pumpkin puree and a creamy cashew cheese. Mimicking falling leaves, curry tuiles added crunch and another layer of flavour. Winter whites are making an appearance in the form of baked fennel and witlof with blue cheese, and a confit garlic and fennel veloute.

Sommelier Oscar Goy is also having fun with the drinks menu, which encourages people to pop in for a cocktail or a very decent glass of wine, also at fair prices, from his old-world and new-world contacts, with lots of varieties and styles. Put yourself in Oscar’s hands for the perfect drop to suit the occasion. Trust the chef on the menu, which comes at a friendly $49 per person, and go for the $30 wine pairing to try a selection. Seek out this hidden oasis and revel in the fact that you are part of the club.

Treehouse, 3 Reece Cres, Wānaka. Treehousewanaka.nz

Kika

After an efficient 10-day closure, Kika has reopened with a refurbished dining room that speaks to the restaurant’s relaxed, fine-dining ethos. The removal of a half wall has opened the room, with floaty linen curtains creating moments of separation when required. Warm, dark and earthy tones with pops of green and copper bring a natural, sophisticated vibe. The central double-sided open fire still crackles away in winter, and terrace doors will be flung open in summer. Cork walls are both visually and acoustically effective.

The talented kitchen team remains steady, with Chef Ruairi Bachofner overseeing things and working with owner James Stapely to provide diners with innovative, super-seasonal cuisine. As one of only two two-hatted restaurants in the Southern Lakes region (Sherwood is the other), Kika cleverly satisfies the most judicious food critics and food lovers looking for a consistently good, high-quality dinner with wine to match.

Kika, 2 Dunmore St, Wānaka. Kika.nz

Sofi

Wānaka’s Mediterranean kitchen also took advantage of the shoulder season to close for a makeover, and Sofi now completely looks the part with curvaceous plastered walls, warm wood cabinetry and a beautifully hand-tiled kitchen pass with seating that puts diners in the thick of the action.

Opening in December 2024, Sofi quickly gained a following of folk who appreciate the authentic taste of the Med that chef Damien Mimouni and owner Sean Smith skilfully create. An entirely new double-sized kitchen gives the team space and equipment to grill meats and vegetables over flames to smoky heights. We went straight to Spain with an ajo blanco dip seasonally robust with beetroot and warm Lebanese focaccia, an escabeche-style tuna tartare, and prawns swimming in a mussel pil pil sauce. The Aegean called to us through a buttery, flaky gozleme – stringy with cheese and sticky with honey; lamb kofta shish kebab and expertly made falafel. At dinner, lamb shoulder comes as a tagine in a dish made by local potter Shannon Courtney.

When the snow melts, the menu will lighten up and Damien’s coveted Greek salad will reappear. An extensive afternoon mezze menu refuels apres skiers and adventurers downing spritzers and cocktails, some of which are ouzo-based, sangrias and local beers. Iced teas and horchata are thoughtfully alcohol-free. For a casual eatery, Sofi takes its wine seriously with prosecco, albarino, rose, pinot noir and tempranillo on tap. An orange wine of the week “could be anything from anywhere”, and all the right whites and reds from here and abroad, including Portugal’s quaffable Niepoort Nat Cool.

Sofi, 151 Ardmore St, Wānaka. Sofiwanaka.co.nz

More to savour

From bold new concepts to must-visit favourites.

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Viva’s Top 60 Auckland Restaurants For 2024. Bigger and better than ever, with an expanded list of excellent eateries.

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Jesse Mulligan Auckland Restaurant Review: Blue In Ponsonby Ticks All The Boxes. Including the box for best salad of the year.