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Switch New Brighton

Switch New Brighton

Hidden away from the main drag of New Brighton Mall on Carnaby Lane, Switch is a bit of an institution of the seaside suburb. The family run cafe is bustling with people on any given day, and there’s a very good reason why.

This spot is quirky and cool with staff that is always friendly and welcoming. It delivers consistent quality coffee, boasts a cabinet stacked with daily changing goodies offering something for sweet tooths (the gluten free brownie is a winner) as well as those after a savoury snack. The all day breakfast menu is filled with a variety of mouth watering dishes and changes seasonally while holding tight to some long time favourites, such as classic eggs...

The Arts Centre

The Arts Centre

The Arts Centre is an iconic landmark, a precious taonga in Christchurch. After being extensively damaged during the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, the stunning Gothic Revival style centre which dates back to 1877 is slowly being brought back to life through a massive $290m post-earthquake restoration programme and the team at the Arts Centre are restoring memories to pave the way for new experiences with culture, creativity and education. As you might imagine, all this change is bringing a lot of excitement with it.

Excitement in the form of:

– From Ancient Greece to Contemporary New Zealand Art and artisan craft – you can visit the Teece Museum of Classical...

The Birdwood

The Birdwood

Let’s not beat around the bush here – The Birdwood is a must-do. A must-do by day and a must-do by night. By day, The Birdwood is a buzzing cafe, pumping out delicious seasonal food, fresh juices, house-roasted coffee (!) and next-level smoothies, all created with locally sourced ingredients. The space is light-filled, spacious and brimming with happy diners.

The breakfast and lunch menus are simple, sophisticated and just plain delicious. Dishes such as “All in House” – sourdough with seasonal preserves and churned buffalo cream and creamy mushrooms with soft polenta and crumbed egg really show off the team’s ability to give an edge to simple,...

The Burger Joint

The Burger Joint

From the window of a vintage caravan found on Trade Me to a permanent nest down New Brighton’s coolest alleyway – The Burger Joint has been making some serious moves over the last couple of years.

It was outside South Brighton Surf Club that seaside locals, Sam Kubiak and Caroline Riley, first opened their mobile food truck. Interest piqued and an appetite for their burger creations only grew… So when given the opportunity to hang their hat in the same town they sold their first patty in, it was a big ‘hell yeah’ moment.

The fresh dine-in venue is tucked down Carnaby Lane with an ethos that is plain and simple – and pretty hard...

The Church Pub

The Church Pub

The Church on the corner of Manchester and Worcester Streets in the heart of the city is a cornerstone of Christchurch hospitality. Housed in a gothic renewal building originally constructed in 1875 as the Trinity Congregational Church, the brew bar is the result of three years of restoration by Inkster Company. 

A unique pub space, yet so fitting for the city, The Church is well worth stepping into just to appreciate the stunning architecture and playful reuse of a building that was left in ruins after the earthquakes. Everything within the space plays homage to the building’s previous existence. The bar sits in front of where an organ once stood, the stage...

The Craft Embassy

The Craft Embassy

Thirty taps of craft beer, beautiful views, great wine and delicious food. In just 12 words, the essence of Craft Embassy can be summed up – it’s simply a gem.

Nestled up on level one of The Terrace in central Christchurch overlooking the Avon river, Craft Embassy specialises in showcasing an epic range of independent craft beers made by New Zealand brewers. From sours to pilsners to stouts to pale ales, the beer list is always evolving, always interesting and always delicious.

But despite this very unique beer offering, a huge part of Craft Embassy’s charm is its accessibility – it doesn’t matter if you’re a certified beer sommelier, a...

The Laboratory

The Laboratory

After travelling through acre after acre of new subdivisions you will finally arrive at the heart of Lincoln’s township, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that the old brick building housing the Laboratory is one that dates back to the beginnings of Lincoln. But no, it was designed and built in 2015 by the owners Martin and Lisa Bennett using recycled materials from earthquake damaged Christchurch.

