For travellers who eat first, ask questions later. Think roadside crayfish, warm pastries, wines worth remembering, and food that doesn’t fuss — just delivers.
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Flavour Hunter
For travellers who eat first, ask questions later.
Things to do
Eat & Drink
A refined Akaroa dining experience overlooking the harbour, pairing seasonal local flavours with warm hospitality and unforgettable volcanic views.
Eat & Drink
Caldera
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Caldera is a striking dining destination in Akaroa, set high above the harbour with panoramic views shaped by an ancient volcanic landscape. Showcasing seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, its menu celebrates the flavours of Banks Peninsula through refined, thoughtful dishes. With warm hospitality, a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere, and a setting that’s as memorable as the food.
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<list>
<item key="Location">otautahi-christchurch</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">1 hr 35 mins</item>
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Best craft breweries in the Central South Island
Taste the region through its breweries, from Cassels & Sons in Christchurch to Kaikōura's Emporium Brewing.
Eat & Drink
Best craft breweries in the Central South Island
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<paragraph> A good beer tastes better when it's brewed by people who care. The Central South Island is home to plenty. Pull up a stool and taste the region through its thoughtfully brewed craft beers. </paragraph>
<title> Cassels & Sons (Christchurch) </title> <paragraph> Brewing in Christchurch since 2009, this is where traditional European styles meet Canterbury flair. Expect balanced lagers, rich porters and seasonal drops. Settle in for a tasting paddle, pair it with something from the kitchen and let the quality speak for itself. </paragraph>
<title> Two Thumbs Brewer (Christchurch) </title> <paragraph> Christchurch’s craft beer scene has matured quietly. It’s less about trends, more about quality. Two Thumbs is a big reason why. With locations dotted around the city, it’s the kind of brewery that feels part of the city culture. The beer is fresh, balanced and unapologetically well made. Locals debate their favourite tap. Visitors quickly see why. </paragraph>
<title> Brew Moon (Amberley) </title> <paragraph> Brew Moon sits comfortably in the heart of Amberley, a relaxed spot where locals roll in after work and visitors realise they’ve struck brewing gold. The beer list is thoughtful and unfussy, classics done well, seasonal surprises, nothing brewed just for the sake of it. Pair a pint with something from the kitchen and watch the afternoon stretch out. </paragraph>
<title> House of Hop (Geraldine) </title> <paragraph> Geraldine has long been a place you stop for supplies, then somehow end up staying longer than planned. House of Hop is partly responsible. Housed in a beautifully restored historic building, this is equal parts craft beer bar, restaurant and gathering place. Taps rotate regularly, showcasing independent brewers alongside their own creations and the food is tasty. </paragraph>
<title> Emporium Brewing (Kaikōura) </title> <paragraph> You come to Kaikōura for the ocean, fresh seafood and epic alpine views. You stay longer for the local gems like Emporium Brewing. The range is broad without being overwhelming, crisp lagers, expressive ales and the occasional experimental brew. It’s a place where conversations start easily, and the mountain‑meets‑sea air somehow makes the beer taste better. </paragraph>
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<list> <item key="Location">Central South Island</item> <item key="Itinerary">1–2 Hours per Visit</item> <item key="Distance">Varies (Multi-region)</item> <item key="Hours">Daily ~12PM to Late</item> <item key="Price">Tastings $15–$30</item> </list>
Eat & Drink
An intimate dining and stargazing experience, pairing chef-prepared local cuisine with fine wines beneath the Milky Way in a dark sky reserve.
Eat & Drink
Mt Cook Retreat Billion Star Dining (stargrazing experience)
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Enjoy an intimate, chef-prepared dining experience featuring premium local produce, paired with fine New Zealand wines. As night falls, the sky comes alive with countless stars, planets, and the Milky Way, guided by expert stargazers who share stories of the southern night sky. It’s a magical blend of gastronomy, nature, and astronomy in one of the world's most famous dark sky reserves.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Mackenzie</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">3 hrs 30 mins</item>
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Eat & Drink
An award-winning West Coast distillery crafting premium spirits from native rainforest botanicals, with guided tours, tastings and a rich founder story.
Eat & Drink
Reefton Distilling Co
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A proud West Coast business, creating international award winning spirits. Little Biddy Gin offers an authentic gin experience. Made with fresh, hand-foraged native botanicals sourced directly from the untamed natural wilderness of New Zealand’s West Coast rainforest. Visitors can join a guided distillery tour to learn about the founder’s story, why the Tai Poutini West Coast rainforest was chosen as the home of the distillery and the processes behind their premium spirits, including Moonlight Creek Whisky and Little Biddy Gin. Tours include a complimentary tasting and the chance to browse the retail store.
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<list>
<item key="Location">West Coast</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">3 hrs 30 mins</item>
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The Pie Road Trip
Embark on a savoury journey through the South Island’s legendary pie shops, from Fairlie Bakehouse to Sheffield, paired with local wine.
Eat & Drink
The Pie Road Trip
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Some say the South Island’s pie scene is unmatched. We’re not arguing. Down here, you’ll find flaky pastry, hearty fillings, and plenty of reasons to stop the car.
