Best American Food In Christchurch

Combining their love of Beer with their love of BBQ, BEERS offer delicious slow cooked brisket, mouthwatering ribs and pickles with their signature sauce and slaw. You'll feel right at home in their restaurant which is a converted abandoned warehouse on Blenheim Road. 

Open from 7.30am for a cheeky coffee and pie on your way to work with massive burgers from 11am and the BBQ menu ready to melt in your mouth from 3pm. The team at BEERS have brewed over 200 of their own unique craft beers that they impressively created in 200 days. Order a classic like the ‘Blenheim Rd Larger’ or try something different like the ‘Cherry Delight’ Stout.  

Good for:

• Specialty pies
• Slow-cooked BBQ
• Local craft beer by the rigger

Journey off the beaten track to get your USA takeaway fix thanks to larger-than-life character Bobby Wayne. C&C Chicken & Cornbread has somewhat of a cult following in Ōtautahi. Their food truck is parked on Pages Road and is worth the drive if you're not nearby. 

This ‘Coolaid Alchemist’ will have you licking your lips and fingers as you savour each mouthful at this Eastside Chicken Coop. Have some quality yarns ‘witcha Boi Bobby Wayne mane’ and you might even feature on the C&C Snapchat, Tik Tok or Facebook. What can we say, Bobby is a bit of a local legend and influencer in these parts!   

Good for:

• Cornbread
• Chicken
• Coolaid and banter

Early bird gets the ... pancake. This iconic Christchurch breakfast restaurant has been open for over 30 years and is well-loved by locals for its all-day breakfast menu. The Drexel's pancakes are served ‘Iowa Style’ with a generous side of whipped butter with the option to add Canadian Maple Syrup. If you prefer a savoury start to your day, you can't go wrong with the ‘Western’ style Crepes or ‘Cowboy’ 3 egg omelette.

Drexel's has the perfect balance of Kiwi hospitality combined with traditional English breakfasts and American-style fast food. Beloved for their Canterbury famous homemade hashbrowns (we are drooling just thinking about them) This Riccarton hotspot is a must-try on your Christchurch foodie bucket list.  

Good for:

• Homemade hashbrowns
• Bottomless coffee
• Open from 6.30am

BBQ fanatics rejoice, this is the place for you. Traditional 12 hour smoked beef brisket, jerk chicken and melt in your mouth pork belly are just the beginning. You’ll be teased by the smell of the BBQ from blocks away. Their 2-person platter is a wonderful way to try a bit of everything including their famous waffle fries and original Smokey T’s sauce. 

Be in your USA element and watch the NBA on their various sports bar style screens and wash it all down with a local craft beer or American iced tea while you soak up the view of the port hills from the balcony.  

Good for:

• 12-hour slow-cooked BBQ
• Iced Tea
• American Sports bar vibes

Serving an all-day Breakfast, Sun Dog Diner is bound to cure your USA cravings. Enjoy homemade southern comforts like ‘Bizkits and Gravy’, Mac n Cheese and ‘Cowboy Hotcakes.’ 

Savour a hearty burger or relish the Chicken Pot Pie. There's even a ‘Steak TV Dinner’! It wouldn’t be an American style diner without Southern Fried chicken. Food so good you’ll be licking the plate (and your fingers) clean. Beers on tap and an impressive cocktail list Sun Dog Diner is a must try for all USA foodie fans.  

Good for:

• Bottomless coffee
• Pie cabinet
• Southern comforts

Shake n Dog anyone? Get ready to travel back in time to classic cars and the American dream. The menu at Diner 66 will give you something to hand jive about. Book the ultimate All-American diner experience without having to travel Route 66. Some favourites include; Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Mac n Cheese, Philly Cheese Steak, Sticky Ribs, and an assortment of Tex-Mex options. 

For breakfast try Hershey's chocolate on your French toast. The dessert menu boasts shakes, floats, and sundaes galore and infamous ‘Pizookies’ also known as a ‘Skillet pie.’ (A giant cookie in a pan topped with ice cream). There's no need to hit the highways, you can get your sugar hit right here on Victoria Street.  

Good for:

• A rockabilly retro buzz
• Thick shakes
• Sugar hit

This charming bar is tucked up away from Victoria Street. Enter up a flight of stairs to a menu of all your favourites with an American twist – take for instance the ‘Pumpkin Spiced Espresso Martini’ or ‘chili caramel cornbread.’ 

The menu is made using local ingredients and is therefore always being updated with the seasons. Indulge in S’mores for dessert or an alcoholic milkshake. With live music and comedy nights (Check their social media for the latest) and the largest selection of Bourbon Whiskey in New Zealand, Boo Radleys will always have something new to curb your curiosity.  

Good for: 

• Live music
• Cornbread
• 'Grown up' milkshakes