The Laboratory offers an excellent range of craft beer brewed onsite, including some English style hand-pulled real ales straight from the cask. The popular wood fired pizzas and tapas-style plates are designed to be shared and at the weekend they have a brunch menu....

The Last Word

The Last Word

Nestled on Christchurch’s New Regent Street, whisky and cocktail lounge The Last Word is the type of place you’d struggle to visit just once. In fact, with its relaxed feel, friendly staff, extensive drinks list and moreish snacks, it’s the type of place you’d like to visit every night of the week.

Whisky and cocktails are The Last Word’s main game and with 320 whiskies available, owner Alex Ricketts confession that he is a whisky “geek” makes a lot of sense. Geeky in the best way though – Alex’s passion for the spirit is a passion he wants to share through tastings, chocolate pairings (think a Whittaker’s Sea Salt and...

The Lil' Brew Espresso Bar

The Lil' Brew Espresso Bar

Located within an iconic heritage building in the heart of Redcliffs, The Lil Brew Espresso Bar is quite possibly the cutest cafe in town. Step in, and you’ll immediately soak in the amicable atmosphere. No matter how busy the staff behind the counter are, you’ll find a smile on their faces. And when the sun is out, to say they are busy is an understatement.

The front room is where the action takes place. Be it a cup of coffee, a bite to eat or a refreshing smoothie, you’ll find something to tickle your fancy here. A selection of Bellbird pastries, in-house made salads and sandwiches, plus a bunch of delicate vegan slices await devouring. If you’ve...

The Little High Eatery

The Little High Eatery

The Little High Eatery is a much loved international food market and a Christchurch institution. It opened its doors in 2017, and back then, the exciting development breathed new life into the rebuild of the Garden City. Little High quickly became a bit of a symbol of what our city could become once more. Now, years later, with much of the central city back in action, the eatery is still as thriving as ever. Plus, seven of the original eight tenants are still here, which says a lot about how well this special dining hall does things.

Open seven days a week from lunch til late, this hub of international edibles only closes its doors twice a year. Convenience is a major...

The Old Vicarage

The Old Vicarage

The Old Vicarage is exactly that, the former home of the Vicars from St Mary’s Church in Halswell. However in recent times the place has transformed into a bustling café, restaurant and bar, a picturesque and cosy place to pull up a pew and catch up with friends. 

Built in the late 19th Century, The Old Vicarage is a striking and rather large villa (thanks to a recent extension) set in immaculate gardens that are coiffed to perfection. Geraniums, roses and fuchsias along with established trees line the perimeters of the property offering a natural privacy to the outdoor courtyard area. 

The quaint home has plenty of personality; lots of nooks and...

The Spirits Workshop

The Spirits Workshop

Head to The Spirits Workshop in Sydenham for a uniquely New Zealand spirit experience. Here you can sample gins and whiskies that reflect Aotearoa, meet the people that make them and see the whole process, too.

This local business all got started in 2015 when four friends in Canterbury decided to split the cost of a still. The idea? Put the still in someone’s garage and make the “World’s Best” Single Malt Whisky from Canterbury’s “World’s Best” barley and water! Curiosity, however, got the best of them and just a year later they launched their own gin brand called you guessed it, Curiosity. The Spirits Workshop is now home to...

The Tannery

The Tannery

A seriously impressive example of the expansion of retail and hospitality into the ‘burbs, The Tannery is of such quality that the trek to Woolston will be no deterrent. And once you’re there, the free parking might make you wish your visits to this sophisticated one-stop shop were far more frequent.

The Tannery plays host to an ever-growing, yet carefully curated selection of stylish shops and dining options. All bases are covered – there’s everything from fashion to homewares to design to a second-hand book store. There’s even an apothecary and a yoga studio – need we go on? Possibly no need, but we will anyway.

There are flowers and...

The Welder

The Welder

One of the most exciting new developments to open in Christchurch in 2019, The Welder is a unique health and wellbeing centre in stunningly repurposed buildings in the heart of South Town. The history and soul of the old industrial buildings is palpable as soon as you step inside the space, and it provides an experience unlike anything else in the city.