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Kick off with the <bold>Fairlie Bakehouse</bold> — its reputation precedes it, and locals treat it like a religion. Further north, <bold>Staveley Store</bold> serves up buttery classics with a country kitchen vibe, and <bold>Sheffield Pie Shop</bold> does what it’s always done: simple, savoury, no fuss.
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If you’re in <bold>Timaru</bold> on a weekend, try the <bold>Artisan Farmers Market</bold> — there’s a good chance you’ll find a warm pie and something to wash it down. And yes, this road trip can absolutely be completed with a wine tasting at <bold>Greystone</bold>, because balance.
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There’s no map for the perfect pie trail — just trust your nose and pull over often.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Canterbury Region</item>
<item key="Itinerary">Full Day Road Trip</item>
<item key="Distance">Varies (Starts ~50m from CHC)</item>
<item key="Hours">6AM – 4PM (Typical)</item>
<item key="Price">Pies $8–$15</item>
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Kaikōura: Ocean to Plate (and Everything In Between)
Discover a town ruled by the ocean, where you can walk with seals, spot whales, and eat seafood straight from the source.
Eat & Drink
Kaikōura: Ocean to Plate (and Everything In Between)
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<paragraph> Kaikōura is where the ocean sets the pace — for the tides, the wildlife, the food, and often your entire day. Everything here revolves around that deep trench just offshore, and the abundance it brings to the surface.
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Start at the <bold>Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway</bold>, where seals sprawl and seabirds wheel overhead. You might spot a pod of dusky dolphins or a sperm whale breaching — no binoculars required.
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Then eat. The seafood here isn’t just “locally sourced” — it’s sourced by locals, that morning. Grab crayfish from a roadside caravan, blue cod from an oceanview pub , or join a coastal foraging walk with someone who knows what to look for.
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And if you’ve got time, stay the night. There’s something about falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on a pebbled shore that makes you forget what you came here to escape.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Kaikōura</item>
<item key="Itinerary">Recommended 2–3 Days</item>
<item key="Distance">2.5 hrs from CHC Airport</item>
<item key="Hours">Always Open</item>
<item key="Price">Free (Nature Access)</item>
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Eat & Drink
A family-owned organic winery in Waipara, pairing expressive wines with seasonal local dishes and sweeping vineyard views.
Eat & Drink
Black Estate Winery
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Set among the rolling hills of Waipara, Black Estate is a family-owned organic winery known for expressive wines and breathtaking views. The cellar door and restaurant overlook the vineyard, offering seasonal, locally sourced dishes designed to pair perfectly with their wines. It’s a relaxed, authentic experience that captures the essence of Waipara Valley — thoughtful, flavour-driven and deeply connected to the land.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Hurunui</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">1 hr 15 mins</item>
</list>
Hurunui: A Wine Region Worth Slowing Down For
Discover the Waipara Valley, where the wine is exceptional, the vibe is low-key, and you’re likely to be poured a glass by the winemaker themselves.
Eat & Drink
Hurunui: A Wine Region Worth Slowing Down For
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Hurunui is easy to drive through — and dangerously easy to underestimate. But stop, sip, and wander, and you’ll find some of Aotearoa’s most quietly exceptional wine experiences.
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The <bold>Waipara Valley</bold> is where North Canterbury’s wine scene hums. Not flashy. Not formulaic. Just producers who let the land speak through the glass. Visit <bold>Greystone, Black Estate, Pegasus Bay,</bold> or <bold>The Bone Line</bold> for lunches that last longer than planned and pinots that actually taste like something.
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The best part? It’s all low-key. You’ll often be poured a wine by the person who made it. Or their neighbour. Or someone who just really loves it here. This isn’t wine country with a script. It’s wine country with soul.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Waipara Valley, North Canterbury</item>
<item key="Itinerary">Half to Full Day</item>
<item key="Distance">45 min from CHC Airport</item>
<item key="Hours">Typically 10AM – 5PM</item>
<item key="Price">Tastings from $15</item>
</list>
Eat & Drink
Christchurch’s only winery, perched on a hillside with sweeping city views and award-winning wines poured at its cellar door.
Eat & Drink
Tussock Hill
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Tussock Hill is Christchurch’s only winery, perched on a hillside with sweeping city views. It crafts award-winning wines and offers cellar door tastings, making it a rare chance to enjoy exceptional local wine without leaving the city.
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<list>
<item key="Location">otautahi-christchurch</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">30 mins</item>
</list>
Eat & Drink
A premium Banks Peninsula salmon producer, celebrated for fresh, sustainably farmed fish found on menus and shelves across the region.
Eat & Drink
Akaroa Salmon
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Akaroa Salmon is a premium Banks Peninsula producer, renowned for its fresh, sustainably farmed salmon. You won’t visit the farm, but you can seek it out on menus and shelves across the region, where chefs and locals showcase this standout local flavour.
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<list>
<item key="Location">otautahi-christchurch</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">1 hr 35 mins</item>
</list>
Eat & Drink
A Kaikōura icon since 1977, serving locally caught crayfish beachside just north of town — simple, fresh and famously good.
Eat & Drink
Nins Bin
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Locally caught crayfish sold 20km north of Kaikōura on the beach side since 1977. Kaikōura means 'eat crayfish' in Maori (kai- eat/ food, koura- crayfish), so why not sit on the beach and do so!? Nins Bin is a classic Kaikōura destination for seafood.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Kaikōura</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">>3 hrs 30 mins</item>
</list>
From Laneways to Vines
Explore Christchurch’s vibrant laneways before heading north to the relaxed, soulful wineries of the North Canterbury Wine Trail.
Eat & Drink
From Laneways to Vines
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Start in Christchurch, where laneway dining and moody wine bars are quietly having a moment. <bold>Little High, Riverside Market,</bold> and <bold>Cellar Door</bold> are go-to spots for tasting your way through the afternoon.
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Head north into <bold>Hurunui</bold>, and things slow down — in the best way. <bold>The North Canterbury Wine Trail</bold> is dotted with places that do wine properly but never take themselves too seriously. Try <bold>Black Estate, Greystone,</bold> or <bold>Tussock Hill</bold>, especially if long lunches and low-intervention wines are your thing.
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Look out for farm-to-table menus and low-key producers with something to say. And if you stumble into a tasting at <bold>Manu</bold> or <bold>Flockhill</bold>, stick around. The views are good, but the people are better.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Christchurch & North Canterbury</item>
<item key="Itinerary">Full Day or Weekend</item>
<item key="Distance">Starts in CHC City</item>
<item key="Hours">Varies (Wineries ~10am-5pm)</item>
<item key="Price">Variable</item>
</list>
Eat & Drink
An award-winning organic winery in Waipara, pairing refined vineyard dining with expressive wines and sweeping valley views.
Eat & Drink
Greystone Winery
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Greystone Winery is renowned for its award-winning wines, organic practices and elevated vineyard dining. Overlooking the Waipara Valley, the tasting room and restaurant offer a refined yet relaxed experience, with seasonal menus designed to complement their wines. From elegant Pinot Noir to expressive whites, Greystone is a standout stop for those seeking thoughtful winemaking, stunning views and exceptional hospitality.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Hurunui</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">1 hr 15 mins</item>
</list>
Eat & Drink
Christchurch’s weekend market for fresh local produce, artisanal foods and handcrafted goods, buzzing with community spirit and flavour.
Eat & Drink
Christchurch Farmers' Market
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This is Christchurch’s go-to spot for fresh, local produce, artisanal foods, and handcrafted goods. Immerse yourself in a lively, community atmosphere every weekend, where you can shop, taste, and connect with the people behind the city’s best flavours.
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<list>
<item key="Location">otautahi-christchurch</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">20 mins</item>
</list>
Eat & Drink
A relaxed trail through Waipara Valley, linking boutique cellar doors, vineyard dining and scenic countryside in a world-class wine region.
Eat & Drink
Waipara Valley Vineyard Trail
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The Waipara Valley Vineyard Trail winds through one of New Zealand’s premier wine regions, home to world-class Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay. With boutique cellar doors, vineyard restaurants and scenic countryside, the trail is ideal for a relaxed day of tasting and exploring. Just an hour north of Christchurch, it’s an easy escape where exceptional wine, food and landscapes come together.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Hurunui</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">1 hr 15 mins</item>
</list>
Eat & Drink
A Christchurch icon set in a heritage building, serving craft beers and hearty meals in a lively, character-filled setting.
Eat & Drink
The Church Pub
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The Church Pub is a Christchurch icon, set in a stunning heritage building with soaring ceilings and stained-glass windows. Enjoy craft beers, hearty meals, and a lively atmosphere in a venue where history and hospitality come together in a truly memorable way.
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<list>
<item key="Location">otautahi-christchurch</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">20 mins</item>
</list>
Eat & Drink
A refined Hanmer Springs restaurant showcasing seasonal local produce, contemporary flavours and warm hospitality in a relaxed, elegant setting.
Eat & Drink
No.31 Restaurant
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No.31 Restaurant at Hanmer Springs delivers a refined dining experience inspired by seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. With a focus on contemporary flavours and beautifully crafted dishes, it’s the perfect place for a special occasion or relaxed evening out. Pair your meal with a carefully curated wine list and enjoy warm hospitality in a setting that reflects the relaxed sophistication of Hanmer Springs.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Hurunui</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">2 hr 15 mins</item>
</list>
Eat & Drink
A farm-to-table kitchen inspired by Kaikōura’s land and sea, offering hands-on cooking experiences, private classes and seasonal Supper Club feasts.
Eat & Drink
Hapuku Kitchen
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At its heart, Hapuku Kitchen is focused on reconnecting the kitchen to the land and sea, celebrating the abundant larder nature has to offer - taking inspiration from the wild Kaikōura landscape. Join with them for one of their hands-on, farm-to-table cooking experiences, a private cooking class or a seasonal evening feast at their popular Supper Club.
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<list>
<item key="Location">Kaikōura</item>
<item key="Distance From CHC Airport">>3 hrs</item>
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