Dotted around a shared indoor courtyard filled with greenery and natural light, you’ll find hole-in-the-wall spots where you can pick up a coffee, a cold-pressed juice, some serious sourdough, a beautiful pastry, tapas and a glass of wine, Japanese yakitori barbeque and more. Find a cosy nook within one of these...

Three Donkeys

Three Donkeys

Located in the heart of New Brighton, Three Donkeys is a small restaurant focused on an authentic yet elegantly modern take on Indian and Japanese cuisine. The menu embodies a unique blend of ethnic and progressive dishes offering meat, poultry and seafood plus vegetarian and vegan options. Their mission is to provide vibrant food and beautifully constructed dishes that surprise and intrigue. The team can also create tailor-made menus to your taste on request.

Chef Samson Samikannu started his culinary journey in his mother's kitchen in Pondichery, India, and is trained by some of the best chefs in France. In 2021, he opened The Three Donkeys restaurant, a place to share the...

Tiny Door

Tiny Door

Tiny Door is New Zealand’s very first hole-in-the-wall food experience, offering restaurant quality food in a quick-as-a-flash grab-and-go manner to the hungry people of Ōtautahi Christchurch. Keep your eyes peeled for a tiny (and we’re talking literally tiny) blue door at the Guthrey Centre and you’ve found the holy grail of take-away dining. There is no sign writing around to point you to the right spot, so it really is all about discovering it for yourself. Behind said door, vendors of various local hospitality producers, whip up the best of their offerings ready for you to enjoy on the run. 

So how does it all work you ask? Well, that is exactly what...

Tomi Japanese Restaurant

Tomi Japanese Restaurant

One of the small hidden treasures of the Christchurch culinary scene is the Japanese restaurant Tomi, situated within Edgeware Village. Opened in 2012 by Joe Chan (a chef for nearly twenty years), and his wife Mayuko Tomita, plus Mayuko’s father Matsuo Tomita (40 years experience in Japanese cuisine), the restaurant has a relaxed environment with traditional pale timber panelling and a cosy intimate feel.

Tomi has a strong return customer base with sashimi (fresh raw fish) being a standout favourite and speciality. The fish is sourced from the local fish market, and there’s also fresh tuna when it’s in season. Other menu highlights include sushi, tender...

Tom's

Tom's

If you are a sando aficionado and find yourself in the South Town area of Christchurch city centre, keep an eye out for the striking cobalt blue hue of Tom’s. Delicious sandwiches, expertly made coffee and an array of tempting treats await you inside.  

Situated on Southwark Street, part of the W. L. Brown & Co. building, this elevated take on a neighbourhood sandwich shop is a favourite among Ara students, workers in the area and visitors to Ōtautahi who have drooled over Tom’s ‘gram feed. Its small but perfectly formed space has been designed to maximise seating and house a mouth-watering food cabinet. 

The namesake owner...

Truffle Café

Truffle Café

You may think of truffle as clandestine but this Merivale café - with the same name - is anything but. 7 days a week this busy establishment plays host to a colourful spectrum of patrons, from mums on the school run to business meeting aficionados.

Located on Papanui Road, Truffle sits proudly on the corner of a petite Merivale precinct with an assortment of shops and businesses. Its generous veranda out front means people can rock up, order a tasty brekkie and watch the world pass by. Sounds rather good - it is. Inside the design is modern with accents of British racing green, and a large wrap around bench seat in the same hue is an inviting place to sit, relax and hum...

Twenty Seven Steps

Twenty Seven Steps

Twenty Seven Steps is run by Emma and Paul, the good folk who used to own Akaroa’s favourite restaurant, The Little Bistro. As the restaurant’s name suggests, there is a short climb up the steps (no, there aren't 27) to the restaurant, which occupies a large upstairs space: it is essentially four upstairs shops combined into one. An effortless combination of old and new, Twenty Seven Steps is modern and sophisticated. The respect for this building’s heritage in a city where heritage has somewhat crumbled away is special, and the beautiful and quintessentially New Regent Street, arched windows are the heroes of the space.

Emma scoured op shops far and wide (as...

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